Tag: satan

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Mid-week Manna

Satan’s Deception Series Part 2: DECEPTION CORRUPTS THE MIND; THE HOLY SPIRIT ENLIGHTENS IT

Satan’s Deceptions Series:
Part 2

Satan’s Deceptions Series:
Part 2

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:
January 3, 2024

Satan’s Deceptions Series:
Part 2

DECEPTION CORRUPTS THE MIND; THE HOLY SPIRIT ENLIGHTENS IT

 “For I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled [deceived, NKJV] Eve through his subtility, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.” 2 Cor. 11:3, KJV (see verse 4).

From E. G. White’s The Great Controversy, 1911 ed., we are further enlightened and warned (all emphasis and bracketed words mine):

“Satan can present a counterfeit so closely resembling the truth that it deceives those who are WILLING to be deceived, who desire to shun the SELF-DENIAL AND SELF-SACRIFICE demanded by the truth; but it is IMPOSSIBLE for him to hold under his power one soul who HONESTLY desires, at whatever COST, to know the truth. CHRIST is the truth, and ‘the light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.’ (John 1:9).

The Spirit of truth [the Holy Spirit] has been sent to GUIDE men into all truth. And upon the AUTHORITY of the Son of God
it is declared, ‘Seek and ye shall find.’ (Matt. 7:7). ‘If any man will DO HIS WILL, he shall know of the doctrine [of the ‘truth as in Jesus.’].” – p. 528.

One of the most important divinely-appointed ways to protect oneself from falling victim to the “roaring lion” Satan’s end-time “wrath” manifested in any and all of his unnumbered schemes of deception is to faithfully obey and practice Christ’s example of self-denial and self-sacrifice—the opposite of self-pleasing, indulgence, and intemperance even in things that are good in and of themselves. This is part of the “fiery baptism of the Holy Spirit, the work of sanctification “unto righteousness and holiness,” the fitting up for heaven, the earth made new, and eternity.

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

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Mid-week Manna

DECEPTION: THE DEADLIEST FORM OF SATANIC WRATH

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:
December 27, 2023

DECEPTION: THE DEADLIEST FORM OF SATANIC WRATH Series

(“To be forewarned is to be forearmed.”)

“And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in My name, saying, I am Christ: and deceive many.” Matt. 24:4, K.J.V.

Deception heads the list of Christ’s familiar ‘mini Apocalypse’ recorded in Matt. 24:1-51, given in answer to His disciples’ two-part question of time and circumstance: “WHEN shall these things be? And WHAT shall be the sign of Thy [second] coming, and of the END of the world?” vs 1-3. A parallel chapter to this is Luke 21: 1-36. Read it.

Beginning with Eve’s fall first, followed by Adam’s, rendering thereafter all “their seed” as sinners till the close of earth’s second and last probation, there are two general classes of sinners, where deception in all its forms and variations are concerned, namely: the honestly deceived and the willingly ignorant.

An example of the former is the Pharisee Saul, the over zealous persecutor of Christ’s earliest followers before his dramatic conversion and amazing transformation to Paul, Christ’s leading “apostle to the Gentiles” after His resurrection. Hear his confession and testimony: “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; who was before a blasphemer, and a PERSECUTOR, and injurious: but obtained mercy, because I DID IT IGNORANTLY in unbelief.” 1 Tim. 1: 12, 13, KJV (emphasis mine).

In verse 15 he reveals the spirit and attitude of all previously honestly-deceived but were convicted when they saw the light of truth, then were transformed by grace. “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to SAVE SINNERS, OF WHOM I AM CHIEF.”

The latter are revealed as countless by another apostle: “Knowing this first, there shall come in the LAST DAYS, SCOFFERS, walking in their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of His [second] coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation: for this they WILLINGLY ARE IGNORANT OF.” (Read verses 5-18 for fuller context).” 1 Pet. 3: 3-5, KJV.

Therefore, remember this: When the honestly deceived see the truth they will cease to be deceived, or else they cease to be honest and join the class of the willingly ignorant, thereby ending up willingly deceived!

Added to this is the fearful truth, first manifested and demonstrated in Eden—-that one who becomes deceived, soon becomes a deceiver himself. Mark this: After being deceived into yielding to the serpent’s cunning temptation, Instead of faithfully functioning as a “helpmate” to her husband, Eve, the woman became the first agent of the master deceiver and ‘father of lies.”

The difference makers here are clearly “the truth as it is in Jesus,” (“to the law and testimony,” in “it is written” only), and the rational individual’s exercise of willing and voluntary choice, as a free moral agent endowed with will power in response to the conviction of his conscience by the Holy Spirit.

As someone put it so succinctly: “If a man deceived me once, shame on him; if twice, shame on me.”

Self-deception resulting from
self-love, self-worship, self-promotion, self-confidence, and all forms of self-centeredness are all fatal to the soul.

Only in and through Christ Jesus, the self-denying, self-sacrificing incarnated Creator, Savior, and Example can any and all sinners receive His Life and Light of truth that will dispel the darkness of sinful and willful ignorance of sin through the tempter’s cunning and deadly deceptions!

More souls will lose both temporal and eternal life through Satan’s tender and subtle deceptions rather than his wrathful persecutions. We will show this next time.

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

Categories
Mid-week Manna

SATAN ACKNOWLEDGES CHRIST’S DIVINITY. HIS WORD AS LAW BOTH SPOKEN AND WRITTEN

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:
June 15, 2022

SATAN ACKNOWLEDGES CHRIST’S DIVINITY. HIS WORD AS LAW BOTH SPOKEN AND WRITTEN

First things first, read for yourself what “is “written” in Matt. 4: 1-11; Luke 4:1-13; Mark 1: 12,13. Another apostle says, “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well; THE DEVILS ALSO BELIEVE, AND TREMBLE.”’ James 2: 19, KJV.

Here is common ground shared between such “believers in one God,”regardless of what religion they believe, and whoever they believe is their “God”—-with the demons or evil spirits. But whether such “believers” likewise “tremble” as the demons do in that belief is quite another thing.

The only one that can answer that is the believer himself, and God in Christ, through the Holy Spirit, in the “Word of God that is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do [give an account of ourselves.].” Heb. 4: 12, 13.

To be sure, such “belief and trembling” never makes the eternally-doomed demons (Jude 6) one iota less demons, or the merely professed believers into true believers in Christ; the latter is definitively described in these last days in these words: “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus” (Rev. 14:12).

True to the nature of “the mystery of iniquity,” as “the father of lies and murderer from the beginning” (John 8: 44, the master deceiver, disguised as an angel of light come down from heaven, approached Jesus at the end of His forty day-and-night fasting from all food and water.

When He entered the wilderness in His incarnated flesh and blood human nature (Heb. 2: 9-18; Rom. 8: 3-10) to cope with Satan, the Son of man, of David, and of Mary,” was in much lesser advantage than was “the first Adam” (1 Cor. 15: 45-47) in his yet-sinless nature in pure Eden.

How and why? “For four thousand years the [human] race had been decreasing in physical strength, in mental power, and in moral worth; and Christ took upon Him the infirmities of degenerate humanity. [For] only thus could He rescue [deliver, save] man from the lowest depths of degradation.” (White, Desire of Ages, 117). The three types of temptations that embody the “all points in which mankind has, is, and will be tempted till the close of time.

Jesus was “tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin.” Embodied in the three great classes of temptations
that Satan, disguised as an “angel of light” (or a “wolf in sheep’s wool) attacked Jesus with, are embodied all the “points in which mankind” has, is, and will be tempted by” till the close of time.

In order that his first temptation upon appetite could sting hard, Satan had to first point out, thus acknowledging—-that the famished-from-40’days-of-fasting, recently baptized and anointed Messiah—was the Creator Himself, he cunningly suggested to create doubt, “IF thou be the SON OF GOD, COMMAND that these stones be made bread.”

The temptation of appetite/desire/lust on all things God forbids, is that which Eve and Adam yielded to, fell, and became sinners. All their progeny thus were born with sinful, not sinless nature.

Christ answered and SAID (spoke), “It is WRITTEN, ‘Man shall not live by bread [physical, literal food] alone, but by EVERY WORD that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” (Matt. 4: 3, 4; cf. Deut. 8:3). God spoke through the patriarchs and prophets in ancient times, through His disciples and apostles in the New Testament, and through His chosen messenger-prophet in this closing phase of earth’s history in the advent movement, starting at the termination of the 2300-day prophecy of Dan. 8: 14.

That Satan yielded to the authority of the SPOKEN command and the WRITTEN word, accepting defeat with no question or quibbling, is testified by the written record that he quickly moved on to the next two classes of temptations.

To the temptation PRESUMPTION, Satan’s counterfeit of genuine faith, Christ again replied, IT IS WRITTEN, thou shalt not tempt the LORD THY GOD….” verses 5-7. To the third and last temptation of “love” (adoring; idolizing; worshipping) “the world and the things of the world,” and “the creature over the Creator,” Jesus, “the Word made flesh (John 1:1-3, 14), consistently and with certainty replied, “It is WRITTEN, Thou shalt WORSHIP THE LORD THY GOD, AND HIM ONLY SHALT THOU SERVE.”verses 8–10.

The record of Matthew says in conclusion, “Then the devil LEAVETH Him, and, behold, ANGELS [‘ministering spirits,’ Heb. 1:14; Ps. 103: 19, 20] came and ministered unto Him.” v 11. Luke’s account concludes with, “And when the devil had ENDED ALL THE TEMPTATIONS, he departed from Him FOR A SEASON (‘for a while’ only).” Luke 4: 13.

Satan continued to tempt, assail, vex, and harass Jesus till He was crucified—a Victor and Overcomer “over the world, the flesh, and the devil” by the power of IT IS WRITTEN.” Fallen, sinful mankind cannot succeed in any way other than what Jesus established in the flesh!

Until next MWM, God willing, NMF.

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Daily Manna

DIVINE GRACE & POWER TO RESIST SATAN AND OVERCOME SIN

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

DIVINE GRACE & POWER TO RESIST SATAN AND OVERCOME SIN

“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” 1 Cor. 10 :13, KJV.

Christians often say, “God is good. He is faithful.” How faithful and good? Here Paul reveals that specifically regarding TEMPTATION, which any and all true Christians are never totally above or immune to, while yet in the sinful mortal flesh this side of the resurrection morning, that God “is faithful,” not because He will remove or “desensitize” us against any and all temptations but because He “will NOT ALLOW us to be tempted” beyond our individual capacity to resist it.

He knows exactly each individual’s absolute limits, “even the number of our hair.” He is a personal Savior, a personal Friend. And because man was made a free moral agent with a will as the governing power in our nature, ultimate salvation is individual.

Moreover, God in Christ’s faithfulness is made even greater in that He faithfully provides, in the very temptation itself that He allows (to serve a high and holy purpose) to come upon His people, “a way to escape” from yielding to it, each and every time, without fail!

And each successful episode is a building block laid down in the image-template of a moral character being formed and perfected for eternity!

Hereunder explains how this “way to escape” temptation works:
“Will man take hold of divine power, and with determination and perseverance resist Satan, as Christ had given him example in His conflict with the foe in the Wilderness of temptation? [See Matt. 4: -11].

God cannot save man AGAINST HIS WILL from the power of Satan’s artifices [unnumbered schemes, hypnotizing fantasies, alternate facts, truths, and “illuminating”
conspiracy theories, fanaticism, spiritualism, etc.].

“Men must work with his human power [see Phil. 2:12, 13], AIDED BY THE DIVINE POWER of Christ, to RESIST and CONQUER at any cost to himself [substance of true self-denial and self-sacrifice]

“And then, through the victory that it is his PRIVILEGE to gain by the all-powerful name of Jesus, he become an HEIR of God and JOINT-HEIR with Jesus Christ. This could not be the case if CHRIST ALONE did all the overcoming.

“Man must DO HIS part; he must be victor on HIS own account, through the STRENGTH AND GRACE that Christ gives [if desired and sought by fasting and prayer].
Man must be a CO-WORKER with Christ in the labor of overcoming.” [Spiritual victory is a result of human effort aided by divine power and grace].

“The victims of evil habits must be aroused [spiritual resurrection] to the NECESSITY of making an effort for themselves. OTHERS may put forth the most earnest endeavor to uplift them, the GRACE of God may be freely offered, CHRIST may entreat [through the ‘still small voice’ of the Holy Spirit]. His ANGELS may minister; but all will be IN VAIN unless they themselves must be roused TO FIGHT THE BATTLES ON THEIR BEHALF.” – E. G. White, This Day with God, p. 254. Bless all, NMF

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Daily Manna Devotionals

GOD IS LOVE; SO IS SATAN. HOW TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

GOD IS LOVE; SO IS SATAN. HOW TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE

First, spiritual things are spiritually discerned. The carnal mind will mind the things of the flesh but the spiritual mind will mind the things of the Spirit. Thus the carnal mind will confuse Spiritualism for the things of the Holy Spirit! God is love. Of course Satan has a counterfeit of this truth in Spiritualism, in case you were not aware of it till now!

“Even in its present form, so far from being more worthy of TOLERATION than formerly [in the name of “brotherly love,” or “ecumenism”], it is really MORE DANGEROUS because, a MORE SUBTLE deception. While it formerly denounced Christ and the Bible [like during the French Revolution, 1793-1797], it NOW PROFESSES to accept both.

“But the Bible is interpreted in a manner that is PLEASING to the unrenewed heart [carnal heart/mind], while its solemn and vital truths are made of no effect. LOVE IS DWELT UPON AS THE CHIEF ATTRIBUTE OF GOD, but it is degraded to a weak SENTIMENTALISM, making little difference between good and evil. God’s JUSTICE, His DENUNCIATION OF SIN, THE REQUIREMENTS OF HIS LAW, are all kept out of sight.”- Great Controversy, 1911 ed., p. 558.

“Many are the ways by which Satan works through human influence to bind his captives. He secures multitudes to himself by attaching them by the SILKEN CORDS OF AFFECTION to those who are enemies of the cross of Christ. Whatever this attachment may be, PARENTAL, FILIAL, CONJUGAL, OR SOCIAL, the effort is the same; the opposers of truth exert their power to CONTROL THE CONSCIENCE, and the souls held under their sway have NOT SUFFICIENT COURAGE OR INDEPENDENCE to obey their own CONVICTION OF DUTY.” – Ibid, p. 597.

What is our WHOLE duty to God? The answer is clear, direct to the point and given in a language even a child can understand.

“Let us hear the CONCLUSION of the whole matter: fear God and keep His commandments for this is the WHOLE DUTY OF MAN. For God shall bring every work into JUDGMENT with every secret thing whether they be good or evil.” Eccl. 12:13,14, KJV.

Read the whole chapter of Psalms 119. I’m sure you will gain a deeper understanding of how David viewed this whole duty to God. To him it was “more to be desired than gold, yea, than much fine gold, and sweeter than the honey and the honeycomb.” (Ps. 19).

This is exactly the opposite of how many Christians consider God’s law a “heavy burden,” and accuse and ridicule those who “love God and keep His commandments” as legalists.

They don’t seem to realize that they are not only accusing the patriarchs, prophets, disciples and apostles but Christ the Law giver! How can anyone face God when he “stands before the judgment seat of Christ and give an account of himself ?” (Rom. 14: 10, 12). NMF

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Daily Manna Devotionals

SATAN IS ALSO “THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND FOREVER” BUT CHANGES APPEARANCE CHAMELEON-LIKE

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

SATAN IS ALSO “THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND FOREVER” BUT CHANGES APPEARANCE CHAMELEON-LIKE

Far too many in the world today, sadly including Christians, overlook or ignore the testimony of the Bible concerning the wonders performed by Satan and his agencies, spirits or humans, individuals or institutions.

“It was by satanic aid that Pharaoh’s magicians were enabled to counterfeit the work of God. Paul testifies that before the second advent of Christ there will be similar manifestations of satanic power. The coming of the Lord is to be PRECEDED by ‘the workings of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness’ (1 Thess. 2:8.10).

“And the apostle John, describing the miracle-working power that will be manifested in the last days, declares, ‘He doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of these MIRACLES, which he had the power to do.’ (Rev. 13: 13.14). No MERE impostures here are foretold Men are DECEIVED BY THE MIRACLES which Satan’s agents have POWER to do, not which they PRETEND to do.

“The prince of darkness who has SO LONG [at least 6,000 years] bang the powers of his master-mind to the work of DECEPTION, skillfully ADAPTS his temptations to men of ALL classes and conditions. To persons of CULTURE AND refinement, he presents Spiritualism in its more refined and intellectual aspects, and thus SUCCEEDS in drawing many into his snare.” – Great Controversy, 1911, pp. 553, 554.

Please be reminded that more souls will be lost because of deception, not persecution! So if we fear persecution and compromise the truth and yield our faith, Satan has succeeded in deceiving us. God help us, NMF

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Daily Manna Devotionals

SATAN’S ENMITY AGAINST CHRIST DEMONSTRATED BY ROME’S HATRED FOR THE WALDENSIAN CHRISTIANS.

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

SATAN’S ENMITY AGAINST CHRIST DEMONSTRATED BY ROME’S HATRED FOR THE WALDENSIAN CHRISTIANS.

Jesus told His disciples these words of immortal truth: “If the world hate you, you know it hated Me before it hated you…..Remember the word that I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted Me, they will ALSO persecute you.” John 15: 18, 20, KJV. – FF 128-129: “In fact, amid the license of the Middle [and Dark] Ages, ASCETIC VIRTUE was apt to be recognized as a SiGN OF HERESY-“ ‘History of the Inquisition of the Middle Ages, H. C. Lea, Vol. 1, p. 87, NY, Harper & Bros. 1888.

Professor Philippus van Limborch writes:

‘It was the entire study and endeavor of the POPES, to crush, in its infancy, any doctrine that in any way opposed their EXORBITANT power. In the year 1163, at the Synod of Tours, all the bishops and priests in the country of Tholouse, were commanded to ‘take care, and to forbid, under the pain of excommunication, every person presuming to give RECEPTION, or the least assistance to the followers of this heresy, which first began in the country of Tholouse, wherever they shall be discovered. Neither were they to have any dealings with them in BUYING OR SELLING [fast forward to Rev. 13:15-17]; that by being thus DEPRIVED of the common assistances of life, they might be COMPELLED to repent of the evil of their way.

Whoever shall DARE to contravene this order, let them be excommunicated, as a PARTNER with them in their guilt. As many as them as could be found, let them be imprisoned by the CATHOLIC PRINCES, and punished with the forfeiture of all their substance.’

‘Some of the Waldenses, coming into the neighboring kingdom of Arragon, king Ildefonsus, in the year 1194, put forth, against them, A VERY SEVERE AND BLOODY EDICT, by which he ‘banished them from his kingdom, and all his dominions, as ‘enemies of the cross of Christ [!], profaners of the CHRISTIAN RELIGION [not all Christians are true Christians], and PUBLIC ENEMIES to himself and his kingdom.’

He adds: ‘If any, from this day forwards, shall presume to receive in their houses, the aforesaid WALDENSES and INZABBATATI, or other heretics, of whatever profession they be, or to hear, in any place, their ABOMINABLE PREACHINGS, or to give them food, or to do them any kind office whatsoever; let him know, that he shall incur the indignation of Almighty God [the god of this world, not the God of heaven!] and ours [so they admit they have ‘other gods.’]; then he shall forfeit all his goods, without the benefit of appeal, and be punished as though guilty of high treason.’ ‘ — ‘History of the Inquisition,’ pp. 88, 89. London. 1816.” – C. Edwardson, Facts of Faith, pp. 128, 129.

In stark contradiction, Jesus taught His followers and disciples that in His kingdom of grace and righteousness on earth, its subjects would “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and PERSECUTE you”(Matt. 5:44). And so did Paul in Rom. 12: 19-21.
Indeed “by their fruits you shall know them!” God bless all, NMF

Categories
Daily Manna Devotionals

POLITICS AND RELIGION: A MATCH MADE BY SATAN

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

POLITICS AND RELIGION: A MATCH MADE BY SATAN

Benjamin Franklin, sage of the Continental Congress, expressed this as his conviction:

“When religion is good, it will take care of itself; when it is not able to take care of itself, and God does not see fit to take care of it, so that it has to appeal to the civil power for support, it is evidence to my mind that it’s cause is a bad one.”- Letter to Dr. Price.

Writing of the election of bishops, the historical Schaff declares that:

“Many are elected in account of BADNESS, to prevent the mischief they would OTHERWISE do.’ – ‘History of the Christian Church,’ Vol. III, Sec. 49, par. 2, note 6, p. 240.

“Even the sanctity of the church was not respected by the fighting parties. The historian Milman, speaking of the installation of a bishop at Constantinople says,——-‘In the morning, Philip [the prefect of the East] appeared in his car, with Macedonius in his side with the pontifical attire; he drove directly to the church, but the soldiers were obliged to HEW [cut] their way through the dense and resisting CROWD to the altar. Macedonius passed over the DEAD bodies (three thousand are said to have fallen) to the throne of Christian prelate.’- ‘History of Christianity,’ Vol. XI, p. 426. NY. 1870. Socrates (‘Ecclesiastical History,’ Bk. II, chap. 17, p. 96) gives the number slain as 3150.

“Can we wonder at the lack of spiritual insight and sound judgment of such bishops when they met at their Councils to formulate the CREED OF CHRISTENDOM? They decreed in favor of image worship, purgatory, prayers for the dead, veneration of relics, and many other HEATHEN customs, PERSECUTING all who would not fall in line with their MONGREL customs. At the Council of Laodicea, A. D. 304, they anathemized Sabbath-keepers in the following way:

“Christians must not JUDAIZE by resting on the Sabbath, but must work on that day, rather honoring the Lord’s Day [Sunday]; and if they can, resting then as CHRISTIANS. But if any should be found to judaizers [keeping the seventh-day Sabbath], then let them ANATHEMA from Christ.’ – ‘Canon XXIX, ‘Index Canonum,’ John Fulton, D.D., LL.D., p. 259.” (From Facts of Faith, C. Edwardson, pp. 115, 116.

Be a blessing not a burden, to someone today, only by God’s grace, NMF.