by DCarter | Apr 17, 2016 | Articles
By: Demario Carter
As children of God, we recognize that our kingdom is not of this world. However, while we are not of this world, we are still in the world. As a result, we are to live as lights in the midst of darkness. This is especially true at this time when Americans and all the world is driven by politics. First of all, how are Christians to relate to politics? As noted by the 19th century Christian prophetess, “We cannot with safety vote for political parties; for we do not know whom we are voting for.” (1). Now while this is the case, it is completely appropriate for us to study Bible prophecy and notice the signs fulfilling its predictions. This brings me to my next question: How are Christians to relate to the current presidential campaign? And more interestingly, with Bible prophecy in mind, who is the presidential candidate that is most likely to win the 2016 election? Well, I am aware of the thin ice upon which I tread with this question, but in September of 2015 I answered this question in a lecture I gave in Colton, CA. You can view the seven minute excerpt here. Since then, more has developed, and I still hold to my position in light of unfolding events. So let’s take a look, from a historical and prophetic perspective, at the candidate who may become the next president of the United States and the dangers posed by this candidate.
First of all, we must recognize that it is God who chooses rulers. When God revealed Nebuchadnezzar’s dream to Daniel, Daniel praised God and said “… he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings …” (Daniel 2:21). Several years later in speaking to Nebuchadnezzar Daniel said “… the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.” (Daniel 4:17). In addition to the fact that God chooses rulers, we have to remember that He appoints rulers that will judge a people in proportion to the works of the people to be governed. For example, when the nation of Israel provoked God to anger, God would often sell Israel into the hands of evil kings. “And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, when Ehud was dead. And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan … and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.” (Judges 4:1-3). And again, “… the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.” (Judges 6:1). There are many other examples of this happening. It goes to show that if the nation is given to wickedness, a wicked king will be its judge, even if that king is of another nation.
Furthermore, when a nation turns away from the commandments of the God of heaven and commits sin, that nation will have a myriad of rulers, which only leads to further confusion and corruption. The Bible says, “For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof …” (Proverbs 28:2). This verse shows that political disorder comes as a punishment for national sin. As noted by the 17th century biblical scholar Matthew Henry, “National sins bring national disorders and the disturbance of the public repose: For the transgression of a land, and a general defection from God and religion to idolatry, profaneness, or immorality, many are the princes thereof, many at the same time pretending to the sovereignty and contending for it, by which the people are crumbled into parties and factions, biting and devouring one another …” (2). The authors of The Pulpit Commentary agree: “…when iniquity, injustice, apostasy, and other evils abound, a country becomes the prey of pretenders and partisans striving for the supremacy.” This is precisely the current condition of America. Because of her transgressions, America has political parties that are contending for your vote. This brings me to another fact. Although it is God who chooses rulers, there were times when the choice of the ruler(s) was solely the will of the people. This is especially the case when a nation forsakes God. When addressing the northern kingdom of Israel concerning their long-continued departure from God, God spoke the following through the prophet Hosea: “Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him. They have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew it not …” (Hosea 8:3, 4). This initially occurred when the ten tribes of Israel first rebelled against the house of David, the rightful heir of the throne. Consequently, there were many rulers in northern Israel that did evil in God’s sight; they were neither chosen nor approved by God. And as it was said of ancient Israel, so can it be said of modern America: “For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind.” (Hosea 8:7).
by DCarter | Mar 4, 2016 | Articles
Do you have any unexplained health problems? Have you gone from doctor to doctor and are continually told that there is nothing medically wrong with you? Perhaps they boldly said that you are a hypochondria (it’s all in your mind). Or perhaps they encouraged you to try some antidepressants and make an appointment to see a psychiatrist or therapist. Others may have said it’s merely stress, and advised you to just “chill out.”
Perhaps you are experiencing things like exhaustion, cravings for sweets, bad breath, a white coated tongue, brain fog, hormone imbalance, joint pain, loss of sex drive, chronic sinus and allergy issues, digestive problems (gas and bloating), weak immune system, and urinary tract infections. If any of the above sounds familiar to you, do not despair! There may be a real culprit that is causing your body distress, and by now you must be wondering who or what is this culprit. Let me introduce you to it.
Candida Albican is a more common problem than most people realize, and, unfortunately, it can cause major havoc in your body. So what is it? Candida is the most common type of yeast infection found in several places in your body. When it is present in the mouth it is known as thrush. When it affects the vaginal area of women or the genital area of men, it is known as a “yeast infection.” If Candida is present on your baby’s bottom, it is called “a diaper rash.”
There is at least one good thing about Candida. Really? Yes, it does play an important role in your body. You see, Candida does aid in absorption of nutrients and digestion. But when it overproduces it can disrupt the lining of your intestinal track and penetrate into your blood stream. When this happens toxins will be released into your blood stream and cause what is known as the “leaky gut syndrome.”
Leaky Gut Syndrome is a very common condition in our body and is linked to modern autoimmune illnesses such as: Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Chrome’s disease, allergies, asthma, food sensitivities, chemical sensitivities, arthritic conditions, chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple sclerosis, Addison’s disease, lupus, fibromyalgia, and thyroiditis.
So what causes overgrowth of the yeast in your body (Candida)? Here are a few common ones:
- Antibiotics. They not only kill off the bad bacteria but also the good bacteria that lives in your gut.
- Stress. When your body first reacts to a stressful situation, it releases the hormone Cortisol that depresses your immune system and raises your blood sugar level. Candida loves sugar so the Candida yeast feeds on the extra sugar, while your weakened immune system is powerless to stop it. Quickly, the Candida overpowers the balanced mixture of microorganisms in your small intestine.
- Birth Control pills. The pill contributes to overgrowth because it contains estrogen. Estrogen is known to promote the growth of yeast.
- Diabetes. An elevated blood sugar level feeds the Candida yeast, allowing it to grow quickly and dominate the other microorganisms in your gut.
- Cancer Treatments. According to a clinical trial published by The National Center for Biotechnology Information, cancer treatments also promote candida. Dr. Axe said, “Chemotherapy and radiation can both work to kill cancerous cells and tumors; however, they also kill off the healthy bacteria that naturally fight candida.” (source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15907554)
- Steroids. There is another clinical test done by The National Center for Biotechnology Information with oral corticosteroids. It reveals that candida was greater in asthmatic patients who had taken inhaled steroids than those who did not. (source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12839324)
So what should I do if I suspect I may have Candida? First of all, try a home remedy known as the Saliva test also called the “Spit Test.” It’s very simple to do; however, use this test only as one piece of your self-diagnosis. There are other tests that you may research and use.
Here are the instructions:
When you awake in the morning, before you put anything into your mouth, work up some saliva and spit it into a clear glass full or half full of water. Wait 30 minutes and then look into the glass. If there are “strings” coming down from your saliva, or if the water turned cloudy, or if your saliva sank to the bottom, YOU MAY HAVE A CANDIDA CONCERN! Healthy saliva will simply float on the top! (You may want to put out a glass of water in the bathroom or on the nightstand the night before you do the home “Spit Test” to remind yourself not to brush your teeth prior to spitting into the glass.) Try this test for three consecutive days for accurate results.
Finally, for more information, watch this 6 minute video called An Anti-Fungal Diet to Help Cure a Yeast Infection. In this video Barbara O’Neill, a qualified naturopath and nutritionist, shares her knowledge about the anti-fungal diet required to help cure a yeast infection. Barbara is an international speaker on natural self-healing. She has raised eight children and is a specialist in women and children’s health.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_Q35A8wdz0
Remember that we can do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens us!
by DCarter | Dec 11, 2015 | Articles
We are well into the holiday season, and the marketplace is very busy. Ironically, before November you might have witnessed a display of Christmas ornaments for sale in your local market. Believe it or not, secularization is at its peek at this time of the year. Yes, there is a feeling of warmth like no other time of the year, yet this warmth is accompanied with worldliness and the pride of life. However, as children of God, how should we relate to this season? And more than that, how should we spend our money when it comes to gifts? In fact, to whom did you give your gifts this year?
In counseling God’s people on how to observe the holidays, Sister White said the following: “Shall we not, as a people, refrain from following the custom of the world in unnecessary indulgence during the present holiday season? O how much might be accomplished in needy mission fields with the money that is squandered in various ways at this season of the year by those who profess to be Christians! Will not the Seventh-day Adventists in every place first consecrate themselves to the Lord, and then do their very best, according to their circumstances, to advance his work, by gifts and offerings? Will they show that they appreciate the blessings of the Lord, and that they are grateful for his mercy? Will they not now consider their obligations to God, at a time when the world especially seeks for pleasure, and expends large sums of money for gifts to those who are not needy? I have said to my family and my friends, I desire that no one shall make me a birthday or Christmas gift, unless it be with permission to pass it on into the Lord’s treasury, to be appropriated in the establishment of missions.” – Review & Herald, December 27, 1906 par. 7-9.
Friends, this time of the year is a test of our characters and an opportunity to show Christlikeness. If we have the mind of Christ, we will always say as did Jesus, “I must be about my Father’s business.” In all that we do, we are to keep His work as primary. This, in turn, should dictate our expenditures and balance our budget. Our gifts should not be patterned after the world, nor should our loved ones be lavished with the blood of those perishing for a lack of Christian service. Think about it! Are your grandchildren playing the latest games that you bought with the money that could have been used to reach a languishing soul? Are your children wearing extravagant clothes or needless ornaments that you bought with the money that could have been used to reach a soul that went to a Christ-less grave? Only the judgment will reveal the results of such decisions. “I entreat the followers of Jesus not to let the precious opportunities of these coming days pass unimproved. Let not time and means be spent in preparing gifts which will benefit neither giver nor receiver. Remember that both your time and means are intrusted you of God, and that he will call you to account for the manner in which you employ his gifts.” – Review & Herald, December 26, 1882 par. 10.
by DCarter | Nov 17, 2015 | Articles
The holiday seasons are rapidly approaching. From fall festivals in October, to Thanksgiving in November, Christmas in December and of course New Years in January. What do all of these holidays have in common—sweet sugary treats like chocolate, cookies, cakes, pies, fudge—–Oh MY!! But is it really good for you to gorge yourself in these sweet sugary treats? Is sugar really a harmless friend or is it a deadly foe?
Imagine waking up on Thanksgiving morning and your eleven (11) year old daughter ask if she can sprinkle cocaine on her cinnamon apple crisp. What would be your response! Sure honey! I think not! No parent in their right mind would give their child cocaine. Why? Because it’s addictive and damages the brain. But sugar is harmless isn’t it? Not necessarily. Do you realize that the food manufacturers ensure that we eat more sugar?
According to Dr. Robert Lusting, Professor of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco there are 600,000 food items in America and 80% of them contain sugar. And what exactly is sugar? Whether it is the white sweets you bake with, or the brown sweets you sprinkle on your oatmeal, or honey, or molasses or syrup or high fructose corn syrup, chemically it’s all pretty much the same. Sugar is sugar! Did you know that the average American consumes between 150 to 170 pounds of refined sugars in a year? Imagine 30 to 34, five pound bag of sugars, stacked on your kitchen counter-top. Now imagine your family or you eating that much sugar. Something to think about! (Source: Jennifer Regan and Bamboo Core Fitness)
And check this out. According to a 2012 article in the Journal Nature, sugar is a toxic substance that should be regulated like tobacco and alcohol. Really? Researchers point to studies that show that too much sugar (both in the form of natural sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup) not only makes us fat, it also impairs brain function (frontal lobe), wreaks havoc on our liver, mucks up our metabolism, and may leave us open to obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer! And there’s more!
Sugar is now being linked to affecting the brain and neurological diseases like:
- ADHD
- Anxiety
- Epilepsy
- Alzheimer’s
- Mood Disorders
Consider this. On the left is your brain on sugar. On the right is your brain on cocaine. Notice any similarities or differences. Bottom line. Your brain lights up with sugar just as it does with cocaine and heroin.
So, next time when you are tempted to reach for that sugary sweet treat remember your brain, especially the frontal lobe. This part of your brain distinguishes you from the animals. This is where perception, reasoning, judgment, deciphering between right and wrong, worrying, analysis, and all the higher powers of your mind takes place. And most importantly, it is in this area of the brain where God communicates with you.
Now that you have some knowledge on this issue, what will you do? Well the decision is yours. But listen to the wisdom of God found in Proverbs 25:16. “Have you found honey? Eat only what you need, that you not have it in excess and vomit it.” Beloved, I challenge you to eat to live and not live to eat. God has given us precious promises and one that touches my heart is found in 3 John 1:2. This promise is also for you. “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”
by DCarter | Nov 9, 2015 | Articles
Last year was quite a spectacular year for much of the Christian world, and as one well known conservative Pastor said recently – possibly the most significant year in centuries. As one reviews world news over the last few months, 2015 is shaping up to surpass 2014. The media is chock full of Christian news, yet our world is in a tumultuous state. Many in the religious, secular and even atheist realm sense something ominous is about to happen. They seem to know that world situations can’t go on very much longer. It is evident on every front that evil is gaining a stronger foothold. Observing the conditions around the globe, one must ask, why? Why is the world in the state it is today? What are the reasons behind the turmoil?
As we look at Christian churches today, we find that in many instances money and resources are flaunted. Many church leaders live in large expensive homes and drive very expensive automobiles. These leaders hold services in glamorous churches or cathedrals. They have expansive retirements. One church has its own country and its own banking system. We must ask, how can this be when multitudes across this globe go to bed hungry every night (805 million), many are homeless (100 million), and many die daily from starvation (15 human beings each minute).
The Bible describes how God sent His Only Begotten Son, Jesus, to this planet 2000 years ago to represent Himself to humanity. As recorded in the Bible Jesus did not own anything on this earth. Jesus would not have been “successful” in terms of modern man’s thinking. We read how Jesus mingled with the people of His day. He had sympathy for them and ministered to those with whom He came in contact and then invited them to follow Him and the ways of God. Now, this question must be asked: Is this Jesus of the Bible the same Jesus that modern Christianity is following today? You see, when we take a closer look at the world and the Christian church today, we have to consider that this very serious and grave question is the issue of this urgent hour.
by DCarter | Nov 9, 2015 | Articles
There is reportedly a letter by Elder George B. Starr in which he states that Sister White said: “I will tell you who Melchisedec was. He was the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Godhead, who took the form of humanity and represented the Lord Jesus Christ to that generation.” This report is questionable to me for at least two reasons: (1) it was made in 1924, nine years after Sister White died and several more years after the meeting occurred and, (2) concerning such reports, Sister White stated:
“The cases mentioned will serve to show how little reliance can be placed upon reports concerning what I have done or taught. … Beware how you give credence to such reports. … And now to all who have a desire for truth I would say: Do not give credence to unauthenticated reports as to what Sister White has done or said or written. If you desire to know what the Lord has revealed through her, read her published works. Are there any points of interest concerning which she has not written, do not eagerly catch up and report rumors as to what she has said.” – 5T 694-696.
As I “read her published works” concerning Melchizedek, I find that she never identifies Melchizedek as the Holy Spirit. In fact, I find that she identifies him as a man. “It was Christ that spoke through Melchizedek, the priest of the most high God. Melchizedek was not Christ, but he was the voice of God in the world, the representative of the Father. And all through the generations of the past, Christ has spoken; Christ has led his people, and has been the light of the world. When God chose Abraham as a representative of his truth, he took him out of his country, and away from his kindred, and set him apart.” – RH, February 18, 1890 par. 10.
In the content of this of statement, Sister White is referring to several men whom God used to speak His message in their generation. If Christ spoke through Melchizedek, and Melchizedek was the Holy Spirit, then we would have to say that Christ inspired the Holy Spirit. This, of course, is not Biblical because it is the Holy Spirit that inspires men. How could Christ inspire that which is already the inspiration of God? It is also noteworthy that she does not capitalize the word “representative” when referring to Melchizedek. Which, if Melchizedek was the Holy Spirit, she would have done as she did several sentences later in referring to Christ. “The light of the glory of God shone upon our Representative, and this fact says to us that the glory of God may shine upon us.” – Review & Herald, February 18, 1890 par. 12. I would also clarify that Sister White does not capitalize the word representative in every reference to Christ. However, a few other statements from Sister White’s published works reveal Melchizedek as a man. “God has never left Himself without witness on the earth. At one time Melchizedek represented the Lord Jesus Christ in person, to reveal the truth of heaven, and perpetuate the law of God.” –Bible Commentary, vol.1, p. 1092.
“Many persons will meet all inferior demands and dues, and leave to God only the last gleanings, if there be any. If not, his cause must wait till a more convenient season. Such was not the course pursued by Abraham. Upon his return from a successful military expedition, he was met by Melchizedek, “king of Salem, and priest of the most high God.” This holy man blessed Abraham, in the name of the Lord, and the patriarch gave him tithes of all the spoils as a tribute of gratitude to the Ruler of nations.” – Review & Herald, May 16, 1882 par. 24.
“Melchizedek, in bestowing the benediction upon Abraham, had acknowledged Jehovah as the source of his strength and the author of the victory: ‘Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: and blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand.’” Genesis 14:19, 20. – Patriarchs & Prophets, p. 157.
These statements lead me to believe that Melchizedek was a man and not the Holy Spirit. There are also writings from other pioneers as well as one from Arthur White, Sister White’s grandson, which shows that our pioneers, including Ellen White, did not believe or teach that Melchizedek was the Holy Spirit. For example, in the year 1966, Arthur White addressed the report mentioned above, and he totally refuted such a report: “For many years there have come to us for verification a number of statements based purely upon memory. One of these has to do with the identity of Melchizedek. In a committee meeting held in Australia, Mrs. White is supposed to have stated just who Melchizedek was. Such information would certainly be very helpful if we could rely upon it. In an endeavor to check the accuracy of this memory statement, our office, some years ago, reached the principal party named in the interview, and he denied that Mrs. White had said that which the other worker asserted she had said. Inasmuch as the discussion concerned something this brother had written, it stands to reason that his memory of what was said would be more likely to be true. So there it stands. One godly man gives us from his memory Mrs. White’s statement, identifying Melchizedek; another man present at the same interview says she did not say that. Nor did others present have any memory of having heard her say it. In all her writings, published and unpublished, there is nothing to corroborate the report. Our counsel is that such statements should not be used as representing Mrs. White’s teachings.” – The Ministry Magazine, December 1966, pp. 4, 5.
Another statement worth mentioning is from J.N. Andrews. In commenting on Hebrews 7:3-8 concerning the genealogy of Melchizedek, Andrews (and other pioneers) held the following position: “We have seen that they cannot be taken in an absolute sense; for they involve us in contradiction and absurdity. But if they are taken in a limited sense, and interpreted according to the manner of speaking that was usual with the Hebrews, we shall find them easy of explanation. The Hebrews kept very exact genealogical registers. Particularly was this the case respecting their priests; for if the priest could not trace his genealogy back to Aaron, he was not allowed to serve in the priesthood. Those who could not show their record in such tables were said to be without father and mother, and without descent. This did not signify that they had no ancestors, but that the record of them was not preserved. This is exactly the case of Melchisedec. He is introduced in Genesis without any record of his parentage, the Holy Spirit having purposely omitted that matter. He is said by Paul to have no beginning of days, nor end of life. This does not mean absolutely that there was no beginning of existence with him, for it is only true of one being in the universe, viz, God the Father. But the evident meaning of the apostle is this: that no record of his birth or of his death appears in the history which is given us of him. He appears without any intimation given us of his origin; and the story of this priest of the Most High ends without any record of his death. These things were purposely omitted that he might be used to represent, as perfectly as possible, the priesthood of the Son of God. And so the same Spirit of inspiration that led Moses to withhold these, particulars concerning Melchisedec, did also lead Paul to use that omission to illustrate the priesthood of Christ. We would do well to leave the case of Melchisedec just where the Scriptures leave it.” – J.N. Andrews, Advent Review & Sabbath Herald, September 7, 1869, p. 4.
With this and other statements in mind, we hope the truth concerning Melchizedek stands clear. Melchizedek was not the Holy Spirit. Rather, he was “king of Salem … and the priest of the most high God.” He was “the representative of the Father” and a “holy man” who blessed Abraham. Friends, we must be diligent students of the scriptures. Yet, we must take the Bible just as it reads and understand the simple truths contained therein. Maranatha!
