Categories
Devotionals

LEST WE DRIFT AWAY

September 16, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

LEST WE DRIFT AWAY

“Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest we drift away.” Heb. 2:1, NKJV. (The KJV says, “lest at any time we should let them slip.”)

“Lest at any time we should let them slip,’ or more literally, ‘lest we be floated past them,’ or ‘drift away from them.’

“The picture is that of a boat being carried along with the current, the occupants unaware of the fact that they are drifting. Before they realize it they are nearing the cataract, far pat the OLD LANDMARKS, and danger is at hand, and possibly, destruction.

“Drifting is one of the easiest and pleasantest means of locomotion, but it is also a most treacherous one. NO EFFORT IS NEEDED TO DRIFT, and as one glides down the river toward sure death, the FEELING is that of well-being with contentment with accompanying delightful DROWSINESS. The downward movement is hardly perceptible, for as the boat moves down the river it seems to remain MOTIONLESS. The water moves with the boat and APPEARANCES ARE DECEITFUL. Unless one awakens in time, the danger is very real.

“This was the condition of the church to which the author [Paul] was writing. They were drifting SPIRITUALLY, and did not sense their danger. Slowly they were nearing the precipice, and soon it would be too late.” M.L. Andreasen, The Book of Hebrews, pp. 81, 82.

The global deterioration at every level and endeavor of human society is God’s “voice” warning mankind that earth’s probation is soon to close! Soon it will be too late for those who have persistently resisted heaven’s invitation to repent of and turn away from their sins! “Be not deceived; God is not mocked; whatsoever a man sows that shall he also reap.” Sow seeds of righteousness, reap the fruits of righteousness! God bless all, NMF.  

Categories
Devotionals

HOW THE CREATOR ‘PURGED’ AND ‘MADE AN END OF SINS’ IN HIS ADOPTED HUMAN NATURE

August 14, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

HOW THE CREATOR ‘PURGED’ AND ‘MADE AN END OF SINS’ IN HIS ADOPTED HUMAN NATURE

“Christ in earth gave a demonstration in earth when humanity is fully yielded to Him. In ‘the body prepared for Him,’ He was tempted as men are tempted. ‘He was oppressed and He was afflicted;’ ‘He hath borne our griefs, and carried out sorrows;’ was ‘wounded for our transgressions’ and ‘bruised for our iniquities.’ He ‘was despised and rejected of men,’ ‘poured out His soul unto death: and He was numbered with the transgressors;’ He ‘bare the sin of many’ and ‘made his soul an offering for sin.’ Because of this He was ‘to justify many [not everyone]: for He shall bear their inquiries.”

Isa. 58.

“This presents Christ as Sin-bearer. ‘God made Him to be SIN for us, who KNEW NO SIN.’ 2 Cor. 5:21. ‘His own self bare our sins in His body on the tree.’ ”

1 Pet. 2:24.
Categories
Devotionals

THE ‘PURIFICATION OF SINS’ OF HEBREW 1:3

August 10, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

THE ‘PURIFICATION OF SINS’ OF HEBREW 1:3 REFERS TO CHRIST’S WORK OF ATONEMENT PROPHESIED IN THE 70-WEEK PROPHECY OF DANIEL 9: 24.

Atonement is actually the work ‘at-one-meant.’ Some aspects of the atonement need further consideration.

“If Christ made ‘purification of sins,’ and SIN STILL EXISTS [to this very moment], what is meant by ‘purification of sins’? This question still becomes more important when we learn that not only was Christ to make purification of sins POSSIBLE but He was to ‘MAKE AN END OF SINS,’ and that this was to be accomplished WITHIN THE PROPHETIC PERIOD OF 70 WEEKS. Said the angel to Daniel:

Categories
Devotionals

SINS: PURGED AT CALVARY, PURIFICATION CONTINUES

August 9, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

SINS: PURGED AT CALVARY, PURIFICATION CONTINUES

May the Sabbath blessings received yesterday anchor our faith and feet as we hopefully forge forward to complete another week that brings us closer to our desired haven of rest! Let’s pickup where we left off last Friday:

The phrase under consideration (Heb.1:3) ‘purification of sins,’ Wescott says, ‘may express either (1) the cleansing of sins, i.e., the removal of the sins. Compare Matt. 8:3; Job 7:21 (Exo.30:10), or (2) the cleansing of the person FROM sins.’  The Epistle to the Hebrews, p.15.”

Categories
Devotionals

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ‘PURGING’ AND ‘PURIFICATION’

August 7, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ‘PURGING’ AND ‘PURIFICATION’

“When He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in high.”

Heb. 1: 3., NKJV.

“Christ by Himself purged our sins.’ These words introduce Christ as High Priest. The word ‘our’ is not found in the best manuscripts, and is to be omitted. The reading therefore is that Christ ‘by Himself purged sins,’ or better ‘made purification of sins. It is true that Christ purged ‘our’ sins, but the author [Paul] takes a more INCLUSIVE view, though later he will fully discuss ‘our’ sins.”

Categories
Devotionals

GODLY REPENTANCE DELAYED IS PARDON DENIED

June 22, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

GODLY REPENTANCE DELAYED IS PARDON DENIED

“For godly sorrow produces repentance to salvation, not to be regretted [or repented of]; but the sorrow of the world produces death.” 2 Cor. 9:10, NKJV (See verses 8-11).

Even as ‘justice delayed is justice denied,’ Achan’s deadly sin of covetousness produced a “worldly,” not a godly repentance. This is possibly one of the deadliest combinations of sins. Achan lost both temporal and eternal life!

Categories
Devotionals

ACHAN’S SECRET SIN EXPOSED PUBLICLY BY GOD

June 17, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK;

ACHAN’S SECRET SIN EXPOSED PUBLICLY BY GOD. “For God will bring every secret thing into judgment, whether they be good or evil.” Eccl. 12:14.

Continuing from yesterday: “God’s command has been disregarded by of those appointed to execute His judgments. And the NATION was held accountable for the guilt of the transgressor. THEY have even taken of the accursed thing
and have also STOLEN, and DISSEMBLED also’ instruction was given to Joshua for the discovery and punishment [judicial procedures] of the criminal. The [casting of] lots was to be employed for the DETECTION of the guilty. The sinner was NOT directly pointed out, the matter being left to DOUBT for a time, that the people might FEEL their RESPONSIBILITY for the sins existing among them, and thus be led to SEARCHING of HEART and HUMILIATION before God.

Categories
Devotionals

THE TENTH COMMANDMENT. “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, wife, manservant, maidservant, ox, ass nor ANYTHING that is thy neighbor’s.”

June 15, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

THE TENTH COMMANDMENT. “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, wife, manservant, maidservant, ox, ass nor ANYTHING that is thy neighbor’s.” Exo. 20: 17.

God is also called Palmoni, “the divine Numberer” and is a God of order who “numbers the numberless stars of the heavens” and the number of hairs on our heads. Number Ten in the Bible stands for ‘completion,’ hence there are only Ten Commandments that cover our “whole duty to God and to our fellowmen.