“The gospel is to be presented, not as a lifeless theory, but as a living force to change the life. God desires that the receivers of His grace shall be witnesses to it’s power. Those whose course has been most offensive to Him He freely accepts; when they repent, He imparts to them His divine Spirit, places them in the highest positions of trust, and sends them forth into the camp of the disloyal to proclaim His boundless mercy. He would have His servants bear testimony to the fact that through His grace men may possess Christ-likeness of character, and may rejoice in the assurance of His great love. He would have us bear testimony to the fact that He cannot be satisfied until the human race are reclaimed and reinstated in their holy privileges as His Sons and daughters.” – DA 826.
“The understanding of the people of God has been blinded, for Satan has misrepresented the character of God. Our good and gracious Lord has been presented before the people clothed in the attributes of Satan, and men and women who have been seeking for truth have so long regarded God in a false light that it is difficult to dispel the cloud that obscures His glory from their view.” – Selected Messages, page 355.
“Behold, say the Scripture, ‘the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people; but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee.’ Isa. 60:2. It is the darkness of misapprehension of God that is enshrouding the world. Men are losing their knowledge of His character. It has been misunderstood and misinterpreted. At this time a message from God is to be proclaimed, a message illuminating in its influence and saving in its power. His character is to be made known. Into the darkness of the world is to be shed the light of His glory, the light of His goodness, mercy and truth… (Isa. 40:9, 10 then quoted) Those who wait for the Bridegroom’s coming are to say to the people, ‘Behold your God.’ The last rays of merciful light, the last message of mercy to be given to the world, is a revelation of His character of love.” – COL 415.
Have You Heard The Good News? God Does Not Destroy!
In the fall of 1976, I was impressed to memorize some Psalms. Since I already knew Psalm 1, my journey began with Psalm 2. It was very hard work, but I persevered, even though I didn’t understand much. “Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him.” Psalm 2:12. I know this was referring to the Son of God, even our Lord Jesus Christ, but I could not understand why the Scripture would state that our gentle Lord Jesus Christ of the New Testament would be angry at us if we did not kiss Him. It was completely out of character for Him. The next Psalm didn’t help me. In fact it deepened my confusion. “Arise, O Lord; save me O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.” Psalm 3:7. Now, I was really confused. David, under the inspiration of God’s Spirit tells us that God smashes the faces of His enemies. He even knocks out their teeth. Yet, Christ, in the New Testament tells us to “love our enemies,” and to “turn the other cheek.” I could not understand why God was apparently contradicting Himself. Or was He? Was there a secret code language or a special concept that runs through out the Bible which would explain this paradox? I continued to memorize. Finally, I came to Psalm 5:10 and the light broke through. “Destroy thou them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels;” Here then was the key. The Bible truly was written in a special code. There was a hidden concept about God, but only those who truly sought to know Him (Jere. 29:13) would ever discover it and be able to go “Into the Father’s heart.” God takes the blame for everything that happens, as Judah was willing to do, Gen. 43:9. He claims to destroy a person even when the person, like Saul, (I Chron. 10:4, 5, 13, 14), and Judas, (Matt. 27:5) commit suicide. As I continued to study, all of my research confirmed this truth. All my life I had heard that God killed people. Every religion on the face of the earth has taught this doctrine. Can you imagine my shock in 1977, when I found out that God Does Not Kill.
How did I discover this truth? By reading and memorizing some texts in the Holy Bible, especially in the book of Psalms. God’s Spirit flooded my heart, mind and soul with light, peace and love and I’ve been praising His Holy name ever since. Jesus is more real to me now. I had known about Him since a child, but only as a dogma or doctrine, but not as my Lord. What indescribable joy has been mine since I found out that God the Father is just like Jesus revealed Him to be, “Holy, harmless and undefiled.” Hebrews 7:26. I was so happy tears of joy coursed down my face. This understanding of the holy Bible has transformed my life. Now I am free to worship the Father and His Son in Spirit and Truth instead of in fear, doubt and distrust. I hope and pray you will let Jesus show you the Father now through this web site. Continue reading and reason together with me for a few brief moments.
The Bible verse I was memorizing says, “Destroy thou them O God; let them fall BY THEIR OWN COUNSELS;” Psalm 5:10. Light flooded my heart and mind as I realized the way God had created man permitted him to choose to obey God’s Ten Commandments, through the power of the holy Spirit in him, or to choose to break them by disobedience. God never forces anyone to do what is right. We have free moral agency (choice). When we choose to obey, Jesus is right there to help us do what is right. But when we choose to go our own way, we reap the consequences or the results. Going our own way without God’s guidance and help leads to the transgression of His holy law, which is sin, I John 3:4. Sin corrupts, mars and eventually destroys us, “For the wages of sin is death.” Romans 6:23. Therefore, when we choose to follow our “own counsels” and sin by breaking God’s law, we are simply killing ourselves, committing suicide. God is not killing us. We are destroying ourselves, whether we die of lung cancer from smoking, ulcers from excessive worry or hatred, cirrhosis of the liver from alcohol, gonorrhea or syphilis or AIDS from sinful sexual experiences or a heart attack from overeating. Anger, resentment, remorse, guilt, regret, shame, hatred and bitterness all wear down the life forces and invite decay and death.
The vast majority of the religious world has portrayed (painted) God as a cruel tyrant. Throughout history many preachers have pictured God in their sermons and books as an angry judge or father who pours out His wrath from time to time on his wayward children. But that is nothing to what is coming soon, ‘they say’: Because God is getting angrier every day and very soon now, the day is coming when he is going to really ‘Blow His Cool’ and get even with all those dirty sinners, by pouring out His wrath on all those who will not obey Him by keeping His law. This is probably the greatest single reason so many people are atheists. They hate and rebel against a God they have been taught will torture them in hellfire throughout eternity. Others, more benevolent in their eschatology (study of last day events) teach that God will only torture the wicked a “little while” when He sends fire down from the sky and fries them to crisps at His Second Coming and then again at the end of the 1,000 years or millennium. This, they say, is when God will pour out “His Wrath,” in all of its fullness. But what is God’s wrath? Paul tells us that it is simply when God is forced to “take His hands off a person” and “give them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts.” Romans 1:18, 24, 26. So, we see that God doesn’t get mad when His wrath is revealed. That is a lie. Wrath is simply “DIVINE GRIEF OR HEARTACHE.” Wrath is when we reject the Lord and He is forced to withdraw and give us up to our own sinful ways. But, He always stands nearby ready to come back if we will ask Him to help us. The city of Jerusalem is an example of what I have in mind. This ancient city of the Old Testament is, perhaps, the greatest example of how God’s great heart of love has been broken again and again by His very own people. DIVINE HEARTACHE! Even today Jesus is weeping over modern Israel, Laodicea, (Revelation 3) as He wept over Jerusalem of old, Luke 19:41. People don’t realize that God has deep feelings. Even the falling of a little sparrow hurts Him. Our Heavenly Father attends the funeral of every sparrow. Listen: “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father’s will. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” Matthew 10:29-31.
Jesus came to reveal the Father’s great heart of love, not only to our little world, but to the entire universe with its millions, perhaps, billions of worlds whirling about the throne of God. Yes, God loves and cares about you…even YOU personally. He cared so much that He let His only son come and suffer humiliation, scorn, rejection, hatred, slander and even a painful and horrible death on the cross.
He went through all that for you and me without once losing His temper or reacting or retaliating with a hateful, spiteful word or glance. THIS IS WHAT GOD IS REALLY LIKE, my friend. But it took the demonstration in Gethsamane, before Pilate, Herod and on Calvary to break our hearts and open our eyes. Matthew 27. Now we can see clearly that if God would not hurt or kill anyone under these extreme circumstances, He never would hurt or kill, for He never acts out of character. That is, He never acts differently than He acted at His trial and on the cross. This is the crowning proof of what He is truly like and how He acts at all times and under all circumstances, and thus how deeply He loves each human being on this earth. He died for every single one. This is His attitude toward us now and forever. He nor His love ever change. Malachi 3:6. “I am the Lord, I change not.” “Jesus the same yesterday, today and forever.” Hebrews 13:8.
With this in mind we now can understand that God does not bring the seven (7) last plagues. The reason we know that, is because Acts 10:38, which tells that Jesus “went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him.” Why then would we ever want to believe Jesus would bring disease upon us today? Of course, He wouldn’t. Revelation 16:2 tells us the first plague is a sore on men’s bodies. Many believe that the AIDS disease is the beginning of that. It could also be some kind of cancer or leprosy. All seven of these plagues will be aberrations of nature, and God never distorts His own creation. Another important fact to remember is that God always takes the blame or responsibility for everything that Satan and man do, because He is the Creator and therefore, is sovereign over all creation.
Revelation 15 and 16 picture or portray seven holy angels coming out of the temple in heaven bringing the seven last plagues. But, God does not command these angels to (pour) send or bring these seven last plagues on the earth. He is simply “allowing” Satan’s angels to “send or bring” (pour) them. How? By withdrawing their protection. Revelation 7 pictures God’s holy angels holding back destruction, but in Revelation 15 and 16 these same angels are pictured as bringing them, when in reality they are only “permitting” Satan and men to bring them by not holding or preventing them from coming. When these four angels “let go” of THE FOUR WINDS OF THE EARTH, destruction swiftly follows. Rev. 7:1. This is how God takes the blame and remains the sovereign God of the earth. The Father always takes the blame so He will have a legal right to shield us from sin and Satan. Like an earthly father, He assumes responsibility for all of His wayward children’s actions so He may retain custody of them. He suffers with us through all of our sins, mistakes and trials. “In all of their/our afflictions He is afflicted.” Isaiah 63:9. However, God never forces us to remain in His protective custody, under His loving umbrella of protection. We may choose to tell Him to let us go, and like the prodigal son’s father, God will honor our decision. This is what caused the flood in Noah’s day. God simply withdrew His presence and the life support systems of this planet began to fail and malfunction without His sustaining power. Job 22:15-17 proves that the people demanded that God leave them alone and Isaiah 54:5-10 confirms this. “For a small moment I have forsaken thee (here God takes the blame again) ;…In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer. For this is as the waters of Noah unto me.” Whenever the word “wrath” is used with the name of God, it indicates He is giving us over to ourselves and/or to Satan’s custody. If the people had repented as Nineveh did when Jonah preached, God would have had the legal right to keep on protecting the earth. But when He withdrew, the protective vapor envelope shielding the earth began to congeal or condense into water droplets and soon collapsed.
Satan himself would no doubt have been killed if God had not preserved him. Ezekiel 28:6-10, 18 explains Satan’s final destiny. Now, let us look at Sodom and Gomorrah. Sin destroyed them. “…the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, AND NO HANDS STAYED ON HER.” Lamentations 4:6. God’s angels were forced to withdraw and let Satan destroy those ancient cities. The hands of God’s angels withdrew their protection. Ezekiel 16:48, 49. Psalm 91:11, 12. In Job’s experience we know Satan brought down the fire that “burned up the sheep and the servants.” Job 1:16, the same as he will in our day, Rev. 13:13. Jesus rebuked James and John for requesting permission to bring down fire on the Samaritans. Luke 9:54-56. Because Jesus is a life God, not a death God He will not destroy even a little sparrow. Matthew 10:29-31. Satan is the god of death in this world of sin. He is the author of all evil and the “power of death” John 8:44, Hebrews 2:14. In the near future the whole world will be faced with a crisis more terrible than anything we could imagine. Daniel 12:1 describes it.
The counsels of men will decide that God is bringing all kinds of disasters and diseases upon the world to force us to acknowledge and worship Him. But God does not use force. This is Satan’s method. God wants us to worship Him because we love Him. He wants us to choose to serve Him. I hope it is now clear in your mind that Satan, not God, is the one who brings the seven last plagues. The parable of the wheat and tares proves this. Jesus made it very plain that the one who sowed the tares was an “enemy,” and his name is “the devil.” Matthew 12:25, 28, 39. In Exodus 12:23 the Hebrew word is SHACHATH, meaning the DESTROYER.
And so, my friend, it is this same destroyer, deceiver and enemy of mankind who will lead the religious elements of society to believe that the only way to stop these disasters (plagues) is to FORCE everyone to keep Sunday holy by not buying or selling on this day. What a deception, for it is Satan himself who is bringing the plagues and blaming it upon the true God. My friend, listen to me. Sun worship is pagan devotion to Satan, not God. In fact, it is the sign of allegiance to the death God, who will lead men to enact a death decree (Rev. 13:15) upon all who will not bow down and worship him through this forced Sun(day) worship. Jesus told the Jews their father was the devil and they confirmed it when they said, “WE HAVE NO KING BUT CAESAR,” John 19:15. Thus, they rejected Jehovah as their King and protector and came under the shadow of the eagle of the Roman legions, the sign of the ancient phoenix of sun worship, which later swooped down upon them in 70 AD, as history reveals, and slaughtered them without mercy or pity, old and young alike. History is about to repeat itself with an instant replay. God is even now giving a final warning of hope and deliverance for those who wish to be protected and saved from the coming slaughter of Armageddon, which is simply the suicide of the nations. Zechariah 14;12. God’s sign of life in Jesus, as the Creator, is the seventh day Sabbath, (Saturday – it reflects God’s true character of love and it proves He is a life God not a death God) Exodus 20:8-11. Every person who wishes to be safe from internal (spiritual) and external (physical) destruction will have the sign of the life God (Jesus) in his heart by observing the seventh day Sabbath holy each week. This is a fit figure or symbol of the redemption and restoration Christ brought. Ezekiel 20:12, 20. May God richly bless you as you make your decision for our precious Lord Jesus Christ, who loved you so much that He willingly gave His life for you on the cross. The sign of that eternal redemption is the seventh day Sabbath, which will be our final test before Jesus comes the second time.
No claim to infallibility is made by this author. All suggestions, ideas and criticisms are welcomed. My only desire is for you, the reader, to gain deeper insights into our wonderful Heavenly Father’s great and magnificent heart of love. That the same joy and ecstasy which came to this poor writer’s heart be experienced by the reader is the sincere desire of the author.
“That they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in One; and that the world may know that thou hast sent Me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved Me.”
John 17:22, 23
“Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge…”