Sabbath School Express: Print, Memorize and MEDITATE on the VERSES in the context of the study

ISAIAH 8:20 "TO THE LAW AND TO THE TESTIMONY: IF THEY SPEAK NOT ACCORDING TO THIS WORD, IT IS BECAUSE THERE IS NO LIGHT IN THEM." Applications and Testimonies TO Share with your friends of SABBATH SCHOOL ANNEX: Commentaries and/or Summaries of the Sabbath School lesson. All the different versions. Go to www.ssnet.org and CLICK ON ADULT SS AND SCROLL DOWN FOR VERSIONS IN OTHER LANGUAGES. VERSES from www.biblegateway.com AND www.biblia.com. BE BLESSED!!!

The Sabbath School Lesson

REV. 14: 12 "THIS CALLS FOR PATIENT ENDURANCE ON THE PART OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD WHO KEEP HIS COMMANDS AND REMAIN FAITHFUL TO JESUS." Click on the links for the SABBATH SCHOOL LESSON OF THE ONGOING WEEK AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS MESSAGE TO THE RIGHT. And Read THE INTRODUCTION, THE SUBTITLES AND THE CONCLUSION first, then if you just want to have a general idea of the text, read the beginning and the end of each paragraph. ALWAYS KEEP IN MIND AND RELATE TO THE SPECIFIC SUBJECT YOU ARE STUDYING, REMEMBER THE BIG TITLE AND THE SUBTITLES. Always be aware of the context. WHAT IS THE QUESTION AT STAKE? This is what's important...BE BLESSED!!!

Sunday, June 25, 2023

EPHESIANS, from Sabbath June 24, 2023 till September 29, 2023

Ephesians

How to Follow Jesus in Trying Times

In the Epistle to the Ephesians, Paul tells

about the Ephesians themselves. Years after the exciting events of the early days of Christian mission in Ephesus, the Ephesians struggled with the significance of their Christian faith.

Paul, once the troubler of the economy of this fourth-largest city in the Roman Empire, is now sidelined and imprisoned. Writing from prison, he worries that the believers in Ephesus may “lose heart,” forgetting any active sense of what it means to be disciples of Jesus in the sophisticated, urban, and thoroughly pagan culture of Ephesus. Though his hearers are already Christians, Paul’s tone is one of recruitment. He seeks to reenlist them in Christian faith, to reignite the fire of their devotion to Christ, and to resurrect the excitement of being part of God’s great enterprise in the world, the church.

Because the Christian faith is all about Christ, Paul radiates admiration and worship of Him. If wobbly Christian disciples are to regain their footing, it will be because they recapture their first love for Jesus and establish fresh trust in His grace and power. So Paul highlights Christ’s exaltation in heaven, above all the powers and deities that seek to attract the devotion of believers in Ephesus. Jesus is the goal of the divine plan for the ages, a plan in which believers, as the church, play an important role in God’s plans to unify all things in Christ.

As Paul seeks to draw believers in Ephesus into fresh devotion to their Lord, he does not dumb down the demands of Christian discipleship. He spells out in some detail what Christian behavior and community look like. Christians are called to Spirit-inspired, Christ-honoring, God-directed worship, which Paul illustrates again and again. A devotion to Christ impacts how one acts and speaks. To love Christ means to respect and value fellow believers. It means resisting the patterns of mean-spirited and sexually decadent behavior so rampant in their culture. It means, in our relationships within church and household, borrowing from the example of self-sacrifice offered by Christ. It means offering fellow citizens of Ephesus clear examples of a new pattern of human existence.

Paul spends a good deal of his letter expressing his excitement for this new pattern of what it means to be human through membership in God’s church. He is especially invigorated by the thought that God has joined estranged segments of humanity — Jews and Gentiles — as one in the church. In living out unity where hostility would be expected, they have an opportunity to exhibit the characteristics of God’s new society and the coming kingdom.

In pursuing the importance of being part of God’s church, Paul develops four metaphors for the church. Believers make up the body of Christ, demonstrating their devotion to Christ and their unity with each other. They are a living temple, built through the sacrifice of Christ on Calvary, in which God is worshiped. They are the bride of Christ, who look toward a grand marriage ceremony when the Bridegroom comes to claim them as His own. In a final metaphor that expresses Paul's efforts to reenlist them in Christian faith, they are the army of Christ, which wages peace in His name, combating the forces of darkness in God’s strength as they look toward Christ’s return.

Ephesians, then, speaks especially to times like our own in which the allure of the world and the passing of time threaten to dull Christian discipleship. It lifts up Christ and accents the significance of following Him as engaged, active members of His church as we live out the hope of His return. This quarter we have the privilege of listening prayerfully to Ephesians and experiencing anew the excitement of following Jesus in challenging times.

John K. McVay, Ph.D., is president and professor of religion at Walla Walla University in College Place, Washington, USA, where he has served since 2006.

Memory Text: “Making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth” (Ephesians 1:9, 10, ESV).

Video of the lesson presented by Pastor Doug Batchelor:

http://www.amazingfacts.org/media-library/media-archives/t/central-study-hour/sq/8/o/4/th/c.aspx

Video of the lesson presented by Dr Derek Norris:

http://hopess.hopetv.org/

The Teachers' Editions

https://www.absg.adventist.org/Teachers.htm

An Experiential approach to the lesson

https://www.inversebible.org/

Videos summarizing the lesson of the week

https://ssnet.org/blog/author/spd-discipleship-ministries/

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Click on the square after the dates for the weekly lessons in the following schedule for the verses and elaborate Ellen White quotes

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Lesson References ) include all related Scriptures and context for most EGW quotations.

This Quarter’s Study Contents: “Ephesians”

1. Paul and the Ephesians	June 24-30
2. God’s Grand, Christ-centered Plan	July 1-7
3. The Power of the Exalted Jesus	July 8-14
4. How God Rescues Us	July 15-21
5. Horizontal Atonement: The Cross and the Church	July 22-28
6. The Mystery of the Gospel	July 29-August 4
7. The Unified Body of Christ	August 5-11
8. Christ-shaped Lives and Spirit-inspired Speech	August 12-18
9. Living Wisely	August 19-25
10. Husbands and Wives: Together at the Cross	August 26-September 1
11. Practicing Supreme Loyalty to Christ	September 2-8
12. The Call to Stand	September 9-15
13. Waging Peace	September 16-22
14. Ephesians in the Heart	September 23-29

Note: Both versions of our lessons display nicely on most small screens. Our “Mobile” version (), which links to BibleGateway, works better for some mobile devices. The main version, using Reftagger from Biblia.com works better for other mobile devices. So experiment and take your pick. (We’re interested in what works best for you. Write to us through our “Contact” link and be sure to tell us with what device you are accessing our lessons.) The Study References ( ) include all related Scriptures and context for most EGW quotations.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23

Ephesians in the Heart

Ephesians 1–Ephesians 6.

Memory Text:

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:8–10, NKJV).

In every soul two powers are struggling earnestly for the victory. Unbelief marshals its forces, led by Satan, to cut us off from the Source of our strength. Faith marshals its forces, led by Christ, the author and finisher of our faith. Hour by hour, in the sight of the heavenly universe, the conflict goes forward. This is a hand-to-hand fight, and the great question is, Which shall obtain the mastery? This question each must decide for himself. In this warfare all must take a part, fighting on one side or the other. From the conflict there is no release. We are urged to prepare for this conflict. “Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” . . .

He to whom all power in heaven and earth has been given, will come to the help of those who trust in Him.—Sons and Daughters of God, p. 328.

The greatest deception of the human mind in Christ’s day was that a mere assent to the truth constitutes righteousness. In all human experience a theoretical knowledge of the truth has been proved to be insufficient for the saving of the soul. It does not bring forth the fruits of righteousness. A jealous regard for what is termed theological truth often accompanies a hatred of genuine truth as made manifest in life. The darkest chapters of history are burdened with the record of crimes committed by bigoted religionists. . . .

The same danger still exists. Many take it for granted that they are Christians, simply because they subscribe to certain theological tenets. But they have not brought the truth into practical life. They have not believed and loved it, therefore they have not received the power and grace that come through sanctification of the truth. Men may profess faith in the truth; but if it does not make them sincere, kind, patient, forbearing, heavenly-minded, it is a curse to its possessors, and through their influence it is a curse to the world.—The Desire of Ages, p. 309.

Let the prayer go up to God, “Create in me a clean heart;” for a pure, cleansed soul has Christ abiding therein, and out of the abundance of the heart are the issues of life. The human will is to be yielded to Christ. Instead of passing on, closing the heart in selfishness, there is need of opening the heart to the sweet influences of the Spirit of God. Practical religion breathes its fragrance everywhere. It is a savor of life unto life.—Ellen G. White Comments, in The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 3, p. 1157.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 24

We Are Blessed in Christ

Ephesians 1:4-5

4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,

Ephesians 1:7-8

7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace8 which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight

Ephesians 1:13-14

13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation-having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory.

The dangers that would assail the church at Ephesus were revealed to the apostle. “I know this,” he said, “that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.” Paul trembled for the church as, looking into the future, he saw the attacks which she must suffer from both external and internal foes. With solemn earnestness he bade his brethren guard vigilantly their sacred trusts. . .

Our sanctification is God’s object in all his dealing with us. He has chosen us from eternity that we may be holy. Christ gave Himself for our redemption, that through our faith in his power to save from sin, we might be made complete in Him. In giving us his Word, he has given us bread from heaven. . . .

Desire the fullness of the grace of Christ; yea, long—hunger and thirst—after righteousness. The promise is, “Ye shall be filled.” Let your heart be filled with an intense longing for this righteousness, the work of which God’s Word declares is peace, and its effect quietness and assurance forever.—Selected Messages, book 3, p. 202.

Sabbath September 16, 2023

WAGING PEACE

Memory Text:

“In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:16, 17, ESV).

When the servants of Christ take the shield of faith for their defense, and the sword of the Spirit for war, there is danger in the enemy’s camp, and something must be done. Persecution and reproach only wait for those who are endowed with power from on high to call them into action. When the truth in its simplicity and strength prevails among believers, and is brought to bear against the spirit of the world, it will be evident that there is no concord between Christ and Belial. The disciples of Christ must be living examples of the life and spirit of their Master.—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, p. 407.

Having sought the Lord in the days of prosperity, the king could now rely upon Him in the day of adversity. His petitions showed that he was not a stranger to God’s wonderful power. “It is nothing with Thee to help,” he pleaded, “whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O Lord our God; for we rest on Thee, and in Thy name we go against this multitude. O Lord, Thou art our God; let not man prevail against Thee.”--Prophets and Kings, p. 111.

Sunday September 17, 2023

THE CHURCH: A UNIFIED ARMY

Ephesians 1:22-23

22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church,23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Ephesians 2:19-22

19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household,20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone,21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord,22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.

Ephesians 6:12

12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Ephesians 6:13

13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.

The Holy Spirit, the representative of the Captain of the Lord’s host, comes down to direct the battle. Our infirmities may be many, our sins and mistakes grievous; but the grace of God is for all who seek it with contrition. The power of Omnipotence is enlisted in behalf of those who trust in God.—The Desire of Ages, p. 352

The church of Christ may be fitly compared to an army. The life of every soldier is one of toil, hardship, and danger. On every hand are vigilant foes, led on by the prince of the powers of darkness, who never slumbers and never deserts his post. Whenever a Christian is off his guard, this powerful adversary makes a sudden and violent attack. Unless the members of the church are active and vigilant, they will be overcome by his devices.—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 394.

One man’s cowardice or treachery may bring disaster upon the entire army....There is earnest work to be done by us individually if we would fight the good fight of faith. Eternal interests are at stake...The church is to conduct an aggressive warfare, to make conquests for Christ, to rescue souls from the power of the enemy. God and holy angels are engaged in this warfare...—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, pp. 394, 395.

Corrections:

Moderation but not Excess

Caring but not Abetting

Christianity/Unity but not Cult/Division & Solidarity in Sins

Fruits but not Routines

Patience/Tolerance but not Exception of Persons/Favoritism

Love but not Funk

Passion but not Obsession

Understanding/Faith but not Misunderstanding/Presumption

Peace/Serenity/S-Word but not War/Abuses/Self-Seeking Selfish Interests

Comprehension but not Hypocrisy

Humility/Consecration but not Arrogance/Craftiness

Work/Preaching/Scriptures but not Sinecure/Vanities/Noises

Shepherds/Pastors but not Thieves/Robbers ;)

Evangelists/Apostles but not False Prophets/Spiritual Charlatans ;)

Goodness but not Stealing

Sincerity but not Showiness

Honesty but not Smartiness

Authenticity but not Appearances

W/Health but not Greed

Sanctification but not Popularity

God/Jesus-Christ/Spirit but not Mammon

This is the Divine Cult, Worship and Service:

ASCEND:

Adoration/Abnegation/Appreciation

Spirit/Scriptures Study/Salvation/Sabbath/Sanctification/Sharing/Submission/Service

Converting/Caring/Calling

Exalting/Extolling

Network/Nurture

Le Saint-Esprit, représentant du Capitaine de l’armée du Seigneur, descend pour diriger la bataille. Nos infirmités peuvent être nombreuses, nos péchés et nos erreurs graves ; mais la grâce de Dieu est pour tous ceux qui la recherchent avec contrition. Le pouvoir de l’Omnipotence est mis à profit en faveur de ceux qui font confiance à Dieu.—The Desire of Ages, p. 352

L’Église du Christ peut être comparée à une armée. La vie de chaque soldat est faite de labeur, de difficultés et de dangers. De tous côtés se trouvent des ennemis vigilants, menés par le prince des puissances des ténèbres, qui ne dort jamais et n'abandonne jamais son poste. Chaque fois qu’un chrétien n’est pas sur ses gardes, ce puissant adversaire lance une attaque soudaine et violente. Si les membres de l’Église ne sont pas actifs et vigilants, ils seront vaincus par ses artifices.—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 394.

La lâcheté ou la trahison d’un homme peut provoquer un désastre sur l’armée entière… Nous avons un travail sérieux à accomplir individuellement si nous voulons mener le bon combat de la foi. Des intérêts éternels sont en jeu... L'Église doit mener une guerre d'agression, faire des conquêtes pour Christ, sauver les âmes de la puissance de l'ennemi. Dieu et les saints anges sont engagés dans cette guerre...—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, pages 394, 395.

Corrections :


Modération mais pas excès

Prendre soin mais pas encourager

Christianisme/Unité mais pas Culte/Division & Solidarité dans les Péchés

Des fruits mais pas des routines

Patience/Tolérance mais pas d'exception de personnes/Favoritisme

L'amour mais pas le funk

Passion mais pas obsession


Compréhension/Foi mais pas Incompréhension/Présomption

Paix/Sérénité/S-Word mais pas Guerre/Abus/Intérêts égoïstes

Compréhension mais pas hypocrisie

Humilité/Consécration mais pas Arrogance/Astucité

Travail/Prêche/Ecritures mais pas Sinécure/Vanités/Bruits

Bergers/Pasteurs mais pas Voleurs/Voleurs ;)

Évangélistes/Apôtres mais pas faux prophètes/charlatans spirituels ;)


Bonté mais pas vol

Sincérité mais pas éclat

Honnêteté mais pas d'intelligence
 
L'authenticité mais pas les apparences

Avec la santé mais pas la cupidité

Sanctification mais pas popularité

Dieu/Jésus-Christ/Esprit mais pas Mammon


CEN Copyright ©️ 2023


C'est le culte, l'adoration et le service divins :

MONTER:

Adoration/Abnégation/Appréciation

Esprit/Étude des Écritures/Salut/Sabbat/Sanctification/Partage/Soumission/Service

Conversion/Prendre soin/Appel

Exalter/Exalter

Réseau/entretien


CEN Copyright ©️ 2023

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 18

Belt and Breastplate

Ephesians 6:14

14 Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

1 Peter 5:8

8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

[After Christ’s ascension] Satan again counseled with his angels, and with bitter hatred against God’s government told them that while he retained his power and authority upon earth their efforts must be tenfold stronger against the followers of Jesus. They had prevailed nothing against Christ but must overthrow His followers, if possible. In every generation they must seek to ensnare those who would believe in Jesus. He related to his angels that Jesus had given His disciples power to rebuke them and cast them out, and to heal those whom they should afflict. Then Satan’s angels went forth like roaring lions, seeking to destroy the followers of Jesus.—Early Writings, p. 191....

There are many in the church who take it for granted that they understand what they believe; but, until controversy arises, they do not know their own weakness. When separated from those of like faith and compelled to stand singly and alone to explain their belief, they will be surprised to see how confused are their ideas of what they had accepted as truth.

The Lord calls upon all who believe His word to awake out of sleep.—God’s Amazing Grace, p. 30.

All who have put on the robe of Christ’s righteousness will stand before Him as chosen and faithful and true. Satan has no power to pluck them out of the hand of the Saviour. Not one soul who in penitence and faith has claimed His protection will Christ permit to pass under the enemy’s power.

Each one will have a close struggle to overcome sin in his own heart. This is at times a very painful and discouraging work; because, as we see the deformities in our character, we keep looking at them, when we should look to Jesus and put on the robe of His righteousness. Everyone who enters the pearly gates of the city of God will enter there as a conqueror, and his greatest conquest will have been the conquest of self.—God’s Amazing Grace, p. 31.

Tuesday September 19, 2023

Shoes: The Church Wages Peace

Ephesians 6:15

15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

mmm Christians need to look at their networks and consider access and follow the influence of the Spirit:

Ephesians 1:9-10

9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him

Isaiah 52:7

7 How lovely on the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who announces peace And brings good news of happiness, Who announces salvation, And says to Zion, "Your God reigns!"

“He who is shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace will walk as Christ walked. He will be able to speak right words, and to speak them in love. He will not try to drive home God’s message of truth. He will deal tenderly with every heart, realizing that the Spirit will impress the truth on those who are susceptible to divine impressions. Never will he be vehement in his manner. Every word spoken will have a softening, subduing influence.—Evangelism, p. 174.”

"There are many souls to be saved. . . . In word and deed . . . represent Christ to all with whom you come in contact. Let all see that your feet are shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace and good will to men. Wonderful are the results we shall see if we enter into the work imbued with the Spirit of Christ. Help will come in our necessity if we carry the work forward in righteousness, mercy, and love. Truth will triumph, and bear away the victory.—Evangelism, p. 563."

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20

Shield, Helmet, and Sword

Genesis 15:1

1 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great."

Psalms 3:3

3 But You, O Lord, are a shield about me, My glory, and the One who lifts my head.

Ephesians 6:17

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Ephesians 6:18

18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,

We should be quick to discern danger. We should see the hateful character of sin and should expel it from the soul. The doers of the Word know that in Jesus there is strength, which becomes their own by faith. They are clothed with righteousness that God will accept, for it is the righteousness of Christ. Clad in this armor of God, the panoply of heaven, they successfully resist the serpent’s wiles.—In Heavenly Places, p. 48.

A familiar acquaintance with the Scriptures sharpens the discerning powers, and fortifies the soul against the attacks of Satan. The Bible is the sword of the Spirit, which will never fail to vanquish the adversary. It is the only true guide in all matters of faith and practice. The reason why Satan has so great control over the minds and hearts of men is that they have not made the Word of God the man of their counsel, and all their ways have not been tried by the true test. The Bible will show us what course we must pursue to become heirs of glory.—Our High Calling, p. 31.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21

Practicing Battlefield Prayer

Ephesians 6:19-20

19 and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Philippians 4:6

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Colossians 4:2

2 Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving;

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

16 Rejoice always;17 pray without ceasing;18 in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Mark 11:24

24 Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.

John 15:7

7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

True faith lays hold of and claims the promised blessing before it is realized and felt. We must send up our petitions in faith within the second veil and let our faith take hold of the promised blessing and claim it as ours. We are then to believe that we receive the blessing, because our faith has hold of it, and according to the Word it is ours. “What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” Mark 11:24. Here is faith, naked faith, to believe that we receive the blessing, even before we realize it. When the promised blessing is realized and enjoyed, faith is swallowed up.

But many suppose they have much faith when sharing largely of the Holy Spirit and that they cannot have faith unless they feel the power of the Spirit. Such confound faith with the blessing that comes through faith. The very time to exercise faith is when we feel destitute of the Spirit. When thick clouds of darkness seem to hover over the mind, then is the time to let living faith pierce the darkness and scatter the clouds. True faith rests on the promises contained in the Word of God, and those only who obey that Word can claim its glorious promises. “If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” John 15:7.—Early Writings, p. 72.

We have a soldier’s duty to perform, victories to gain, for we must not be ignorant of Satan’s devices. We pray and then watch lest Satan shall steal upon us and make us forget our need of prayer, our need of vigilance and watching thereunto.

In the Christian warfare, unless there is a sharp eye on the adversary and a sharp eye on ourselves, we shall be led into Satan’s snare. Our security depends on the state of our heart. God help us to take heed to ourselves or we shall certainly lose heaven. Little departures from right, little indulgences, seem a trifling thing at present, but Satan will lead us on a track that will separate us from righteousness and from God. We want not our ways but God’s ways. We want to strive with all the powers of being to bruise Satan under our feet and be sure that we are right with God, that we have a clear title to our immortal inheritance.—This Day With God, p. 27.

Our prayers are to be as earnest and persistent as was the petition of the needy friend who asked for the loaves at midnight. The more earnestly and steadfastly we ask, the closer will be our spiritual union with Christ. We shall receive increased blessings because we have increased faith.

Our part is to pray and believe. Watch unto prayer. Watch, and co-operate with the prayer-hearing God. Bear in mind that “we are labourers together with God.” 1 Corinthians 3:9.—Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 146.

Friday September 22, 2023

Growing in Grace

Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. Psalm 61:1-3.

Have you ever watched a hawk in pursuit of a timid dove? Instinct has taught the dove that in order for the hawk to seize his prey, he must gain a loftier flight than his victim. So she rises higher and still higher into the blue dome of heaven, ever pursued by the hawk, which is seeking to obtain the advantage. But in vain. The dove is safe as long as she allows nothing to stop her in her flight, or draw her earthward; but let her once falter, and take a lower flight, and her watchful enemy will swoop down upon his victim. Again and again have we watched this scene with almost breathless interest, all our sympathies with the little dove. How sad we should have felt to see it fall a victim to the cruel hawk!

We have before us a warfare—a lifelong conflict with Satan and his seductive temptations. The enemy will use every argument, every deception, to entangle the soul; and in order to win the crown of life, we must put forth earnest, persevering effort. We must not lay off the armor or leave the battlefield until we have gained the victory, and can triumph in our Redeemer.

As long as we continue to keep our eyes fixed upon the Author and Finisher of our faith we shall be safe. But our affections must be placed upon things above, not on things on the earth. By faith we must rise higher and still higher in the attainments of the graces of Christ. By daily contemplating His matchless charms, we must grow more and more into His glorious image. While we thus live in communion with Heaven, Satan will lay his nets for us in vain.27The Youth's Instructor, May 12, 1898.

From My Life Today - Page 105

Sabbath September 09, 2023

For this week Lesson

THE CALL TO STAND

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil” (Ephesians 6:10, 11, ESV).

Please read Judges 7 today and meditate on it

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=JUDGES+7&version=NKJV

SAVE: Sharing the Scriptures and Service to the Saints and Selected Sinners by the Spirit, Attitudes and Actions, Vibes and Volunteering, Examples, Encouragement and Empowerment

The Lord is willing to do great things for us. We shall not gain the victory through numbers, but through the full surrender of the soul to Jesus. We are to go forward in His strength, trusting in the mighty God of Israel. . . .

Ellen G. White Comments, in The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 2, p. 1003.

What does that mean at the end when Joshua asks: What does the Lord say to his servant? Why that answer?

Joshua 5: 13-15

The Commander of the Army of the Lord

13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, “Are You for us or for our adversaries?”

14 So He said, “No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.”

And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, “What does my Lord say to His servant?”

15 Then the Commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy.” And Joshua did so.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=jOSHUA+5%3A+13-15&version=NKJV

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2923

Finding Strength in Christ

Ephesians 2:4-6

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

Ephesians 3:16-17

16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

Without the enlightenment of the Spirit of God we shall not be able to discern truth from error and shall fall under the masterful temptations and deceptions that Satan will bring upon the world. We are near the close of the controversy between the Prince of light and the prince of darkness, and soon the delusions of the enemy will try our faith, of what sort it is.

If ever there was a time when we needed faith and spiritual enlightenment, it is now. Those who are watching unto prayer and are searching the Scriptures daily with an earnest desire to know and do the will of God, will not be led astray by any of the deceptions of Satan. . . . We want the truth on every point. We want it unadulterated with error and unpolluted by the maxims, customs, and opinions of the world. We want the truth with all its inconvenience. The acceptance of truth ever involves a cross. But Jesus gave His life as a sacrifice for us, and shall we not give Him our best affections, our holiest aspirations, our fullest service?—In Heavenly Places, p. 350.

The children of God are wise when they trust in that wisdom alone which comes from above, and when they have no strength but that which is from God. Separation from the friendship and spirit of the world is needful for us if we would be united to the Lord and abide in him. Our strength and our prosperity consist in our being connected with the Lord, chosen and accepted of Him.—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 2, p. 689.

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 12, 2023

The Great Controversy in Paul’s Letters

2 Thessalonians 2:8

8 Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming;

Romans 16:20

20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

The Lord will work with every sincere, devoted soldier of the cross. But no man can be a good soldier who thinks he must work independently of his fellow worker, who regards his own judgment as the best. God’s workers must blend together, one supplying what the other lacks.

Do we make the preparation it is our privilege to make to stand against the wiles of the enemy? Do we realize the sacred character of God’s work and the necessity of watching for souls as they that must give account? We must be vigilant, “knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light” (Romans 13:11, 12).—This Day With God, p. 125.

Satan frequently appears as an angel of light, arrayed in the livery of heaven; he assumes friendly airs, manifesting great sanctity of character and high regard for his victims, the souls whom he means to deceive and destroy. Perils lie in the path which he invites souls to travel, but he succeeds in concealing these and presents the attractions only. The great Captain of our salvation has conquered in our behalf, that through Him we might conquer, if we would, in our own behalf. . . .

But in order to be saved you must accept the yoke of Christ and lay off the yoke which you have fashioned for your neck. The victory that Jesus gained in the wilderness is a pledge to you of the victory that you may gain through His name. Your only hope and salvation is in overcoming as Christ overcame.—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 3, pp. 456, 457.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13

Standing on the Ancient Battlefield

Ephesians 6:12

Philippians 1:27

27 Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

In every age since the fall of Adam the opposition of evil agencies has made the lives of those who would be loyal and true to God’s commandments a continual warfare. Those who would at last be victorious must meet and conquer the forces of Satan, who with fierce determination opposes every step of advance. They must meet a vigilant foe, a crafty enemy who never sleeps and who tries untiringly to undermine the faith of God’s servants. . . .

I wish that I could trace words which would present this matter as it is. God expects His soldiers to be ever on duty. Never are they to yield to temptation, never to be unjust. They are neither to yield nor flee. Relying on the strength of God, they are to maintain their integrity. With a firmness that will not yield an inch, they are to hold fast to the word, “It is written.”—In Heavenly Places, p. 260.

Thursday September 14, 2023

Wrestling Against Evil Powers

Romans 16:20

20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

1 Corinthians 15:23-24

23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ's at His coming,24 then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power.

2 Thessalonians 2:8

8 Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming;

The connection of the visible with the invisible world, the ministration of angels of God, and the agency of evil spirits, are plainly revealed in the Scriptures, and inseparably interwoven with human history. There is a growing tendency to disbelief in the existence of evil spirits, while the holy angels that “minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation” (Hebrews 1:14) are regarded by many as spirits of the dead. But the Scriptures not only teach the existence of angels, both good and evil, but present unquestionable proof that these are not disembodied spirits of dead men.—The Great Controversy, p. 511.

Google translate: "Le lien entre le monde visible et le monde invisible, le ministère des anges de Dieu et l’action des mauvais esprits sont clairement révélés dans les Écritures et inséparablement liés à l’histoire humaine. Il existe une tendance croissante à ne pas croire à l’existence des mauvais esprits, tandis que les saints anges qui « œuvrent en faveur de ceux qui seront les héritiers du salut » (Hébreux 1 : 14) sont considérés par beaucoup comme des esprits des morts. Mais les Écritures non seulement enseignent l’existence des anges, bons et mauvais, mais présentent également la preuve incontestable qu’il ne s’agit pas d’esprits désincarnés d’hommes morts. — La Tragédie des Siècles, p. 511."

Friday September 15, 2023 (1)

Complete Commitment

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. Deuteronomy 6:4, 5.

Angels were expelled from heaven because they would not work in harmony with God. They fell from their high estate because they wanted to be exalted. They had come to exalt themselves, and they forgot that their beauty of person and of character came from the Lord Jesus. This fact the [fallen] angels would obscure, that Christ was the only begotten Son of God, and they came to consider that they were not to consult Christ.

One angel began the controversy and carried it on until there was rebellion in the heavenly courts, among the angels. They were lifted up because of their beauty.

All should learn their lesson from this, that they are individually amenable to God. When they love God with all their hearts, they will be wise unto salvation. They will do His will, and their light will ever be their glory, and be undiminished because they recognize and fear and serve their Lord. The solemn work rests upon every soul to consider that he is a servant of Jesus Christ, solemnly pledged by his baptismal vows to clothe himself with the righteousness of Christ. Will we carry out the living example of the Lord Jesus?

I am instructed that every believer must watch unto prayer, lest he fail in the Christian life battle. Every soul must daily seek the Lord with full purpose of heart, morning, noon, and night, and let the mind dwell upon the Word of God, to understand His requirements.

The one all-important matter is to serve the Lord with full purpose of heart, and seek to become the Lord's, heart and mind. All who come to the Saviour for counsel will receive the very help they need, if they will come in humility, and with assurance cling to that promise, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Matthew 7:7)....

Lift up the standard, beginning with full surrender and continuing in the simplicity of obedience to all the Lord's commandments, according to His special directions. None of the important things specified in His Word are to be neglected.—Letter 42, April 29, 1910, to Elder D. A. Parsons, a minister in southern California.

Friday September 15, 2023 (2)

Fortress of the Soul

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Ephesians 6:10. {TMK 346.1}

This has always been applicable to God’s people in every age of the world, but how much more so to the remnant church who have to meet the constant and most powerful masterly workings of the power of darkness for this last time. The words of the apostle come sounding down the lines to this time: “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:11, 12). {TMK 346.2}

These words inspired of God are appropriate for us. They apply in a special manner to those who are endeavoring to keep the commandments of God amidst a crooked and perverse nation among whom they shine as lights in the world. O how solemn, how fearfully solemn is this time for the youth among us who have had great light, ... that their words, spirit, and character shall not be misleading to those with whom they associate.... {TMK 346.3}

“Take unto you the whole armour of God” (verse 13). Make your guide the Word. “Take” it. The whole armor which is furnished you in the Scriptures is all prepared for you to take. “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

EWN Q3 2023 Lesson 12 – The Call To Stand Page 12 of 12 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth” (verses 13, 14). {TMK 346.4}

Fiction, spurious interpretations of the Scriptures, dishes of fables, are everywhere presented for your acceptance. But great discernment is needed that the girdle should be the golden chain of truth. “And having on the breastplate of righteousness”—not your own, but the righteousness of Christ. This is the fortress of the soul. We may, with Christ’s righteousness going before us, withstand the moral darkness and penetrate the devices of the satanic agencies.6 {TMK 346.5}

Sabbath September 2, 2023

Practicing Supreme Loyalty to Christ

Memory Text:

“And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him” (Ephesians 6:9, NIV).

The Lord is acquainted with us individually. Everyone born into the world is given his or her work to do for the purpose of making the world better. Each one has his sphere, and if the human agent makes God his counselor then there will be no working at cross purposes with God. He allots to everyone a place and a work, and if we individually submit ourselves to be worked by the Lord, however confused and tangled life may seem to our eyes, God has a purpose in it all, and the human machinery, obedient under the hand of divine wisdom, will accomplish the purposes of God. As in a well-disciplined army every soldier has his allotted position and is required to act his part in contributing to the strength and perfection of the whole, so the worker for God must do his allotted part in the great work of God. . . .

Our heavenly Father is our ruler, and we must submit to His discipline. We are members of His family. He has a right to our service; and if one of the members of His family would persist in having his own way, persist in doing just that which he pleases, that spirit would bring about a disordered and perplexing state of things. We must not study to have our own way, but God’s way and God’s will.

Let God speak, and we will say, “Not my will, but Thy will, O God, be done.”—In Heavenly Places, p. 228.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 03

Advice to Children

Ephesians 6:1-3

1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.2 honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise),3 so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth.

Matthew 18:1-5

1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"2 And He called a child to Himself and set him before them,3 and said, "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.4 Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.5 And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me;

Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise. Ephesians 6:1, 2.

Children are admonished by the apostle to obey their parents in the Lord, to be helpful and submissive. Those who truly love God will not strive for their own way and thus bring unhappiness to themselves and to others. They will strive to represent Christ in character. How precious is the thought that the youth who strive against sin, who believe, and wait and watch for Christ’s appearing, who submit to parental authority, and who love the Lord Jesus, will be among those who love His appearing and who meet Him in peace.

These will stand without spot or wrinkle before the throne of God and enjoy His favor forever. They have formed lovely characters; they have guarded their speech; they have not spoken falsely; they have guarded their actions that they should not do any evil thing, and they are crowned with everlasting life.—In Heavenly Places, p. 216.

Those who cultivate love in the home life will form characters after Christ’s likeness, and they will be constrained to exert a helpful influence beyond the family circle, in order that they may bless others by kind, thoughtful ministrations, by pleasant words, by Christlike sympathy, by acts of benevolence. They will be quick to discern those who have hungry hearts, and will make a feast for those who are needy and afflicted. Those who have heavenly discernment, who exercise tender regard for every member of the family, will, in doing their whole duty, fit themselves to do a work that will brighten other homes and will teach others by precept and example what it is that will make home happy.

By their wisdom and justice, by the purity and benevolence of their daily life, by their devotion to the interests of the people—and they, idolaters—Joseph and Daniel proved themselves true to the principles of their early training, true to Him whose representatives they were.—Welfare Ministry, p. 299.

Monday September 4, 2023

ADVICE TO PARENTS

Ephesians 6:4

4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Some parents raise many a storm by their lack of self-control. Instead of kindly asking the children to do this or that, they order them in a scolding tone, and at the same time a censure or reproof is on their lips which the children have not merited. Parents, this course pursued toward your children destroys their cheerfulness and ambition. They do your bidding, not from love, but because they dare not do otherwise. Their heart is not in the matter. It is a drudgery instead of a pleasure, and this often leads them to forget to follow out all your directions, which increases your irritation and makes it still worse for the children. The faultfinding is repeated, their bad conduct arrayed before them in glowing colors, until discouragement comes over them, and they are not particular whether they please or not. A spirit of “I don’t care” seizes them, and they seek that pleasure and enjoyment away from home, away from their parents.—Child Guidance, p. 281.

Gentle manners, cheerful conversation, and loving acts will bind the hearts of children to their parents by the silken cords of affection and will do more to make home attractive than the rarest ornaments that can be bought for gold.

Tender affection should ever be cherished between husband and wife, parents and children, brothers and sisters. Every hasty word should be checked, and there should not be even the appearance of the lack of love one for another. . . . Children are to respect and reverence their parents, and parents are to manifest patience, kindness, and affection for their children. Each one should seek in every possible way to please and make happy the members of the family circle.—The Faith I Live By, p. 267.

Tuesday September 5, 2023

Slavery in Paul's day

1 Corinthians 7:20-24

20 Each man must remain in that condition in which he was called.21 Were you called while a slave? Do not worry about it; but if you are able also to become free, rather do that.22 For he who was called in the Lord while a slave, is the Lord's freedman; likewise he who was called while free, is Christ's slave.23 You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.24 Brethren, each one is to remain with God in that condition in which he was called.

Some masters, more humane than others, were more indulgent toward their servants; but the vast majority of the wealthy and noble, given up without restraint to the indulgence of lust, passion, and appetite, made their slaves the wretched victims of caprice and tyranny. The tendency of the whole system was hopelessly degrading.It was not the apostle [Paul’s] work to overturn arbitrarily or suddenly the established order of society. To attempt this would be to prevent the success of the gospel. But he taught principles which struck at the very foundation of slavery and which, if carried into effect, would surely undermine the whole system. “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty,” he declared. 2 Corinthians 3:17. When converted, the slave became a member of the body of Christ, and as such was to be loved and treated as a brother, a fellow heir with his master to the blessings of God and the privileges of the gospel. On the other hand, servants were to perform their duties, “not with eyeservice, as men pleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.” Ephesians 6:6.

Christianity makes a strong bond of union between master and slave, king and subject, the gospel minister and the degraded sinner who has found in Christ cleansing from sin. They have been washed in the same blood, quickened by the same Spirit; and they are made one in Christ Jesus.—The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 459, 460.

Wednesday September 6, 2023

SLAVES OF CHRIST

Ephesians 6: 6-8

6 not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.7 With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men,8 knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.

Whatever the hand finds to do should be done with thoroughness and dispatch. Faithfulness and integrity in little things, the performance of little duties and little deeds of kindness, will cheer and gladden the pathway of life; and when our work on earth is ended, every one of the little duties performed with fidelity will be treasured as a precious gem before God.—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, p. 591.

Thursday September 7, 2023

MASTERS WHO ARE SLAVES

2 Corinthians 5:10

¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Colossians 3:24-25

²⁴ knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.²⁵ For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality.

Ephesians 6:8

⁸ knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.

Ephesians 6:9

⁹ And masters, do the same things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.

When Christ left heaven to come to its aid [. . .] He saw humanity sunken in wretchedness and sinfulness. He knew that men and women were depraved and degraded, and that they cherished the most loathsome vices. Angels marveled that Christ should undertake what seemed to them a hopeless task. They marveled that God could tolerate a race so sinful. They could see no room for love. But “God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16.

Christ came to this earth with a message of mercy and forgiveness. He laid the foundation for a religion by which Jew and Gentile, black and white, free and bond, are linked together in one common brotherhood, recognized as equal in the sight of God. The Saviour has a boundless love for every human being. In each one He sees capacity for improvement. With divine energy and hope He greets those for whom He has given His life. In His strength they can live a life rich in good works, filled with the power of the Spirit.—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 7, p. 225.

Sabbath August 26, 2023

Husbands and Wives: Together at the Cross

Memory Text:

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:25–27, NKJV).

God made from the man a woman, to be a companion and helpmeet for him, to be one with him, to cheer, encourage, and bless him, he in his turn to be her strong helper. All who enter into matrimonial relations with a holy purpose—the husband to obtain the pure affections of a woman’s heart, the wife to soften and improve her husband’s character and give it completeness—fulfill God’s purpose for them.Christ came not to destroy this institution, but to restore it to its original sanctity and elevation. He came to restore the moral image of God in man, and He began His work by sanctioning the marriage relation.—The Adventist Home, p. 99

He who gave Eve to Adam as a helpmeet, performed His first miracle at a marriage festival. In the festal hall where friends and kindred rejoiced together, Christ began His public ministry. Thus He sanctioned marriage, recognizing it as an institution that He Himself had established. He ordained that men and women should be united in holy wedlock, to rear families whose members, crowned with honor, should be recognized as members of the family above.Christ honored the marriage relation by making it also a symbol of the union between Him and His redeemed ones. He Himself is the Bridegroom; the bride is the church, of which, as His chosen one, He says, “Thou art all fair, My love; there is no spot in thee.” Song of Solomon 4:7. . . .The family tie is the closest, the most tender and sacred, of any on earth. It was designed to be a blessing to mankind. And it is a blessing wherever the marriage covenant is entered into intelligently, in the fear of God, and with due consideration for its responsibilities.—The Ministry of Healing, p. 356.

Marriage, a union for life, is a symbol of the union between Christ and His church. The spirit that Christ manifests toward His church is the spirit that the husband and wife are to manifest toward each other. If they love God supremely, they will love each other in the Lord, ever treating each other courteously, drawing in even cords. In their mutual self-denial and self-sacrifice they will be a blessing to each other. . . .Men and women may reach a high standard, if they will but acknowledge Christ as their personal Saviour. Watch and pray, making a surrender of all to God. The knowledge that you are striving for eternal life will strengthen and comfort you both. In thought, in word, in action, you are to be lights in the world. . . . Take Christ as your pattern. Hold Him up as the One who can give you power to overcome. Utterly destroy the root of selfishness. Magnify God, for you are His children.—The Adventist Home, pp. 95, 96.

Sunday August 27, 2023

COUNSEL TO CHRISTIAN WIVES

Ephesians 5:21

21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.

Ephesians 5:22

22 Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

Ephesians 5:.28-33 28So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself;29 for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church,30 because we are members of His body.31 for this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.32 This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.33 Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.

How much trouble and what a tide of woe and unhappiness would be saved if men, and women also, would continue to cultivate the regard, attention, and kind words of appreciation and little courtesies of life which kept love alive, and which they felt were necessary in gaining the companions of their choice. If the husband and wife would only continue to cultivate these attentions which nourish love, they would be happy in each other’s society and would have a sanctifying influence upon their families. They would have in themselves a little world of happiness.—This Day With God, p. 335.

The Lord has constituted the husband the head of the wife to be her protector; he is the house-band of the family, binding the members together, even as Christ is the head of the church and the Saviour of the mystical body. Let every husband who claims to love God carefully study the requirements of God in his position. Christ’s authority is exercised in wisdom, in all kindness and gentleness; so let the husband exercise his power and imitate the great Head of the church. . . .Neither the husband nor the wife should attempt to exercise over the other an arbitrary control. Do not try to compel each other to yield to your wishes. You cannot do this and retain each other’s love. Be kind, patient, and forbearing, considerate, and courteous. By the grace of God you can succeed in making each other happy, as in your marriage vow you promised to do.—The Faith I Live By, p. 259.

Monday August 28, 2023

The Church as the Bride of Christ: Part 1

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her WITH THE WASHING OF WATER BY the WORD, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:25–27, NKJV).

Today it is still His purpose to sanctify and cleanse His church “. . . that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing” . . . (Ephesians 5:26, 27). No greater gift than the character that He revealed, can Christ ask His Father to bestow upon those who believe on Him. What largeness there is in His request! What fullness of grace every follower of Christ has the privilege of receiving! O that we might more fully appreciate the honor Christ confers upon us! By wearing His yoke and learning of Him, we become like Him in aspiration, in meekness and lowliness, in fragrance of character.—God’s Amazing Grace, p. 322.

Very close and sacred is the relation between Christ and His church—He the bridegroom, and the church the bride; He the head, and the church the body. Connection with Christ, then, involves connection with His church.

The church is organized for service; and in a life of service to Christ, connection with the church is one of the first steps. Loyalty to Christ demands the faithful performance of church duties. This is an important part of one’s training; and in a church imbued with the Master’s life, it will lead directly to effort for the world without.—Education, p. 268.

Tuesday August 29, 2023

THE CHURCH AS THE BRIDE OF CHRIST, Part 2

Colossians 1:21-23

21 And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds,22 yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach-23 if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.

Colossians 1:28

28 We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ.

The apostle’s earnest words of entreaty were not fruitless. The Holy Spirit wrought with mighty power, and many whose feet had wandered into strange paths, returned to their former faith in the gospel. . . . The name of God was glorified, and many were added to the number of believers throughout that region.—The Acts of the Apostles, p. 388.

To His faithful followers Christ has been a daily companion, a familiar friend. They have lived in close, constant communion with God. Upon them the glory of the Lord has risen. In them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ has been reflected. Now they rejoice in the undimmed rays of the brightness and glory of the King in His majesty. They are prepared for the communion of heaven; for they have heaven in their hearts.

With uplifted heads, with the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness shining upon them, with rejoicing that their redemption draweth nigh, they go forth to meet the Bridegroom.

A little longer, and we shall see the King in His beauty. A little longer, and He will wipe all tears from our eyes. Then by innumerable voices will be sung the song, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he shall dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God” (Revelation 21:3).—God’s Amazing Grace, p. 358.

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 30, 2023

Love Your Wife as You Do Yourself (1)

Ephesians 5:28-30
28 So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself;29 for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church,30 because we are members of His body.

Hebrews 13:4
4 Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.

God Himself gave Adam a companion. He provided “an help meet for him”—a helper corresponding to him—one who was fitted to be his companion, and who could be one with him in love and sympathy. Eve was created from a rib taken from the side of Adam, signifying that she was not to control him as the head, nor to be trampled under his feet as an inferior, but to stand by his side as an equal, to be loved and protected by him. A part of man, bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh, she was his second self, showing the close union and the affectionate attachment that should exist in this relation. “For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it.” Ephesians 5:29. . . .
God celebrated the first marriage. Thus the institution has for its originator the Creator of the universe. “Marriage is honorable” (Hebrews 13:4); it was one of the first gifts of God to man, and it is one of the two institutions that, after the Fall, Adam brought with him beyond the gates of Paradise. When the divine principles are recognized and obeyed in this relation, marriage is a blessing; it guards the purity and happiness of the race, it provides for man’s social needs, it elevates the physical, the intellectual, and the moral nature.—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 46.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30

Love Your Wife as You Do Yourself (2)

Hebrews 13:4
4 Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.

Ephesians 5:28-30
28 So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself;29 for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church,30 because we are members of His body.

The husband violates the marriage vow, and the duties enjoined upon him in the word of God, when he disregards the health and happiness of the wife, by increasing her burdens and cares by numerous offspring. “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it.” “So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church” (Ephesians 5:25, 28, 29).
We see this holy injunction almost wholly disregarded, even by professed Christians.—Selected Messages, book 2, p. 425.

From every Christian home a holy light should shine forth. Love should be revealed in every act. It should flow out in all home intercourse, showing itself in thoughtful kindness, in gentle, unselfish courtesy. There are homes where this principle is carried out—homes where God is worshiped and truest love reigns. From these homes morning and evening prayer ascends to God as sweet incense, and His mercies and blessings descend upon the suppliants like morning dew.—My Life Today, p. 33.

Thursday August 31, 2023

THE "ONE FLESH" MODEL OF MARRIAGE (1)

Ephesians 5:31

31 for this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.

Ephesians 5:21

21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.

Ephesians 5: 22-33

Christ.22 Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.23 For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.24 But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.28 So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself;29 for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church,30 because we are members of His body.31 for this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.32 This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.33 Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.

If the hearts were kept tender in our families, if there were a noble, generous deference to each other’s tastes and opinions, if the wife were seeking opportunities to express her love by actions in her courtesies to her husband, and the husband manifesting the same consideration and kindly regard for the wife, the children would partake of the same spirit. The influence would pervade the household, and what a tide of misery would be saved in families! Men would not go from home to find happiness; and women would not pine for love, and lose courage and self-respect, and become lifelong invalids. Only one life lease is granted us, and with care, painstaking, and self-control it can be made endurable, pleasant, and even happy.—This Day With God, p. 335.

The two who unite their interest in life will have distinct characteristics and individual responsibilities. . . . The wife is to grace the family circle as a wife and companion to a wise husband. At every step she should inquire . . .“How shall I make my influence Christlike in my home?” The husband should let his wife know that he appreciates her work.

The wife is to respect her husband. The husband is to love and cherish his wife; and as their marriage vow unites them as one, so their belief in Christ should make them one in Him. What can be more pleasing to God than to see those who enter into the marriage relation seek together to learn of Jesus and to become more and more imbued with His Spirit?—The Adventist Home, p. 114.

Thursday August 31, 2023

THE "ONE FLESH" MODEL OF MARRIAGE (1)

Ephesians 5:31

31 for this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.

Ephesians 5:21

21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.

Ephesians 5: 22-33

Friday September 1, 2023

A Network of Virtuous Influences

I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts. Psalm 119:63.

Young people desire companionship, and just in proportion to the strength with which their feelings and affections fasten upon those with whom they associate, will be the power of those friends to be either a blessing or a curse to them. Then let parents beware. Let them guard every influence of association. “He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed” (Proverbs 13:20). The youth will have associates and will feel their influence....

Wax does not more certainly retain the figure of the seal than does the mind the impressions produced by intercourse and association. becoming sound in thought, in ideas, and correct in principles. And such intimacies are of highest value in the formation of character. A network of virtuous influences will be woven around you, which the evil one will not be able to break with his seductive wiles....

But let the youth choose the influence of, and become associated with, men and women of bad principles and practices, ... and they are polluted. Silent and unconscious influences weave their sentiments into their lives, become a part of their very existence, and they walk on the very brink of a precipice and sense no danger. They learn to love the words of the smooth tongued, the honeyed words of the deceiver, and are restless, uneasy, and unhappy unless they are carried to the pinnacle of someone’s flattery To walk in the counsel of the ungodly is the first step toward standing in the place of sinners and sitting in the seat of the scornful.

The only safe course for the youth is to mingle with the pure, tthe holy, and thus natural tendencies to evil will be held in check.

By choosing for their companions such as fear the Lord, they will seldom be found disbelieving God’s Word, entertaining doubts and infidelity. The power of a truly consistent example is very great for good.

(In the Heavenly Places, pp356-357)

“Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife?”—Matthew 19:3.

Among the Jews a man was permitted to put away his wife for the most trivial offenses, and the woman was then at liberty to marry again. This practice led to great wretchedness and sin. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus declared plainly that there could be no dissolution of the marriage tie, except for unfaithfulness to the marriage vow. “Everyone,” He said, “that putteth away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, maketh her an adulteress: and whosoever shall marry her when she is put away committeth adultery.” R.V....

....The grace of Christ, and this alone, can make this institution what God designed it should be—an agent for the blessing and uplifting of humanity. And thus the families of earth, in their unity and peace and love, may represent the family of heaven.

Now, as in Christ's day, the condition of society presents a sad comment upon heaven's ideal of this sacred relation. Yet even for those who have found bitterness and disappointment where they had hoped for companionship and joy, the gospel of Christ offers a solace. The patience and gentleness which His Spirit can impart will sweeten the bitter lot. The heart in which Christ dwells will be so filled, so satisfied, with His love that it will not be consumed with longing to attract sympathy and attention to itself. And through the surrender of the soul to God, His wisdom can accomplish what human wisdom fails to do. Through the revelation of His grace, hearts that were once indifferent or estranged may be united in bonds that are firmer and more enduring than those of earth—the golden bonds of a love that will bear the test of trial.

Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, “Is It Lawful for a Man to Put Away His Wife?” pp. 63–65.

CROSS: Christ/Cross/Changes/Crosses your Routines to Repent and Reach Others with Options/Opportunities/Occasions/Opernings/Overtures toward Salvation/Sanctification Synergies/Strategies against Sin

Mark 8: 34

Take Up the Cross and Follow Him

When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

The Cross is what helps you Cross to Eternal Life by helping you Cross all the hurdles towards a better life

Genesis 31: 21

So he fled with all that he had. He arose and crossed the river, and headed toward the mountains of Gilead.

In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

Genesis 32:10

I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant; for I crossed over this Jordan with my staff, and now I have become two companies.

143 Bible results for “Cross” from

https://www.biblegateway.com/quicksearch/?quicksearch=Cross&version=NKJV

149 Bible Verses about the Cross in the New Testament

https://stillfaith.com/topics/the-cross/

Sabbath August 19, 2023

LIVING WISELY

Memory Text:

“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:15–17, ESV).

Christ had foretold that deceivers would arise, through whose influence “iniquity” should “abound,” and “the love of many” should “wax cold.” Matthew 24:12. He had warned the disciples that the church would be in more danger from this evil than from the persecution of her enemies. Again and again Paul warned the believers against these false teachers. This peril, above all others, they must guard against; for by receiving false teachers, they would open the door to errors by which the enemy would dim the spiritual perceptions and shake the confidence of those newly come to the faith of the gospel. Christ was the standard by which they were to test the doctrines presented. All that was not in harmony with His teachings they were to reject. Christ crucified for sin, Christ risen from the dead, Christ ascended on high—this was the science of salvation that they were to learn and teach.—The Acts of the Apostles, p. 473.

The apostle Paul describes the fruit which the Christian is to bear. He says that it “is in all goodness and righteousness and truth” (Ephesians 5:9). And again, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance” (Galatians 5:22, 23). These precious graces are but the principles of God’s law carried out in the life. . . .

As we look into the divine mirror, the law of God, we see the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and our own lost condition as transgressors. But by repentance and faith we are justified before God, and through divine grace enabled to render obedience to His commandments.—The Sanctified Life, p. 80.

SUNDAY AUGUST 20, 2023

“Instead Let There Be Thanksgiving”

Ephesians 4:17-19

17 So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind,18 being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart;19 and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.

Colossians 3:5

5 Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.

“Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children.” Christians must be like Christ. They should have the same spirit, exert the same influence, and have the same moral excellence that He possessed. The idolatrous and corrupt in heart must repent and turn to God. Those who are proud and self-righteous must abase self and become penitent and meek and lowly in heart. The worldly-minded must have the tendrils of the heart removed from the rubbish of the world, around which they are clinging, and entwined about God; they must become spiritually minded. The dishonest and untruthful must become just and true. The ambitious and covetous must be hid in Jesus and seek His glory, not their own. They must despise their own holiness and lay up their treasure above. The prayerless must feel the need of both secret and family prayer, and must make their supplications to God with great earnestness.

As the worshipers of the true and living God we should bear fruit corresponding to the light and privileges we enjoy. Many are worshiping idols instead of the Lord of heaven and earth. Anything that men love and trust in instead of loving the Lord and trusting wholly in Him becomes an idol and is thus registered in the books of heaven.—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, pp. 249, 250.

MONDAY AUGUST 21, 2023

Walking as Children of Light

Revelation 19:11-13

11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war.12 His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself.13 He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.

Romans 12:1

1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

2 Corinthians 5:9

9 Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.

Hebrews 13:21

21 equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

To walk in the light means to resolve, to exercise thought, to exert will-power, in an earnest endeavor to represent Christ in sweetness of character. It means to put away all gloom. You are not to rest satisfied simply in saying, “I am a child of God.” Are you beholding Jesus, and, by beholding, becoming changed into His likeness? To walk in the light means advancement and progress in spiritual attainments. . . .

When the light of heaven shines upon the human agent, his countenance will express the joy of the Lord within. It is the absence of Christ from the soul that makes people sad and of a doubtful mind. It is the want of Christ that makes the countenance sad, and the life is a pilgrimage of sighs. Rejoicing is the very keynote of the Word of God for all who receive Him. Why? Because they have the Light of life. Light brings gladness and joy, and that joy is expressed in the life and the character.—Sons and Daughters of God, p. 200.

And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. Ephesians 5:2.

This is the oblation of a life-gift in our behalf, that we may be all that He desires us to be—representatives of Him, expressing the fragrance of His character, His own pure thoughts, His divine attributes as manifested in His sanctified human life, in order that others may behold Him in His human form, and . . . be led to desire to be like Christ.—God’s Amazing Grace, p. 174.

TUESDAY AUGUST 22, 2023

“Awake, O Sleeper!”

Matthew 5:16

16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Many are deceived as to their true condition before God. They congratulate themselves upon the wrong acts which they do not commit, and forget to enumerate the good and noble deeds which God requires of them, but which they have neglected to perform. It is not enough that they are trees in the garden of God. They are to answer His expectation by bearing fruit. He holds them accountable for their failure to accomplish all the good which they could have done, through His grace strengthening them. In the books of heaven they are registered as cumberers of the ground. Yet the case of even this class is not utterly hopeless. With those who have slighted God’s mercy and abused His grace, the heart of long-suffering love yet pleads. “Wherefore He saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, . . . redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” Ephesians 5:14-16.—The Great Controversy, p. 601.

When we are united to Christ, we have the mind of Christ. Purity and love shine forth in the character, meekness and truth control the life. The very expression of the countenance is changed. Christ abiding in the soul exerts a transforming power, and the outward aspect bears witness to the peace and joy that reign within. We drink in the love of Christ, as the branch draws nourishment from the vine. If we are grafted in Christ, if fiber by fiber we have been united with the Living Vine, we shall give evidence of the fact by bearing rich clusters of living fruit. If we are connected with the Light, we shall be channels of light, and in our words and works we shall reflect light to the world. Those who are truly Christians are bound with the chain of love which links earth to heaven, which binds finite man to the infinite God. The light that shines in the face of Jesus Christ shines in the hearts of His followers, to the glory of God.—Selected Messages, book 1, p. 337.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23

Snapping Up the Bargains

Ephesians 5:15-20

15 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise,16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil.17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;

Christ came to our world to engage in singlehanded combat with this enemy of man, and thus to wrest the race from Satan’s grasp. In the accomplishment of this object He withheld not His own life. And now, in the strength that Christ will give, man must stand for himself, a faithful sentinel against the wily, plotting foe. Says the great apostle, “Walk circumspectly”—guard every avenue of the soul, look constantly to Jesus, the true and perfect Pattern, and seek to imitate His example, not in one or two points merely, but in all things. We shall then be prepared for any and every emergency. He whose mind loves to dwell upon God has a strong defense. He will be quick to perceive the dangers that threaten his spiritual life, and a sense of danger will lead him to call upon God for help and protection.—That I May Know Him, p. 240.

If we mistake the wisdom of man for the wisdom of God we are led astray by the foolishness of man’s wisdom. Here is the great danger of many. . . . They have not an experience for themselves. They have not been in the habit of prayerfully considering for themselves, with unprejudiced, unbiased judgment, questions and subjects that are new and that are ever liable to arise. They wait to see what others will think. If these dissent, that is all that is needed to convince them that the subject under consideration is of no account whatever. . . . Unless these become sensible of their wavering character and correct it, they will all fail of everlasting life; they will be unable to cope with the perils of the last days. . . . They are not wise in those things which relate to the kingdom of God. . . . A noble self-reliance is needed in the Christian experience and warfare.—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 2, p. 129.

Mere intellectual knowledge, aside from the great truths that center in Christ, is as nothingness. “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom: . . . but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth Me, that I am the Lord which exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth.” Jeremiah 9:23, 24. . . .

Before men can be truly wise, they must realize their dependence upon God, and be filled with His wisdom. God is the source of intellectual as well as spiritual power. The greatest men who have reached what the world regards as wonderful heights in science are not to be compared with the beloved John or the apostle Paul. It is when intellectual and spiritual power are combined that the highest standard of manhood is attained. Those who do this, God will accept as workers together with Him.—Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, p. 66.

Friday August 25, 2023

A Thankful Heart

This Day With God

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:20.

It would please the Lord if you would make an effort to forget yourself. Begin to thank the Lord for your home and your pleasant surroundings, and the many temporal blessings He gives you. By returning thanks to the Lord for His goodness, you can do something for the One who has done everything for you. Contemplate the depths of the compassion that the Saviour felt for you. For you He gave His life, suffering the cruel death of the cross. Can you not praise the Lord for this? If you will hide your life in Christ, He will receive you.

If you will show that you have a working faith, by trying every day to exercise your will power, your faculties will gain strength. I know this by experience. I remember in my own case how my faculties recovered their pliability as I tried to exercise them. Will you try to move about, and be cheerful in spirit? Put your trust in Jesus. Have faith in Him, and be pliant in His hands. You will receive great blessing by making a change in your habits....

For eleven months after going to Australia, I suffered from inflammatory rheumatism. I was unable to lift my feet from the floor without suffering great pain....

During those eleven months of suffering ... I would not give up. My right arm, from the elbow down, was whole, so that I could use the pen, and I wrote twenty-five hundred pages of letter paper for publication. During this period, I had the most terrible suffering of my life....

But to all this there is a cheerful side. My Saviour seemed to be close beside me. I felt His sacred presence in my heart, and I was so thankful. These months of suffering were the happiest months of my life, because of the companionship of my Saviour.... His love filled my heart. All through my sickness, His love, His tender compassion, was my comfort....

Look unto Jesus, your pitying, loving Saviour. If you cast your helpless soul on Christ, He will bring joy and peace to your soul. He will be your crown of rejoicing, your exceeding great reward.—Letter 34, February 6, 1907, to the wife of a conference administrator in Australia.

From This Day With God - Page 45

Sabbath August 12, 2023

Christ-Shaped Lives and Spirit-Inspired Speech

Memory Text:

“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22–24, NIV).

Let] us keep our eyes fixed upon Christ, and He will preserve us. Looking unto Jesus, we are safe. Nothing can pluck us out of His hand. In constantly beholding Him, we “are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 3:18.

It was thus that the early disciples gained their likeness to the dear Saviour. . . . Those disciples were men “subject to like passions as we are.” James 5:17. They had the same battle with sin to fight. They needed the same grace, in order to live a holy life.

Even John, the beloved disciple, the one who most fully reflected the likeness of the Saviour, did not naturally possess that loveliness of character. He was not only self-assertive and ambitious for honor, but impetuous, and resentful under injuries. But as the character of the Divine One was manifested to him, he saw his own deficiency and was humbled by the knowledge. The strength and patience, the power and tenderness, the majesty and meekness, that he beheld in the daily life of the Son of God, filled his soul with admiration and love.

Day by day his heart was drawn out toward Christ, until he lost sight of self in love for his Master. His resentful, ambitious temper was yielded to the molding power of Christ. The regenerating influence of the Holy Spirit renewed his heart. The power of the love of Christ wrought a transformation of character. This is the sure result of union with Jesus. When Christ abides in the heart, the whole nature is transformed. Christ’s Spirit, His love, softens the heart, subdues the soul, and raises the thoughts and desires toward God and heaven.—Steps to Christ, pp. 72, 73.

SUNDAY AUGUST 13, 2023

The Downward Spiral of SIn

Ephesians 4:1

1 Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,

Ephesians 4:17

17 So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind,

He who has blunted his spiritual perceptions by sinful leniency toward those whom God condemns, will erelong commit a greater sin by severity and harshness toward those whom God approves.

By the pride of human wisdom, by contempt for the influence of the Holy Spirit, and by disrelish for the truths of God’s word, many who profess to be Christians, and who feel competent to teach others, will be led to turn away from the requirements of God. Paul declared to Timothy, “The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”—The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 503, 504.

MONDAY AUGUST 14, 2023

A Dramatic Change of Clothing

Ephesians 4:20-24

20 But you did not learn Christ in this way,21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus,22 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit,23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind,24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

Isaiah 61:10

10 I will rejoice greatly in the Lord, My soul will exult in my God; For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

It is by the renewing of the heart that the grace of God works to transform the life. No mere external change is sufficient to bring us into harmony with God. There are many who try to reform by correcting this bad habit or that bad habit and they hope in this way to become Christians, but they are beginning in the wrong place. Our first work is with the heart. . . .

If studied and obeyed, the Word of God works in the heart, subduing every unholy attribute. The Holy Spirit comes to convict of sin, and the faith that springs up in the heart works by love to Christ, conforming us, body, soul, and spirit, to His will.—God’s Amazing Grace, p. 223.

...It is the love of God that draws the soul to Christ, to be graciously received, and presented to the Father. Through the work of the Spirit the divine relationship between God and the sinner is renewed. The Father says: “I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people. I will exercise forgiving love toward them, and bestow upon them my joy. They shall be to me a peculiar treasure; for this people whom I have formed for myself shall show forth my praise.”—Our High Calling, p. 77.

Tuesday August 15, 2023

UNITY-BUILDING, GRACE-FILLED SPEECH

Ephesians 4:25

25 Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.

Zechariah 8:16

16 These are the things which you should do: speak the truth to one another; judge with truth and judgment for peace in your gates.

Ephesians 4:31

31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.

Ephesians 4:26

26 be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,

...A kind, courteous Christian is the most powerful argument that can be produced in favor of Christianity. Kind words are as dew and gentle showers to the soul. The Scripture says of Christ, that grace was poured into His lips, that He might “know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary.” [Isaiah 50:4.] And the Lord bids us, “Let your speech be alway with grace” “that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” [Colossians 4:6; Ephesians 4:29.]—Gospel Workers, p. 122.

The apostle, seeing the inclination to abuse the gift of speech, gives direction concerning its use. “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth,” he says, “but that which is good to the use of edifying.” The word “corrupt” means here any word that would make an impression detrimental to holy principles and undefiled religion, any communication that would eclipse the view of Christ, and blot from the mind true sympathy and love. It includes impure hints, which, unless instantly resisted, lead to great sin. . . .

In all His teaching Christ presented pure, unadulterated principles. He did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth. Constantly there flowed from His lips holy, ennobling truths. He spoke as never man spoke, with a pathos that touched the heart. . . .

Cultivate a prayerful frame of mind and educate the tongue to speak right words, that will bless in the place of discouraging. Talk of the goodness, the mercy, and the love of God. Put away all unbelieving words and all that is cheap and common. Let the words be sound words, that cannot be condemned, and the peace of God will surely come to the soul.—In Heavenly Places, p. 175.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16

The Holy Spirit in the Believer’s Life

Ephesians 4:30

30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Isaiah 63:10

10 But they rebelled And grieved His Holy Spirit; Therefore He turned Himself to become their enemy, He fought against them.

In the work that was accomplished on the day of Pentecost, we may see what can be done by the exercise of faith....And Peter stood up among them and spoke with mighty power. Among those who listened to him were devout Jews, who were sincere in their belief. But the power that accompanied the words of the speaker convinced them that Christ was indeed the Messiah. What a mighty work was accomplished! Three thousand were converted in one day. . . .

More were converted by one sermon on the day of Pentecost than were converted during all the years of Christ’s ministry. So mightily will God work when men give themselves to the control of the Spirit.—Ellen G. White Comments, in The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, p. 1055.

The promised Holy Spirit, whom he would send after he ascended to his Father, is constantly at work to draw the attention to the great official sacrifice upon the cross of Calvary, and to unfold to the world the love of God to man, and to open to the convicted soul the precious things in the Scriptures, and to open to darkened minds the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness, the truths that make their hearts burn within them with the awakened intelligence of the truths of eternity.—Selected Messages, book 3,p. 137.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16

The Holy Spirit in the Believer’s Life

Ephesians 4:29

29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.

Ephesians 4:30

30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Ephesians 4:31-32

31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

The Holy Spirit was promised to be with those who were wrestling for victory, in demonstration of all mightiness, endowing the human agent with supernatural powers, and instructing the ignorant in the mysteries of the kingdom of God. That the Holy Spirit is to be the grand helper, is a wonderful promise. Of what avail would it have been to us that the only begotten Son of God had humbled Himself, endured the temptations of the wily foe, and wrestled with him during his entire life on earth, and died the Just for the unjust that humanity might not perish, if the Spirit had not been given as a constant, working, regenerating agent to make effectual in our cases what has been wrought out by the world’s Redeemer?

The imparted Holy Spirit enabled his disciples, the apostles, to stand firmly against every species of idolatry and to exalt the Lord and Him alone. Who, but Jesus Christ by his Spirit and divine power, guided the pens of the sacred historians that to the world might be presented the precious record of the sayings and works of Jesus Christ?—Selected Messages, book 3, p. 137.

Thursday August 17, 2023

KINDNESS (NOT BITTERNESS)

Colossians 3:13

13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.

Matthew 6:12

12 'And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

Satan claims the world. He claims us as his. Then shall we give him that which he claims? No. I am somebody else’s property. I have been bought with a price, and my business is to glorify God in my body and spirit. I have no time to talk unbelief. It is faith that I must talk. I must strengthen faith by exercise. And then my faith grows as I venture upon the promises of God, and I can grasp more and more. . . .

One word of doubt, one word of evil thinking and evil speaking, makes room for more of the same kind. It is seed-sowing that will prepare for a harvest that few will care to garner.

Those who are troubled with doubts and have difficulties which they cannot solve should not throw other weak minds into the same perplexity. Some have hinted or talked their unbelief and have passed on, little dreaming of the effect produced. In some instances the seeds of unbelief have taken immediate effect, while in others they have lain buried quite a length of time, until the individual has taken a wrong course and given place to the enemy, and the

light of God has been withdrawn from him and he has fallen under the powerful temptations of Satan. Then the seeds of infidelity which were sown so long ago spring up. Satan nourishes them, and they bear fruit.—Mind, Character, and Personality, vol. 2, p. 676.

THURSDAY AUGUST 17, 2023

Kindness (Not Bitterness)

Matthew 6:14-15

14 For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.15 But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.

Remember that your brethren are fallible creatures like yourself, and regard their mistakes and errors with the same mercy and forbearance that you wish them to exercise toward you. They should not be watched and their defects paraded to the front for the world to exult over. Those who dare to do this have climbed upon the judgment seat and made themselves judges, while they have neglected the garden of their own hearts and have allowed poisonous weeds to obtain a rank growth.

We individually have a case pending in the court of heaven. Character is being weighed in the balances of the sanctuary, and it should be the earnest desire of all to walk humbly and carefully, lest, neglecting to let their light shine forth to the world, they fail of the grace of God and lose everything that is valuable. All dissension, all differences and faultfinding, should be put away, with all evil speaking and bitterness; kindness, love, and compassion for one another should be cherished, that the prayer of Christ that His disciples might be one as He is one with the Father may be answered. The harmony and unity of the church are the credentials that they present to the world that Jesus is the Son of God. Genuine conversion will ever lead to genuine love for Jesus and for all those for whom He died.—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, pp. 278, 279.

Friday August 18, 2023

Light Versus Darkness,

“Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one to another, ... even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:31, 32. (UL 20.1)

The great controversy going on in the world is waging more sharply today than at any period of this world’s history between the Prince of light and the prince of darkness. Bear the fact in mind that, wherever there are plans set in operation to advance the cause of God in the world, Satan will be on hand to counteract, if possible, the workings of our merciful heavenly Father.... He will use every possible advantage you give him to control minds.... (UL 20.2)

God’s people, rescued from the fire by Jesus Christ, have a sense of their sin, feel humbled and ashamed. God sees and recognizes their repentance, and notes their sorrow for sin, which they cannot remove or cancel themselves. But as they pray their prayers are heard, and this is the reason that Satan stands by to resist Christ; because He hears their prayers, He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. He regenerates the sinner, and pardon is written off against his name. This stirs Satan up to resistance. He steps in between the repenting, believing soul and Christ. He seeks to cast his hellish shadow before that soul, to dampen faith, and to make of none effect the words of God.... (UL 20.3)

If Satan stands between the soul and Jesus Christ, then the love and acceptance and pardon of Christ are eclipsed—man will be constantly striving to prepare a robe of righteousness to cover his deformity and sin, when Christ wants him to come to Him just as he is, and believe in Him as his personal Saviour. In His tender love, a forgiving Father brings forth His best robe in which to array His returning child.... (UL 20.4)

Satan is a vigilant, untiring foe, and he sleeps not. He knows that his time is short, and he will work until the end with every species of deception to draw souls into his snare and ruin them. I have a message for you—“Watch and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.” Give no place to the devil to stand between you and Christ, lest you savor of the things that be of men and not of God. If your faith is genuine, it must and will produce obedience. God commands us to do nothing which we cannot do. He will give strength to every believing, trusting soul.... (UL 20.5)

Cherish the love of Jesus in the heart, respect each other, for Christ has given His life for you. Every soul is precious in the sight of God. It is a wonderful thing to be remembered and cared for every hour by God.—Letter 65, January 6, 1894, to the ship’s crew on board the Pitcairn. (UL 20.6)

Sabbath August 5, 2023

THE UNIFIED BODY OF CHRIST

Memory Text:

“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11, 12, ESV).

By Christ’s wonderful union of divinity with humanity, we are assured that even in this world we may be partakers of the divine nature. Christ has pledged Himself to cooperate with those to whom He has entrusted talents. He has pledged Himself to train us to be His co-laborers. He will help us to follow His example, doing good and refusing to do evil. We are to be consecrated channels through whom the love of Christ flows to those in need of help.—Our High Calling, p. 182.

When the workers are consecrated to God they will reveal the love of God for their brethren who work under the unseen, divine Master Worker. “We are labourers together with God” (1 Corinthians 3:9).

We are all part of the great web of humanity, thread packed against thread to bring out the pattern of the fabric and make it a complete whole. Be God’s thread to work out His design.—That I May Know Him, p. 323.

There can be no growth or fruitfulness in the life that is centered in self. . . . Talk of the love of Christ, tell of His goodness. Do every duty that presents itself. Carry the burden of souls upon your heart, and by every means in your power seek to save the lost. As you receive the Spirit of Christ—the Spirit of unselfish love and labor for others—you will grow and bring forth fruit. The graces of the Spirit will ripen in your character. Your faith will increase, your convictions deepen, your love be made perfect. More and more you will reflect the likeness of Christ in all that is pure, noble, and lovely.—Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 67.

Sunday August 6, 2023

THE UNITY OF THE SPIRIT

Ephesians 4:1-6

1 Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love,3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling;5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism,6 one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.

The Seven 7 in Ephesians 4: 1-3 to be Worthy in the Unity of the Spirit: Humility, Gentleness, Patience, Tolerance, Love, Diligence and Peace

Many of those who profess to love the Saviour neglect to love those who are united with them in Christian fellowship. . . .

It is not the opposition of the world that endangers us the most; it is the evil cherished in the hearts of professed believers that works our most grievous disaster and most retards the progress of God’s cause. There is no surer way of weakening our spirituality than by being envious, suspicious of one an other, full of faultfinding and evil surmising. . .

Harmony and union existing among men of varied dispositions is the strongest witness that can be borne that God has sent His Son into the world to save sinners. It is our privilege to bear this witness. But, in order to do this, we must place ourselves under Christ’s command.—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 8, p. 242.

Monday August 7, 2023

TOGETHER AS ONE IN THE ONE

Ephesians 4:1-6

The other seven 7 ones: one Body, one Spirit, one Hope, and then one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism and one Father God "who is over all and through all and in all."

God is leading a people out from the world upon the exalted platform of eternal truth, the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. He will discipline and fit up His people. They will not be at variance, one believing one thing and another having faith and views entirely opposite, each moving independently of the body. Through the diversity of the gifts and governments that He has placed in the church, they will all come to the unity of the faith. . . .

Though we have an individual work and an individual responsibility before God, we are not to follow our own independent judgment, regardless of the opinions and feelings of our brethren; for this course would lead to disorder in the church. . . . [I]f hearts are teachable, there will be no divisions among us.—Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, pp. 29, 30.

In [the first angel’s] message, God has sent to the church a warning, which, had it been accepted, would have corrected the evils that were shutting them away from Him. Had they received the message from heaven, humbling their hearts before the Lord and seeking in sincerity a preparation to stand in His presence, the Spirit and power of God would have been manifested among them. The church would again have reached that blessed state of unity, faith, and love which existed in apostolic days, when the believers “were of one heart and of one soul.” Acts 4:32.

If God’s professed people would receive the light as it shines upon them from His word, they would reach that unity for which Christ prayed, that which the apostle describes, “the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” “There is,” he says, “one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism.” Ephesians 4:3-5.—The Great Controversy, p. 379.

Tuesday August 8, 2023

THE EXALTED CHRIST, GIVER OF GIFTS

Psalm 68:35
New King James Version
35 O God, You are more awesome than Your holy places.
The God of Israel is He who gives strength and power to His people.
Blessed be God!

Before He left His disciples, Christ “breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost.” John 20:22. Again He said, “Behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you.” Luke 24:49. But not until after the ascension was the gift received in its fullness. Not until through faith and prayer the disciples had surrendered themselves fully for His working was the outpouring of the Spirit received. Then in a special sense the goods of heaven were committed to the followers of Christ. “When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.” Ephesians 4:8. . . .

The gifts are already ours in Christ, but their actual possession depends upon our reception of the Spirit of God.—Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 327.The promised Holy Spirit, that He would send after He ascended to His Father, is constantly at work to draw the attention to the great official sacrifice upon the cross of Calvary, and to unfold to the world the love of God to man, and to open to the convicted soul the precious things in the Scriptures, and to open to darkened minds the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness, the truths that make their hearts burn within them with the awakened intelligence of the truths of eternity. . . .

The life of Christ is to be carefully meditated upon, and to be constantly studied with a desire to understand the reason why He had to come at all. We can only form our conclusions by searching the Scriptures as Christ has enjoined upon us to do, for He says, “They testify of me.”—Reflecting Christ, p. 132.

Psalm 68:35

New King James Version

35 O God, You are more awesome than Your holy places.

The God of Israel is He who gives strength and power to His people.

Blessed be God!

Psalm 149:4

New King James Version

4 For the Lord takes pleasure in His people;

He will beautify the [a]humble with salvation.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

Psalm 149:4 meek

Romans 10:17

New King James Version

17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

"Not until through faith and prayer the disciples had surrendered themselves fully for His working was the outpouring of the Spirit received...

The gifts are already ours in Christ, but their actual possession depends upon our reception of the Spirit of God.—Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 327.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+68&version=NKJV

Wednesday August 9, 2023

GIFTS OF THE EXALTED JESUS

Isaiah 5:4

4 "What more was there to do for My vineyard that I have not done in it? Why, when I expected it to produce good grapes did it produce worthless ones?

God established His instrumentalities among a people who recognize the laws of the divine government. . . . Every gift, every power, that Christ promised His disciples He bestows upon those who will serve Him faithfully. And He who gives mental capabilities, and who entrusts talents to the men and women who are His by creation and redemption, expects that these talents and capabilities will be increased by use. Every talent must be employed in blessing others and thus bringing honor to God.—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, p. 243.

In sending forth His ministers our Saviour gave gifts unto men, for through them He communicates to the world the words of eternal life. This is the means which God has ordained for the perfecting of the saints in knowledge and true holiness. The work of Christ’s servants is not merely to preach the truth; they are to watch for souls as they that must render account to God. They are to reprove, rebuke, exhort with long-suffering and doctrine.

All who have been benefited by the labors of God’s servant should, according to their ability, unite with him in working for the salvation of souls. This is the work of all true believers, ministers and people. They should keep the grand object ever in view, each seeking to fill his proper position in the church, and all working together in order, harmony, and love.—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, pp. 237, 238.

There are some in these last days who will cry: “Speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits.” But this is not my work. . . . In the name and strength of my Redeemer I shall do what I can. I shall warn and counsel and reprove and encourage as the Spirit of God dictates, whether men will hear or whether they will forbear. My duty is not to please myself, but to do the will of my heavenly Father, who has given me my work.—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, p. 231.

Thursday August 10, 2023

Growing up unto Christ

Ephesians 4:13

13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

Ephesians 4:15

15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,

Our Lord designed that His church should reflect to the world the fullness and sufficiency that we find in Him. We are constantly receiving of God’s bounty, and by imparting of the same we are to represent to the world the love and beneficence of Christ. While all heaven is astir, dispatching messengers to every part of the earth to carry forward the work of redemption, the church of the living God are also to be co-laborers with Christ. We are members of His mystical body. He is the head, controlling all the members of the body. Jesus Himself, in His infinite mercy, is working on human hearts, effecting spiritual transformations so amazing that angels look on with astonishment and joy. The same unselfish love that characterizes the Master is seen in the character and life of His true followers.—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 731.

Many know so little about their Bibles that they are unsettled in the faith. They remove the old landmarks, and fallacies and winds of doctrine blow them hither and thither. Science, falsely so-called, is wearing away the foundation of Christian principle; and those who once were in the faith drift away from the Bible landmarks, and divorce themselves from God, while still claiming to be His children.

The church needs to awake to an understanding of the subtle powers of satanic agencies that must be met. If they will keep on the whole armor, they will be able to conquer all the foes they meet, some of which are not yet developed. . . .

The apostasy will increase. “Some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.” Men and women have confederated to oppose the Lord God of heaven, and the church is only half awake to the situation. There needs to be much more prayer, much more of earnest effort, among professed believers.—Evangelism, pp. 362, 363.

Friday August 11, 2023

The Upward Look

“Stewards of God’s Grace,”

Romans 12:4-8

4 For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function,5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.6 Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith;7 if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching;8 or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. Matthew 10:8.

Those who walk in the narrow way must follow the directions of the Guidebook. Thus only can they reach the gates of the City of God...

God has put men and women in possession of precious gifts. To different ones He has given different gifts. Not all have the same strength of character or the same depth of knowledge. But each one is to use his gifts in the Master’s service, however small this gift may seem to be. The faithful steward trades wisely on the goods entrusted to him.

The endowments of mind and body are to be carefully guarded. Our gifts are not to be weakened by self-indulgence. Every power is to be carefully preserved, that it may always be ready for instant use. No part of the physical organism is to be weakened by misuse. Each part, however small, has an influence on the whole. The abuse of one nerve or muscle lessens the usefulness of the whole body. Those for whom Christ has given His life should bring their habits and practices into conformity to His will.

God’s Word declares, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die” (Ezekiel 18:20). But God does not desire the death of anyone. At infinite cost He provided for man a second probation. He “so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

Should not those to whom the light of truth for this time has come place themselves in close connection with God, using their capabilities to advance the work of soul saving? Should not the one who possesses an understanding of the Scriptures impart the knowledge given him to those who know not the truth?

Upon every believer in present truth rests the responsibility of working for sinners. God points them to their special work—the proclamation of the third angel’s message. They are to show their appreciation of God’s great gift by consecrating themselves to the work for which Christ gave His life. They are to be stewards of the grace of God, dispensing to others the blessings bestowed on them.

He who has found comfort in the Word of God is to share this comfort with others. Thus only can he continue to receive comfort.— Manuscript 147, December 31, 1903, “The Narrow Way.”

Friday August 11, 2023

1 Corinthians 12:4-11

4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.5 And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord.6 There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.8 For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit;9 to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,10 and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues.11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.

Steadfastness Needed

There are some in the church who need to cling to the pillars of our faith, to settle down and find rock bottom, instead of drifting on the surface of excitement and moving from impulse. There are spiritual dyspeptics in the church. They are self-made invalids; their spiritual debility is the result of their own wavering course. They are tossed about here and there by the changing winds of doctrine, and are often confused and thrown into uncertainty because they move entirely by feeling. They are sensational Christians, ever hungering for something new and diverse; strange doctrines confuse their faith, and they are worthless to the cause of truth. (1TT 462.1)

God calls for men and women of stability, of firm purpose, who can be relied upon in seasons of danger and trial, who are as firmly rooted and grounded in the truth as the eternal hills, who cannot be swayed to the right or to the left, but who move straight onward and are always found on the right side. There are some, who, in time of religious peril, may almost always be looked for in the ranks of the enemy; if they have any influence, it is on the wrong side. They do not feel under moral obligation to give all their strength to the truth they profess. Such will be rewarded according to their works. (1TT 462.2)

Those who do little for the Saviour in the salvation of souls, and in keeping themselves right before God, will gain but little spiritual muscle. We need continually to use the strength we have that it may develop and increase. As disease is the result of the violation of natural laws, so is spiritual declension the result of a continued transgression of the law of God. And yet the very transgressors may profess to keep all of God’s commandments. (1TT 463.1)

We must come nearer to God, place ourselves in closer connection with heaven, and carry out the principles of the law in the minutest actions of our everyday lives in order to be spiritually whole. God has given His servants ability, talents to be used for His glory, not to lie idle or be wasted. He has given them light and a knowledge of His will to be communicated to others, and in imparting to others we become living channels of light. If we do not exercise our spiritual strength we become feeble, as the limbs of the body become powerless when the invalid is compelled to remain long inactive. It is use that gives power. (1TT 463.2)

Friday August 11, 2023

1 Peter 4:10-11

10 As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.11 Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Ministering to Others

Nothing will give greater spiritual strength and a greater increase of earnestness and depth of feeling than visiting and ministering to the sick and the desponding, helping them to see the light and to fasten their faith upon Jesus. There are disagreeable duties that somebody must do or souls will be left to perish. Christians will find a blessing in doing these duties, however unpleasant they may be. Christ took the disagreeable task upon Himself of coming from the abode of purity and unsurpassed glory, to dwell, a man among men, in a world seared and blackened by crime, violence, and iniquity. He did this to save souls; and shall the objects of such amazing love and unparalleled condescension excuse their lives of selfish ease? shall they choose their own pleasure, follow their own inclinations, and leave souls to perish in darkness because they will meet with disappointment and rebuffs if they labor to save them? Christ paid an infinite price for man’s redemption, and shall he say: “My Lord, I will not labor in Thy vineyard; I pray Thee have me excused”? (1TT 463.3)

God calls for those who are at ease in Zion to be up and doing. Will they not listen to the Master’s voice? He wants prayerful, faithful workers who will sow beside all waters. Those who labor thus will be surprised to find how trials, resolutely borne in the name and strength of Jesus, will give firmness to the faith and renew the courage. In the path of humble obedience is safety and power, comfort and hope; but the reward will finally be lost by those who do nothing for Jesus. Weak hands will be unable to cling to the Mighty One, feeble knees will fail to support in the day of adversity. Bible readers and Christian workers will receive the glorious prize, and hear the “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: ... enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” Matthew 25:21. (1TT 464.1)

Sabbath July 29, 2023

THE MYSTERY OF THE GOSPEL

Memory Text:

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen” (Ephesians 3:20, 21, NIV).

. . . [T]he minds of the disciples [opened] more fully to the labor that lay before them among the Gentiles. They saw a wide field of usefulness outside of Judea. They saw souls bearing sorrows unknown to those more highly favored. Among those whom they had been taught to despise were souls longing for help from the mighty Healer, hungering for the light of truth, which had been so abundantly given to the Jews.—The Desire of Ages, p. 402.

God’s servants receive no honor or recognition from the world. Stephen was stoned because he preached Christ and Him crucified. Paul was imprisoned, beaten, stoned, and finally put to death, because he was a faithful messenger of God to the Gentiles. The apostle John was banished to the Isle of Patmos, “for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.” [Revelation 1:9.] These examples of human steadfastness in the might of divine power, are a witness to the world of the faithfulness of God’s promises, of His abiding presence and sustaining grace. . . .

God’s heroes of faith are heirs to an inheritance of greater value than any earthly riches,—an inheritance that will satisfy the longings of the soul. By the world they may be unknown and unacknowledged, but in the record books above they are enrolled as citizens of heaven, and an exalted greatness, an eternal weight of glory, will be theirs.

The greatest work, the noblest effort, in which men can engage, is to point sinners to the Lamb of God.—Gospel Workers, p. 18.

Sunday July 30, 2023

PAUL, IMPRISONED APOSTLE TO THE GENTILES

Ephesians 3:13

13 Therefore I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf, for they are your glory.

Ephesians 4:1

1 Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,

Ephesians 6:20

20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

“The love of Christ,” said Paul, “constraineth us.” It was the actuating principle of his conduct; it was his motive power. If ever his ardor in the path of duty for a moment flagged, one glance at the cross and the amazing love of Christ revealed in His unparalleled sacrifice was enough to cause him to gird up anew the loins of his mind and press forward in the path of self-denial. In his labors for his brethren he relied much upon the exhibition of infinite love in the wonderful condescension of Christ, with all its subduing, constraining power.—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, p. 457.

It is not the will of God that His people should be weighed down with care. But our Lord does not deceive us. He does not say to us, “Do not fear; there are no dangers in your path.” He knows there are trials and dangers, and He deals with us plainly. He does not propose to take His people out of a world of sin and evil, but He points them to a never-failing refuge. His prayer for His disciples was, “I pray not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldest keep them from the evil.” “In the world,” He says, “ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” John 17:15; 16:33.

In His Sermon on the Mount, Christ taught His disciples precious lessons in regard to the necessity of trusting in God. These lessons were designed to encourage the children of God through all ages, and they have come down to our time full of instruction and comfort. . . .

The Lord would have all His sons and daughters happy, peaceful, and obedient. Jesus says, “My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” “These things have I spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” John 14:27; 15:11.—Steps to Christ, pp. 122, 124.

God never leads His children otherwise than they would choose to be led, if they could see the end from the beginning, and discern the glory of the purpose which they are fulfilling as co-workers with Him. Not Enoch, who was translated to heaven, not Elijah, who ascended in a chariot of fire, was greater or more honored than John the Baptist, who perished alone in the dungeon. “Unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake.” Philippians 1:29. And of all the gifts that Heaven can bestow upon men, fellowship with Christ in His sufferings is the most weighty trust and the highest honor.—The Desire of Ages, p. 224.

Tuesday July 31, 2023

THE LONG-HIDDEN MYSTERY OF THE GOSPEL

Ephesians 1:9-10

Ephesians 3:6

6 to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel,

The Lord would not have His people exclusive. Christ’s delegated messengers are to proclaim the gospel of His grace to all nations, tongues, and people. We are to make it known that the Great Advocate is giving audience to the whole world. The Jewish church was called to be God’s representative to an apostate world, and in order to fulfill this mission the Jewish people were to maintain their own existence as a nation distinct from all the idolatrous nations upon the earth. They were to stand in the world maintaining their peculiar and holy character . . . representing God’s mercy, goodness, compassion, and love. Thus in excellence of character they could stand above every other nation; for through a pure and obedient people the Lord would manifest His rich blessings.

Thus the principles of the laws governing His kingdom were to be exalted throughout the world. Just as surely as they responded to the mercy, the light, the grace given, they would become the light of the world. They would be constantly directing attention to God, as a wise, faultless, Supreme Ruler, and the praise of God would be in all the earth. The Lord is our God, and He has the same purpose in regard to His believing, loyal people today.—Sons and Daughters of God, p. 44.

There is no example in the life of Christ for . . . self-righteous bigotry; His character was genial and beneficent. . . . In every religious denomination, and in almost every church, are to be found [those] who would have blamed Him for His liberal mercies. They would have found fault with Him because He ate with publicans and sinners. . . .

Those with whom God has entrusted His truth, must possess the same beneficent spirit that Christ manifested. They must adopt the same broad plans of action. They should have a kind, generous spirit toward the poor, and in a special sense feel that they are God’s stewards. . . . Like Christ, they should not shun the society of their fellow-men, but should seek it with the purpose of bestowing upon others the heavenly benefits they have received from God.—Gospel Workers, pp. 334, 335.

Wednesday August 2, 2023

CHRIST. DWELLING IN YOUR HEART

Romans 8:35-39
35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?36 Just as it is written, "for your sake we are being put to death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered."37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

It is Christ dwelling in the soul that gives us spiritual power, and makes us channels of light. The more light we have, the more we can impart to others around us. The more closely we live to Jesus, the clearer views shall we have of His loveliness. As we behold Him in His purity, we discern more clearly our own faults of character. We yearn after Him, and for that fullness that is in Him, and that shines out in the perfection of His heavenly character; and by beholding we become changed into His image. . . .
Our hearts may be filled with all the fullness of God. . . . [L]et us take the key of faith, and unlock the storehouse of God’s rich blessings. There is an infinite fullness to draw from; and we have the promise of our divine Lord, “According to your faith be it unto you.”—Lift Him Up, p. 266.

[You] may summon every power and capability that God has given you, in the endeavor to comprehend the love and compassion of the heavenly Father; and yet there is an infinity beyond. . . . Eternity itself can never fully reveal it. Yet as we study the Bible and meditate upon the life of Christ and the plan of redemption, these great themes will open to our understanding more and more. And it will be ours to realize the blessing which Paul desired for the Ephesian church when he prayed “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him; the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power to usward who believe.”—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 740.

Thursday August 3, 2023

GLORY IN THE CHURCH AND IN CHRIST JESUS

Ephesians 3:16

21st Century King James Version

16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man;

Ephesians 3:17

21st Century King James Version

17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

We have been called to the knowledge of Christ, and that is to the knowledge of glory and virtue. It is a knowledge of the perfection of the divine character, manifested to us in Jesus Christ, that opens up to us communion with God. Scarcely can the human mind comprehend what is the breadth and depth and height of the spiritual attainments that can be reached by becoming partakers of the divine nature. . . .We are living in days of peril. Christ alone can help us and give us the victory. Christ must be all in all to us; He must dwell in the heart; His life must circulate through us, as the blood circulates through the veins. His Spirit must be a vitalizing power that will cause us to influence others to become Christlike and holy.—Our High Calling, p. 60.

There are many who think that it is impossible to escape from the power of sin, but the promise is that we may be filled with all the fullness of God. We aim too low. The mark is much higher. Our minds need expansion, that we may comprehend the significance of the provision of God. We are to reflect the highest attributes of the character of God. We should be thankful that we are not to be left to ourselves. . . .It is privilege of the children of God to be filled with all the fullness of God. “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end” (Ephesians 3:20, 21).—That I May Know Him, p. 302.

In everything we should show forth the joy of the Lord.David declares, “I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live” (Psalm 116:1, 2). God’s goodness in hearing and answering prayer places us under heavy obligation to express our thanksgiving for the favors bestowed upon us. We should praise God much more than we do. The blessings received in answer to prayer should be promptly acknowledged. . . .Let the peace of God reign in your soul. Then you will have strength to bear all suffering, and you will rejoice that you have grace to endure. Praise the Lord; talk of His goodness; tell of His power. Sweeten the atmosphere that surrounds your soul. Praise with heart and soul and voice, Him who is the health of your countenance, your Saviour, and your God.—God’s Amazing Grace, p. 325.

Sabbath July 22, 2023

HORIZONTAL ATONEMENT: THE CROSS AND THE CHURCH

Memory Text:

“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one” (Ephesians 2:13, 14, ESV).

God chose Israel to reveal His character to men. He desired them to be as wells of salvation in the world. To them were committed the oracles of heaven, the revelation of God’s will. . . .

But the people of Israel lost sight of their high privileges as God’s representatives. They forgot God and failed to fulfill their holy mission. The blessings they received brought no blessing to the world. All their advantages they appropriated for their own glorification. They shut themselves away from the world in order to escape temptation. The restrictions that God had placed upon their association with idolaters as a means of preventing them from conforming to the practices of the heathen, they used to build up a wall of separation between themselves and all other nations. They robbed God of the service He required of them, and they robbed their fellow men of religious guidance and a holy example.—The Acts of the Apostles p. 14.

I heard so many say that the different nationalities of Europe were peculiar and had to be reached in a certain way. But the wisdom of God is promised to those who feel their need and who ask for it. God can bring the people where they will receive the truth. Let the Lord take possession of the mind and mold it as the clay is molded in the hands of the potter, and these differences will not exist. . . . I warn you, brethren and sisters, not to build up a wall of partition between different nationalities. On the contrary, seek to break it down wherever it exists. We should endeavor to bring all into the harmony that there is in Jesus, laboring for the one object, the salvation of our fellow men.—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 9, p. 181.

Sunday July 23, 2023

BROUGHT NEAR IN CHRIST

Ephesians 2:12-13

12 remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.13 But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Ephesians 2:19

19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household,

We are commanded to love one another as Christ has loved us. He has manifested His love by laying down His life to redeem us. The beloved disciple says that we should be willing to lay down our lives for the brethren. For “everyone that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him” (verse 1). If we love Christ, we shall love those who resemble Him in life and character. And not only so, but we shall love those who have “no hope,” and are “without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12). It was to save sinners that Christ left His home in heaven and came to earth to suffer and to die. For this He toiled and agonized and prayed, until, heartbroken and deserted by those He came to save, He poured out His life on Calvary.—The Sanctified Life, p. 82.

We must gather about the cross. Christ and Him crucified must be the theme of contemplation, of conversation, and of our most joyful emotion. We should have special praise services for the purpose of keeping fresh in our thoughts everything that we receive from God, and of expressing our gratitude for His great love, and our willingness to trust everything to the hand that was nailed to the cross for us. We should learn to talk the language of Canaan, to sing the songs of Zion.—Lift Him Up, p. 249.

Monday July 24, 2023

RECONCILIATION: GOD'S GIFT ON THE CROSS

Colossians 1:19-22

19 For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him,20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.21 And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds,22 yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach-

Matthew 8:11

11 I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven;

The cross is invested with a power that language cannot express. . . .

The work of the sons and daughters of God must be of a different character than has yet been manifested by a large number. If they love Jesus, they will have enlarged ideas of the love that has been expressed for fallen man, which required the provision of so expensive an offering to save the human race. Our Saviour asks the cooperation of every son and daughter of Adam who has become a son or daughter of God. Our Saviour declares that He brought from heaven as a donation eternal life. He was to be lifted up upon the cross of Calvary to draw all men unto Him. How then shall we treat the purchased inheritance of Christ? Tenderness, appreciation, kindness, sympathy, and love should be shown to them. Then we may work to help and bless one another. In this work we have more than human brotherhood. We have the exalted companionship of heavenly angels. They cooperate with us in the work of enlightening high and low.—Sons and Daughters of God, p. 229.

John declares: “Hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth His word, in him verily is the love of God perfected.” 1 John 2:3-5.

One of Christ’s last commands to His disciples was “Love one another as I have loved you.” John 13:34. Do we obey this command, or are we indulging sharp, unchristlike traits of character? If we have in any way grieved or wounded others, it is our duty to confess our fault and seek for reconciliation. This is an essential preparation that we may come before God in faith, to ask His blessing.—Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 144.

Tuesday July 25, 2023

BREAKING DOWN THE DIVIDING WALL

Ephesians 2:18

18 for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.

Ephesians 2:14-15

14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall,15 by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace,

The early church was made up of many classes of people, of various nationalities. . . .

The hearts of those who had been converted under the labors of the apostles, were softened and united by Christian love. Despite former prejudices, all were in harmony with one another. Satan knew that so long as this union continued to exist, he would be powerless to check the progress of gospel truth; and he sought to take advantage of former habits of thought, in the hope that thereby he might be able to introduce into the church elements of disunion.

Thus it came to pass that as disciples were multiplied, the enemy succeeded in arousing the suspicions of some who had formerly been in the habit of looking with jealousy on their brethren in the faith and of finding fault with their spiritual leaders, and so “there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews.”—The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 87, 88.

However large may be a man’s claim to knowledge and wisdom, unless he is under the teaching of the Holy Spirit he is exceedingly ignorant of spiritual things. He needs to realize his danger and his inefficiency, and to place entire dependence upon the One who alone is able to keep the souls committed to His trust, able to imbue them with His Spirit, and to fill them with unselfish love for one another, thus enabling them to bear witness that God has sent His Son into the world to save sinners. Those who are truly converted will press together in Christian unity. Let there be no division in the church of God, no unwise authority exercised over those who accept the truth. The meekness of Christ is to appear in all that is said and done.—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 9, p. 146.

Wednesday July 26, 2023

JESUS: PRRACHER OF PEACE

Read the whole chapter of Isaiah 52, it's so lovely! GUYS, READ YOUR BIBLE, READ THE VERSES AND WHOLE CHAPTERS FOR CONTEXT (It's easy on the Sabbath School App with the 3 angels). BE BLESSED!

Isaiah 52:7

New King James Version

7 How beautiful upon the mountains

Are the feet of him who brings good news,

Who proclaims peace,

Who brings glad tidings of good things,

Who proclaims salvation,

Who says to Zion,

“Your God reigns!”

Read full chapter

Isaiah 52:7 in all English translations

"The peace spoken of by the great Teacher is larger and fuller than we have imagined. Christ is ready to do large things for us, to restore our natures by making us partakers of His divine nature. He waits to link our hearts with His heart of infinite love, in order that we may be fully reconciled to God; but it is our privilege to understand that God loves us as He loves His Son. When we believe in Christ as our personal Saviour, the peace of Christ is ours. The reconciliation provided for us in the atonement of Christ is the foundation of our peace; but gloomy feelings are no evidence that the promises of God are of no effect. You look at your feelings, and because your outlook is not all brightness, you begin to draw more closely the garment of heaviness about your soul. You look within yourself, and think that God is forsaking you. You are to look to Christ. In me, Christ says, ye shall have peace. Entering into communion with our Saviour, we enter the region of peace.—Lift Him Up, p. 332."

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+52&version=NKJV

Christ is “the Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6), and it is His mission to restore to earth and heaven the peace that sin has broken. “Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1. Whoever consents to renounce sin and open his heart to the love of Christ, becomes a partaker of this heavenly peace.

There is no other ground of peace than this. The grace of Christ received into the heart, subdues enmity; it allays strife and fills the soul with love. He who is at peace with God and his fellow men cannot be made miserable. Envy will not be in his heart; evil surmisings will find no room there; hatred cannot exist. The heart that is in harmony with God is a partaker of the peace of heaven and will diffuse its blessed influence on all around. The spirit of peace will rest like dew upon hearts weary and troubled with worldly strife.

Christ’s followers are sent to the world with the message of peace. Whoever, by the quiet, unconscious influence of a holy life, shall reveal the love of Christ; whoever, by word or deed, shall lead another to renounce sin and yield his heart to God, is a peacemaker.—Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, pp. 27, 28.

Thursday July 27, 2023

THE CHURCH, A HOLY TEMPLE

Ephesians 2:19-22

Ephesians 2:18

18 for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.

2 Corinthians 6:16

16 Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, "I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Upon the foundation that Christ Himself had laid, the apostles built the church of God. In the Scriptures the figure of the erection of a temple is frequently used to illustrate the building of the church. Zechariah refers to Christ as the Branch that should build the temple of the Lord. He speaks of the Gentiles as helping in the work: “They that are far off shall come and build in the temple of the Lord;” and Isaiah declares, “The sons of strangers shall build up thy walls.” Zechariah 6:12, 15; Isaiah 60:10.

Writing of the building of this temple, Peter says, “To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 2:4, 5.—The Acts of the Apostles, p. 595.

In the quarry of the Jewish and the Gentile world the apostles labored, bringing out stones to lay upon the foundation. In his letter to the believers at Ephesus, Paul said, “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the Chief Cornerstone; in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” Ephesians 2:19-22.

And to the Corinthians he wrote: “According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.” 1 Corinthians 3:10-13.—The Acts of the Apostles, p. 596.

Friday July 28, 2023

My Lord and I

Can two walk together, except they be agreed? Amos 3:3.

Enoch walked with God. He was of one mind with God. The prophet asks, “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” If we are of one mind with God, our will will be swallowed up in God's will and we shall follow wherever God leads the way. As a loving child places his hand in that of his father, and walks with him in perfect trust whether it is dark or bright, so the sons and daughters of God are to walk with Jesus through joy or sorrow....

The followers of Christ are to manifest to the world the characteristics of their Lord. They must not become careless or inattentive to their duty, or indifferent as to their influence, for they are to be representatives of Jesus in the earth....

Those who do not walk in all faith and purity find the thought of coming into the presence of God a thought of terror. They do not love to think or speak of God. They say in heart and by their actions, “Depart from us, O God; we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.” But through faith in Christ the true Christian knows the mind and will of God. He understands by a living experience something of the length and depth and breadth and height of the love of God that passeth knowledge.

The soul that loves God loves to draw strength from Him by constant communion with Him. When it becomes the habit of the soul to converse with God, the power of the evil one is broken, for Satan cannot abide near the soul that draws nigh unto God. If Christ is your companion, you will not cherish vain and impure thoughts; you will not indulge in trifling words that will grieve Him who has come to be the sanctifier of your soul....

Those who are sanctified through the truth are living recommendations of its power, and representatives of their risen Lord. The religion of Christ will refine the taste, sanctify the judgment, elevate, purify, and ennoble the soul, making the Christian more and more fit for the society of the heavenly angels.1The Review and Herald, December 3, 1889.

Friday July 28, 2023

All Honor to the Peacemakers!

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Matthew 5:9.

Peacemakers! What a treasure is a peacemaker in the family; what a blessing in the church! Peacemakers may be tempted, but their life is hid with Christ in God. They look unto Jesus, copying His pattern.... They receive the peace which Christ gives....

The true nature of our religion is not found in the position we occupy, but in the gentle spirit, the kindness, the peace which we manifest. Our religion is made manifest in the home circle by the atmosphere surrounding the soul that brings happiness to the family....

True Christians will not ... speak in a cheap or fretting way. In the familiar circle of the home they will do services of love and Christian courtesy. These services may seem very commonplace, but the universe of heaven will be interested in the consistent walk of those who seek to benefit others....

It is not only our privilege but our duty to cultivate gentleness, to have the peace of Christ in the heart and as peacemakers and followers of Christ to sow precious seed that will produce a harvest unto eternal life. Professed followers of Christ may possess many good and useful qualities; but their characters are greatly marred by an unkind, fretful, faultfinding, harshly judging temper. The husband or the wife who cherishes suspicion and distrust creates dissension and strife in the home. Neither of them should keep his gentle words and smiles for strangers alone, and manifest irritability in the home, thus driving out peace and contentment....

It is practical Christlikeness alone that can make one a peacemaker in the home, in the church, in the neighborhood, and in the world. Home religion is practical sanctification.... The true quality of religion is gauged by the manner in which each member in the family does his duty to his associates.... Learn the precious lesson of being peacemakers in your home life.48Letter 34, 1894.

Sabbath July 15, 2023

HOW GOD RESCUES US

Memory Text:

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ” (Ephesians 2:4, 5, ESV).

Oh, when shall we ever realize the full value of our Saviour’s work and intercession? When shall we rely upon Him with full confidence, and live a noble, pure, and devoted life? To what heights may the imagination reach when sanctified and inspired by the virtue of Christ! We may take in the glories of the future, eternal world. We may live as seeing Him who is invisible. Walk by faith and not by sight.

Through searching the Scriptures we may come to understand what we are to Christ, and what He is to us. By beholding Him we are to become changed into His image, becoming colaborers with Him, representatives of Him in life and character. We must learn to realize that we are to live as the sons and daughters of God, loving God supremely, and our neighbors as ourselves. We are to live a pure, perfect life for Christ’s sake. We are to love perfection because Jesus is the embodiment of perfection, the great center of attraction. The life we now live we must live by faith in the Son of God.—Reflecting Christ, p. 318

Sunday July 16, 2023

ONCE DEAD AND DECEIVED BY SATAN

Ephesians 2: 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Before the believer is held out the wonderful possibility of being like Christ, obedient to all the principles of the law. But of himself man is utterly unable to reach this condition. The holiness that God’s word declares he must have before he can be saved is the result of the working of divine grace as he bows in submission to the discipline and restraining influences of the Spirit of truth. Man’s obedience can be made perfect only by the incense of Christ’s righteousness, which fills with divine fragrance every act of obedience.—The Acts of the Apostles, p. 531, 532.

Monday July 17, 2023

ONCE DELUDED BY OUR OWN DESIRES

Jeremiah 13:23

23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil.

Ephesians 4:22-24

22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

Even one wrong trait of character, one sinful desire cherished, will eventually neutralize all the power of the gospel. The prevalence of a sinful desire shows the delusion of the soul. Every indulgence of that desire strengthens the soul’s aversion to God. The pains of duty and the pleasures of sin are the cords with which Satan binds men in his snares. Those who would rather die than perform a wrong act are the only ones who will be found faithful. . . .

The testimony borne to you by the Spirit of God is: Parley not with the enemy. Kill the thorns, or they will kill you. Break up the fallow ground of the heart. Let the work go deep and thorough. Let the plowshare of truth tear out the weeds and briers.—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 53.

The Lord Jesus . . . is effecting transformations so amazing that Satan stands viewing them as a fortress impregnable to his sophistries and delusions. They are to him an incomprehensible mystery. The angels of God look on with astonishment and joy, that fallen men, once children of wrath, are through the training of Christ developing characters after the divine similitude, to be sons and daughters of God. . . .

The gift of His Holy Spirit, rich, full, and abundant, is to be to His church as an encompassing wall of fire, which the powers of hell shall not prevail against.—In Heavenly Places, p. 282.

Wednesday July 19, 2023

NOW BLESSED FOREVER BY GRACE

Ephesians 1:4

4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love

Ephesians 2:7

7 so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Do not miss the greatest Sabbath School lesson ever today!

Not because we first loved Him did Christ love us; but “while we were yet sinners” He died for us. He does not treat us according to our desert. Although our sins have merited condemnation, He does not condemn us. Year after year He has borne with our weakness and ignorance, with our ingratitude and waywardness. Notwithstanding our wanderings, our hardness of heart, our neglect of His Holy Word, His hand is stretched out still.

Grace is an attribute of God exercised toward undeserving human beings. We did not seek for it, but it was sent in search of us. God rejoices to bestow His grace upon us, not because we are worthy, but because we are so utterly unworthy. Our only claim to His mercy is our great need. . . .

Every human being is the object of loving interest to Him who gave His life that He might bring men back to God. Souls guilty and helpless, liable to be destroyed by the arts and snares of Satan, are cared for as a shepherd cares for the sheep of his flock.—The Ministry of Healing, pp. 161, 162.

In the matchless gift of His Son, God has encircled the whole world with an atmosphere of grace as real as the air which circulates around the globe. All who choose to breathe this life-giving atmosphere will live and grow up to the stature of men and women in Christ Jesus.—Steps to Christ, p. 68.

Wednesday July 19, 2023

NOW BLESSED FOREVER BY GRACE (2)

Ephesians 2:4-6

This is so beautiful and profound:

"Our confession of His faithfulness is Heaven’s chosen agency for revealing Christ to the world. We are to acknowledge His grace as made known through the holy men of old; but that which will be most effectual is the testimony of our own experience. We are witnesses for God as we reveal in ourselves the working of a power that is divine. Every individual has a life distinct from all others, and an experience differing essentially from theirs. God desires that our praise shall ascend to Him, marked with our own individuality. These precious acknowledgments to the praise of the glory of His grace, when supported by a Christlike life, have an irresistible power that works for the salvation of souls.

It is for our own benefit to keep every gift of God fresh in our memory. By this means faith is strengthened to claim and to receive more and more. There is greater encouragement for us in the least blessing we ourselves receive from God than in all the accounts we can read of the faith and experience of others. The soul that responds to the grace of God shall be like a watered garden. His health shall spring forth speedily; his light shall rise in obscurity, and the glory of the Lord shall be seen upon him.—The Ministry of Healing, p. 100."

Sabbath July 8, 2023

THE POWER OF THE EXALTED JESUS

Memory Text:

Through the Holy Spirit, believers may know “what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 1:19, 20, NKJV).

The Holy Spirit wants to build people into the Church/Christians, not churches (buildings) into people/christians. Focus on helping to build the people and Jsus will give you a great Church that follows His examples. The Son of Man had no place to lay His head on this earth, but the foxes have dens. The Kingdom of God first, God knows what else you need, look at the flowers in the fields.

"The Saviour longs to give us a greater blessing than we ask; and He delays the answer to our request that He may show us the evil of our own hearts, and our deep need of His grace. He desires us to renounce the selfishness that leads us to seek Him. Confessing our helplessness and bitter need, we are to trust ourselves wholly to His love. . . .

Not because we see or feel that God hears us are we to believe. We are to trust in His promises. When we come to Him in faith, every petition enters the heart of God. When we have asked for His blessing, we should believe that we receive it, and thank Him that we have received it. Then we are to go about our duties, assured that the blessing will be realized when we need it most. When we have learned to do this, we shall know that our prayers are answered. God will do for us “exceeding abundantly,” “according to the riches of His glory,” and “the working of His mighty power.” Ephesians 3:20, 16; 1:19.—The Desire of Ages, p. 200.

The power of godliness has almost ceased to be in our churches. And why is this? The Lord is still waiting to be gracious; He has not closed the windows of heaven. We have separated ourselves from Him. We need to fix the eye of faith upon the cross and believe that Jesus is our strength, our salvation. . . .

It is faith that is lacking. God has an abundance of grace and power awaiting our demand. But the reason we do not feel our great need of it is because we look to ourselves and not to Jesus. We do not exalt Jesus and rely wholly upon His merits.—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, pp. 166, 167."

Sunday July 9, 2023

PRAYING AND THANKSGIVING

The Power of the Holy Spirit working through you. Yesterday I witnessed an amazing feat of the Spirit at a church. A troublesome mentally handicapped rather pleasant and emotionally thoughtful,(too much maybe) pre-teen was held by another loving healthy pre-teen by hand entering the church, friends, real friends it seems. Sometimes later at church prayer in the main service, the healthy one nudged the other to pray in public, and he whispered in his ears the words of prayer for the other one to repeat. This was amazing! A miracle in front of our own eyes! The Power of the Holy Spirit moving us to pray and translating our deepest cries. The Power of Love and Thanksgiving for Jesus sustaining us! The Power of caring for others and WITHESSING! Do you have the Love of this pre-teen boy? Do you let the Holy Spirit use you like this boy? Do you allow the Holy Spirit to move you to do daring loving things like this boy? Let the little children come to Jesus. HELP OTHERS INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN! People started crying at church.

I heard another pastor at another church talk about how we need others to help us, pray for us. He told about this man who was losing his battle with anxiety to the point where he stopped working for a month. His brothers and sisters decided to take matters in their own hands. Not only they prayed for him, they took him to the hospital to see a therapist, they took him into their own homes, fed him and took care of him for about a month. To this day this man has been well. This pastor preached about the paralytic man that the 4 friends descended toward Jesus from the roof of a house. That was my Sabbath yesterday, same message from the Holy Spirit!

Ephesians 3: 17-21

17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love,18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. 20 Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.

"Have we not reason to talk of God’s goodness and to tell of His power? When friends are kind to us we esteem it a privilege to thank them for their kindness. How much more should we count it a joy to return thanks to the Friend who has given us every good and perfect gift. Then let us, in every church, cultivate thanksgiving to God. Let us educate our lips to praise God in the family circle. Let our gifts and offerings declare our gratitude for the favors we daily receive. In everything we should show forth the joy of the Lord and make known the message of God’s saving grace.

The hearts of those who reveal the attributes of Christ glow with divine love. They are imbued with the spirit of gratitude. Lift up Jesus. Lift Him up, the man of Calvary, with the voice of song and prayer.—My Life Today, p. 170."

Monday July 10, 2023

EXPERIENCING INSIGHT FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT

Ephesians 1:17

17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,

Ephesians 1:18

18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

Ephesians 1:19

19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power

Here are revealed the heights of attainment that we may reach through faith in the promises of our heavenly Father, when we fulfill His requirements. Through the merits of Christ, we have access to the throne of infinite power. “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” Romans 8:32.—Our High Calling, p. 366.

What we need is to know God and the power of His love, as revealed in Christ, by an experimental knowledge. We must search the Scriptures diligently, prayerfully; our understanding must be quickened by the Holy Spirit, and our hearts must be uplifted to God in faith and hope and continual praise.

Through the merits of Christ, through His righteousness, which by faith is imputed unto us, we are to attain to the perfection of Christian character. Our daily and hourly work is set forth in the words of the apostle: “Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith.” While doing this our minds become clearer and our faith stronger, and our hope is confirmed; we are so engrossed with the view of His purity and loveliness, and the sacrifice He has made to bring us into agreement with God, that we have no disposition to speak of doubts and discouragements.

The manifestation of God’s love, His mercy and His goodness, and the work of the Holy Spirit upon the heart to enlighten and renew it, place us, through faith, in so close connection with Christ that, having a clear conception of His character, we are able to discern the masterly deceptions of Satan. Looking unto Jesus and trusting in His merits we appropriate the blessings of light, of peace, of joy in the Holy Ghost. And in view of the great things which Christ has done for us, we are ready to exclaim: “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.”—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, pp. 743, 744.

Wednesday July 12, 2023

CHRIST ABOVE ALL POWERS

I Corinthians 11:3

3 But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.

The early Christians were often called to meet the powers of darkness face to face. By sophistry and by persecution the enemy endeavored to turn them from the true faith. At the present time, when the end of all things earthly is rapidly approaching, Satan is putting forth desperate efforts to ensnare the world. He is devising many plans to occupy minds and to divert attention from the truths essential to salvation. In every city his agencies are busily organizing into parties those who are opposed to the law of God. The archdeceiver is at work to introduce elements of confusion and rebellion, and men are being fired with a zeal that is not according to knowledge.

Wickedness is reaching a height never before attained, and yet many ministers of the gospel are crying, “Peace and safety.” But God’s faithful messengers are to go steadily forward with their work. Clothed with the panoply of heaven, they are to advance fearlessly and victoriously, never ceasing their warfare until every soul within their reach shall have received the message of truth for this time.—The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 219, 220.

In the] hour of utmost extremity David, instead of permitting his mind to dwell upon . . . circumstances, looked earnestly to God for help. He “encouraged himself in the Lord.” He reviewed his past eventful life. Wherein had the Lord ever forsaken him? His soul was refreshed in recalling the many evidences of God’s favor. . . . “What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee” (Psalm 56:3), was the language of his heart. Though he himself could not discern a way out of the difficulty, God could see it, and would teach him what to do. . . .

All earthly powers are under the control of the Infinite One. To the mightiest ruler, to the most cruel oppressor, He says, “Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further.” Job 38:11. God’s power is constantly exercised to counteract the agencies of evil; He is ever at work among men, not for their destruction, but for their correction and preservation.—Patriarchs and Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 692, 694.

Thursday July 13, 2023

JESUS, ALL THINGS AND HIS CHURCH (1)

Ephesians 1:22

22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church,

Philippians 2:9-11

New King James Version

9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Read full chapter

Ephesians 1:21

21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

Let good things come out of your mouth from Sanctification inside you through Holy Worship all week long culminating into a Blessed Sabbath. And do not behave and talk with what you use to eject what's bad inside you, and use your mouth upside down. And do not eject the good things you should talk about with what you use to eject bad things. Do not just clean the outside and leave the inside filthy with all kinds of worldly preoccupations.

Money doesn't make you spiritual and consecrated, neither Education/Degrees, but the Knowledge of Christ subjugates all these things to His service. Christ is first, the rest is garbage! Watch out for the garbage inside you, and do not put it first in your life and at church. Show the Humility.of Jesus-Christ. Focus on Jesus and relate to others with His Holy Spirit. Let your feet follow the Son of God who became the Son of man, and Humility will inhabit your heart, and good blessedness will come out of it in serenity. Avoid the way of sinful men and women, outside and inside church. Preach the Gospel with your example and with the Word and the followers of sin will avoid you.

"We expect too little, and we receive according to our faith. We are not to cling to our own ways, our own plans, our own ideas; we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, that we may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Besetting sins are to be conquered, and evil habits overcome. Wrong dispositions and feelings are to be rooted out, and holy tempers and emotions begotten in us by the Spirit of God. . . .

Then let us lay hold of this mighty power by living faith, praying and believing, trusting and working. Then God will do that which only God can do. . . .

Hand yourself over to Jesus, to be molded and fashioned by Him, that you may be made vessels unto honor. Your temptations, your ideas, your feelings, must all be laid at the foot of the cross. Then the soul is ready to listen to words of divine instruction. Jesus will give you to drink of the water which flows from the river of God. Under the softening and subduing influence of His Spirit your coldness and listlessness will disappear. Christ will be in you a well of water, springing up into everlasting life.—The Upward Look, p. 218."

"The prayer of faith is the great strength of the Christian and will assuredly prevail against Satan. This is why he insinuates that we have no need of prayer. The name of Jesus, our Advocate, he detests; and when we earnestly come to Him for help, Satan’s host is alarmed. It serves his purpose well if we neglect the exercise of prayer, for then his lying wonders are more readily received. That which he failed to accomplish in tempting Christ, he accomplishes by setting his deceitful temptations before man.—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, p. 296."

FAITHFUL WISE BRIDE: FAITHFUL: Fruitful Active Involved Thoughtful Hearing/Humble Forgiving Understanding Loving ❤️

WISE: Word/Will Inspiration Sabbath/Sanctification/Service

Empowerment

BRIDE: Benevolent/Brave/Bold Reverent Innocent Driven/Docile Elected/Enlightened

Not PPPOOMP@BUTOPIA

PPPOOMP: the Pride Problem of Propping up Oneself Overlly and Meanly over one's Peers

BUTOPIA: Bibles Buttoned/Business Between Us, Temple Open to Pride, Insensitive/Indifferent/Impotent/Impenitent Adventists

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+2&version=NKJV&fbclid=IwAR3sZKw_7TWpQzYBkRTa54WA0VZrVJEdzmroYzIvgrlGMUyf0VTFBZQodak

Thursday July 13, 2023

JESUS, ALL THINGS, AND HIS CHURCH (2)

Ephesians 1:21

21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

Ephesians 1:22

22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church,

Philippians 2:9-11

New King James Version

Prayer is the breath of the soul. It is the secret of spiritual power. No other means of grace can be substituted, and the health of the soul be preserved. Prayer brings the heart into immediate contact with the Well-spring of life, and strengthens the sinew and muscle of the religious experience. Neglect the exercise of prayer, or engage in prayer spasmodically, now and then, as seems convenient, and you lose your hold on God. The spiritual faculties lose their vitality, the religious experience lacks health and vigor.

It is only at the altar of God that we can kindle our tapers with divine fire. It is only the divine light that will reveal the littleness, the incompetence, of human ability, and give clear views of the perfection and purity of Christ. It is only as we behold Jesus that we desire to be like Him, only as we view His righteousness that we hunger and thirst to possess it; and it is only as we ask in earnest prayer, that God will grant us our heart’s desire.—Gospel Workers, pp. 254, 255.

Matthew 6: 9-13

In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. ...

In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

187 verses about Prayer in the Bible

https://www.biblegateway.com/quicksearch/?quicksearch=Prayer&version=NKJV&fbclid=IwAR0EWtceyHyHW8ipdsyEqId8ZjeeueHkN4GK4wd88BZkr1Axmy4nCf6Am3s

Sabbath July 1, 2023

GOD'S GRAND CHRIST-CENTERED PLAN

Memory Text:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 1:3, ESV).

Ephesians 2:6

6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

Colossians 1:13-14

13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

The Lord Jesus . . . loves you. If you doubt His love, look to Calvary. The light reflected from the cross shows you the magnitude of that love which no tongue can tell.

The mercies of God surround you every moment; and it would be profitable for you to consider how and whence your blessings come every day. Let the precious blessings of God awaken gratitude in you. You cannot number the blessings of God, the constant loving-kindness expressed to you, for they are as numerous as the refreshing drops of rain. Clouds of mercy are hanging over you, and ready to drop upon you. If you will appreciate the valuable gift of salvation, you will be sensible of daily refreshment, of the protection and love of Jesus; you will be guided in the way of peace.—Sons and Daughters of God, p. 340.

The religion that comes from God is the only religion that will lead to God. In order to serve Him aright, we must be born of the divine Spirit. This will purify the heart and renew the mind, giving us a new capacity for knowing and loving God. It will give us a willing obedience to all His requirements. This is true worship. It is the fruit of the working of the Holy Spirit. By the Spirit every sincere prayer is indited, and such prayer is acceptable to God. Wherever a soul reaches out after God, there the Spirit’s working is manifest, and God will reveal Himself to that soul. For such worshipers He is seeking. He waits to receive them, and to make them His sons and daughters.—The Desire of Ages, p. 189.

Sunday July 3, 2023

CHOSEN AND ACCEPTED IN CHRIST

Ephesians 3:15

15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name,

Ephesians 4:10

10 He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things.)

We must learn of Christ. We must know what He is to those He has ransomed. We must realize that through belief in Him it is our privilege to be partakers of the divine nature, and so escape the corruption that is in the world through lust. Then we are cleansed from all sin, all defects of character. We need not retain one sinful propensity. [Ephesians 2:1-6 quoted.]

As we partake of the divine nature, hereditary and cultivated tendencies to wrong are cut away from the character, and we are made a living power for good. Ever learning of the divine Teacher, daily partaking of His nature, we cooperate with God in overcoming Satan’s temptations. God works, and man works, that man may be one with Christ as Christ is one with God. Then we sit together with Christ in heavenly places. The mind rests with peace and assurance in Jesus.—Ellen G. White Comments, in The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, p. 943.

Monday July 3, 2023

COSTLY REDEMPTION; LAVISH FORGIVENESS

Ephesians 1:7-8

7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace8 which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight

Imagine all the Wealth and Power of the world dying for you. Some of you, if you were worth more than a $million, you would not talk to me ;)

" I wish I could present this matter before our people just as I view it—the great offering made in behalf of man. Justice asked for the sufferings of a man. Christ, equal with God, gave the sufferings of a God. He needed no atonement Himself. It was for man—all for man. His depth of agony was proportionate to the DIGNITY AND GRANDEUR OF HIS CHARACTER.. Never shall we see and comprehend the intense anguish of the sufferings of the spotless Lamb of God until we feel how deep is the pit from which we have been delivered, how grievous the sin of which humanity is guilty, and by faith grasp the full and entire pardon.

Here is where thousands are failing. They do not really believe that Jesus pardons them individually. They fail to take God at His word. He has assured us that He is faithful that hath promised to forgive us and be just to His own law. His mercy is not wanting in anything. Were there one defective link in the chain, then we are hopelessly ruined in our sins. There is not one flaw in it, not one missing link. Oh, precious redemption! Why do we not bring this great truth more fully into our lives? How broad it is, that God for Christ’s sake forgives us—me, even me—the moment we ask Him to, in living faith, believing that He is fully able to do this.—The Upward Look, p. 219.

Tuesday July 4, 2023

GOD'S CHRIST GRAND CENTERED PLAN

John 15

1 "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.

7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.8 My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.

16You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. 17 This I command you, that you love one another

26 "When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me,27 and you will testify also, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

Never can the cost of our redemption be realized until the redeemed shall stand with the Redeemer before the throne of God. Then as the glories of the eternal home burst upon our enraptured senses we shall remember that Jesus left all this for us, that He not only became an exile from the heavenly courts, but for us took the risk of failure and eternal loss. Then we shall cast our crowns at His feet, and raise the song, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.” Revelation 5:12.—The Desire of Ages, p. 131.

Study this chapter [John 15]. You will see from it that the man who is truly united with Christ will never act as though he were a complete whole in himself.

The perfection of the church depends not on each member being fashioned exactly alike. God calls for each one to take his proper place, to stand in his lot to do his appointed work according to the ability which has been given him.—Ellen G. White Comments, in The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, p. 1090.

“I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil.” Jeremiah 29:11. This is the message that, in the light from the cross, may be read upon all the face of nature. The heavens declare His glory, and the earth is full of His riches.—Education, p. 101.

Wednesday July 05, 2023

LIVING IN PRAISE OF HIS GLORY

Ephesians 1: 11-14

11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will,12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory.13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation-having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory.

Ephesians 1:18

18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

Christ should never be out of the mind. The angels said concerning Him, “Thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.” Jesus, precious Saviour! Assurance, helpfulness, security, and peace are all in Him. He is the dispeller of all our doubts, the earnest of all our hopes. How precious is the thought that we may indeed become partakers of the divine nature, whereby we may overcome as Christ overcame! Jesus is the fullness of our expectation. He is the melody of our songs, the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. He is living water to the thirsty soul. He is our refuge in the storm. He is our righteousness, our sanctification, our redemption. When Christ is our personal Saviour, we shall show forth the praises of Him who hath called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.—Reflecting Christ, p. 21.

In view of the glorious inheritance that may be his, “what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” Matthew 16:26. . . . The soul redeemed and cleansed from sin, with all its noble powers dedicated to the service of God, is of surpassing worth; and there is joy in heaven in the presence of God and the holy angels over one soul redeemed, a joy that is expressed in songs of holy triumph.—Steps to Christ, pp. 125, 126.

Thursday July 6, 2023

THE HOLY SPIRIT: SEAL AND DOWN PAYMENT

2 Corinthians 1:22

22 who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.

2 Corinthians 5:5

5 Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge.

God desires to refresh His people by the gift of the Holy Spirit, baptizing them anew in His love. There is no need for a dearth of the Spirit in the church. After Christ’s ascension the Holy Spirit came upon the waiting, praying, believing disciples with a fullness and power that reached every heart. In the future the earth is to be lightened with the glory of God. A holy influence is to go forth to the world from those who are sanctified through the truth. The earth is to be encircled with an atmosphere of grace. The Holy Spirit is to work on human hearts, taking the things of God and showing them to men.—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 9, p. 40.

The Spirit is given as a regenerating agency, to make effectual the salvation wrought by the death of our Redeemer. The Spirit is constantly seeking to draw the attention of men to the great offering that was made on the cross of Calvary, to unfold to the world the love of God, and to open to the convicted soul the precious things of the Scriptures.

Having brought conviction of sin, and presented before the mind the standard of righteousness, the Holy Spirit withdraws the affections from the things of this earth and fills the soul with a desire for holiness. “He will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13), the Saviour declared. If men are willing to be molded, there will be brought about a sanctification of the whole being. The Spirit will take the things of God and stamp them on the soul. By His power the way of life will be made so plain that none need err therein.—The Acts of the Apostles, p. 52.

We are to be distinguished from the world because God has placed His seal upon us, because He manifests in us His own character of love. Our Redeemer covers us with His righteousness.

In choosing men and women for His service, God does not ask whether they possess worldly wealth, learning, or eloquence. He asks, “Do they walk in such humility that I can teach them My way? Can I put My words into their lips? Will they represent Me?”

God can use every person just in proportion as He can put His Spirit into the soul temple. The work that He will accept is the work that reflects His image. His followers are to bear, as their credentials to the world, the ineffaceable characteristics of His immortal principles.—The Ministry of Healing, p. 37.

Friday July 7, 2023

Test for the real Christian: check if you're just a performer on Sabbath or a real Sabbath keeper all week, resting on Sabbath and glorifying God by the Fruits of the Spirit you bear. This is the test, really read the Word of God, not just acting like you know it already. This is the test of the real Christian, read this and test yourself: Ephesians 4:1-6:20 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+4%3A1-6%3A20&version=NKJV

OUR HIGH CALLING

God's ideal for His children is higher than the highest human thought can reach. The living God has given in His holy law a transcript of His character. The greatest Teacher the world has ever known is Jesus Christ; and what is the standard He has given for all who believe in Him?—“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” Matthew 5:48. As God is perfect in His high sphere of action, so man may be perfect in his human sphere.

The ideal of Christian character is Christlikeness. There is opened before us a path of continual advancement. We have an object to reach, a standard to gain, which includes everything good and pure and noble and elevated. There should be continual striving and constant progress onward and upward toward perfection of character.—Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 365.

Consecrate yourself to God in the morning; make this your very first work. Let your prayer be, “Take me, O Lord, as wholly Thine. I lay all my plans at Thy feet. Use me today in Thy service. Abide with me, and let all my work be wrought in Thee.” This is a daily matter. Each morning consecrate yourself to God for that day. Surrender all your plans to Him, to be carried out or given up as His providence shall indicate. Thus day by day you may be giving your life into the hands of God, and thus your life will be molded more and more after the life of Christ. Ellen G. White, Steps to Christ, p. 68

Sabbath June 24, 2023

PAUL AND THE EPHESIANS

Memory Text:

“Making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth” (Ephesians 1:9, 10, ESV).

Paul was a living example of what every true Christian should be. He lived for God’s glory. His words come sounding down the line to our time: “For to me to live is Christ.” “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” He who was once a persecutor of Christ in the person of His saints now holds up before the world the cross of Christ. Paul’s heart burned with a love for souls, and he gave all his energies for the conversion of men. There never lived a more self-denying, earnest, persevering worker. His life was Christ; he worked the works of Christ. All the blessings he received were prized as so many advantages to be used in blessing others.—Ellen G. White Comments, in The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, p. 1112.

All the favors He has shown to His Son in His acceptance of the great atonement, are shown to His people. Those who have united their interests in love with Christ are accepted in the Beloved. They suffered with Christ in His deepest humiliation, and His glorification is of great interest to them, because they are accepted in Him. God loves them as He loves His Son. Christ, Emmanuel, stands between God and the believer, revealing the glory of God to His chosen ones, and covering their defects and transgressions with the garments of His own spotless righteousness.—Ellen G. White Comments, in The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, p. 1115.

.Sunday, June 25, 2023

PAUL, EVANGELIST TO EPHESUS

Acts 19:1-12

1 It happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper country and came to Ephesus, and found some disciples.2 He said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" And they said to him, "No, we have not even heard whether there is a Holy Spirit."3 And he said, "Into what then were you baptized?" And they said, "Into John's baptism."4 Paul said, "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus."5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying.7 There were in all about twelve men.8 And he entered the synagogue and continued speaking out boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God.9 But when some were becoming hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the people, he withdrew from them and took away the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus.10 This took place for two years, so that all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.11 God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul,12 so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out.

As Paul was brought in direct contact with the idolatrous inhabitants of Ephesus, the power of God was strikingly displayed through him. The apostles were not always able to work miracles at will. The Lord granted His servants this special power as the progress of His cause or the honor of His name required. Like Moses and Aaron at the court of Pharaoh, the apostle had now to maintain the truth against the lying wonders of the magicians; hence the miracles he wrought were of a different character from those which he had heretofore performed. . . . So the Scripture declares that the Lord wrought miracles by the hand of Paul, and that the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified, and not the name of Paul.—Sketches from the Life of Paul, p. 135.

We may have an influence, a powerful influence, in the world. We are to have an eye single to the glory of God. We are to work with all the intelligence that God has given us, placing ourselves in the channel of light, that the grace of God can come upon us to mold and fashion us to the divine similitude. Heaven is waiting to bestow its richest blessings upon those who will consecrate themselves to do the work of God in these last days of the world’s history.—God’s Amazing Grace, p. 272

Monday June 26, 2023

A RIOT IN THE AMPHITHEATER

Matthew 10:16-18

New King James Version

Persecutions Are Coming

16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless[a] as doves. 17 But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. 18 You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

Matthew 10:16 innocent

The decision of the recorder and of others holding honorable offices in the city had set Paul before the people as one innocent of any unlawful act. This was another triumph of Christianity over error and superstition. God had raised up a great magistrate to vindicate His apostle and hold the tumultuous mob in check. Paul’s heart was filled with gratitude to God that his life had been preserved and that Christianity had not been brought into disrepute by the tumult at Ephesus.—The Acts of the Apostles, p. 295.

Paul, as well as laboring publicly, went from house to house preaching repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. He met with men at their homes, and besought them with tears, declaring unto them the whole counsel of God. Jesus came in personal contact with men. He did not stand aloof and apart from those who needed His help. We must come close to the hearts of those who need our ministry. We must open the Bible to the understanding, present the claims of God’s law, read the promises to the hesitating, urge the backward, arouse the careless, strengthen the weak.

Do not neglect speaking to your neighbors, and doing them all the kindness in your power. We need to seek for the spirit that constrained the apostle Paul to go from house to house, pleading with tears, and teaching “repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”—Reflecting Christ, p. 245.

There are a thousand temptations in disguise prepared for those who have the light of truth; and the only safety for any of us is in receiving no new doctrine, no new interpretation of the Scriptures, without first submitting it to brethren of experience. Lay it before them in a humble, teachable spirit, with earnest prayer; and if they see no light in it, yield to their judgment.

Satan is constantly at work; but few have any idea of his activity and subtlety. The people of God must be prepared to withstand the wily foe. It is this resistance that Satan dreads. He knows better than we do the limit of his power and how easily he can be overcome if we resist and face him. Through divine strength the weakest saint is more than a match for him and all his angels, and if brought to the test he would be able to prove his superior power. Therefore Satan’s step is noiseless, his movements stealthy, and his batteries masked. He does not venture to show himself openly, lest he arouse the Christian’s dormant energies and send him to God in prayer.—Maranatha, p. 60.

Tuesday June 27, 2023

HEARING THE LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS

Ephesians 1:1-2

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus:2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

God wants you to have House Churches as you study these lessons in Bible Studies inviting family, neighbors etc. (Haitians call them chantiers or Stations), and read the Bible Verses. You may send specific lessons to people in need of them as you relate to them and get to know both people and lessons. Or you may share entire series of Bible Studies as you pray for them to study under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We also need to review these Bible Lessons to strengthen our FAITH: as Faith comes from Hearing and Hearing from the WORD of God. Let's pray for souls to be saved all the time. Explore the sites of the lessons for Translation in a lot of Languages, thus in French too. If the sites don't have the translation needed, you can also tell people to go to Settings on their phone and choose Languages for the language they want like French and the phone will translate for them. Be part of this Great Outpouring of the HOLY SPIRIT!

"The apostle [Paul] continues: “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith . . . that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.” While this divine fullness has been placed within our reach, how easily we are satisfied. We have accustomed ourselves to think that it is enough to have a knowledge of the truth without its sanctifying power. Just a little sip at the fountain of life quenches our thirst. We do not come again and again to drink. But this is not in accordance with the mind of God. Our souls should be continually athirst for the water of life. Our hearts should ever go out after Christ, longing for communion with Him. It is hungering and thirsting after righteousness that will bring us the full measure of His grace.

How did [Enoch] gain this sweet intimacy? It was by having thoughts of God continually before him. As he went out and as he came in, his meditations were upon the goodness, the perfection, and the loveliness of the divine character. And as he was thus engaged, he became changed in the glorious image of his Lord; for it is by beholding that we become changed.—The Signs of the Times, August 18, 1887."

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2010%3A17&version=NKJV

It is not only the privilege but the duty of every Christian to maintain a close union with Christ and to have a rich experience in the things of God. Then his life will be fruitful in good works. Said Christ, “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit” (John 15:8). When we read the lives of men who have been eminent for their piety we often regard their experiences and attainments as far beyond our reach. But this is not the case. Christ died for all; and we are assured in His word that He is more willing to give His Holy Spirit to them that ask Him than are earthly parents to give good gifts to their children. The prophets and apostles did not perfect Christian character by a miracle. They used the means which God had placed within their reach; and all who will put forth the same effort will secure the same results.

In his letter to the church at Ephesus, Paul sets before them the “mystery of the gospel” (Ephesians 6:19), the “unsearchable riches of Christ” (Ephesians 3:8), and then assures them of his earnest prayers for their spiritual prosperity.—The Sanctified Life, pp. 83, 84.

Wednesday June 28, 2023

EPHESIANS IN ITS TIME

Ephesians 1:4

4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,

Ephesians 1

17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

WORSHIP:

Will/Work/Words

Obedience/Offertory/Oratorio

Reign/Relationships/Repentance/Rituals/Rhythms/Reverence/Reliance

Sanctification/Silence/Solemnity/Service

Holiness/Hope/Humility/Homily/Hymns

Invocation/Immanence

Prayers/Praise/Pleas

CEN

Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Ephesians 6:24.

Many take it for granted that they are Christians, simply because they subscribe to certain theological tenets. But they have not brought the truth into practical life. They have not believed and loved it, therefore they have not received the power and grace that come through sanctification of the truth. Men may profess faith in the truth; but if it does not make them sincere, kind, patient, forbearing, heavenly-minded, it is a curse to its possessors, and through their influence it is a curse to the world.

The world needs evidences of sincere Christianity. Professed Christianity may be seen everywhere; but when the power of God’s grace is seen in our churches, the members will work the works of Christ. Natural and hereditary traits of character will be transformed. The indwelling of His Spirit will enable them to reveal Christ’s likeness, and in proportion to the purity of their piety will be the success of their work.—God’s Amazing Grace, p. 263.

At times the difficulties that we shall meet will be most disheartening. The very greatness of the task will appall us. And yet, with God’s help, His servants will finally triumph. ‘Wherefore,’ my brethren, ‘I desire that ye faint not’ because of the trying experiences that are before you. Jesus will be with you; He will go before you by His Holy Spirit, preparing the way; and He will be your helper in every emergency.

For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.—Life Sketches, p. 439.

Thursday June 29, 2023

EPHESIANS: A CHRIST-SATURATED LETTER

Ephesians 6:10-20

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel,20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

WORSHIP: Watch and Reignite in Righteousness with the Sword of the Spirit in Petitions and Perseverance, Reaching and Sharing to Help with Power, Walk Worthy in Patience and Peace

Will/Work/Words/Watch/Walk/Worthy

Obedience/Offertory/Oratorio

Reign/Relationships/Repentance/Rituals/Rhythms/Reverence/Reliance/Redemption/Renewing/Reaching/Reignite/Righteousness

Sanctification/Silence/Solemnity/Service/Singing/Salvation/Sharing/Sword/Spirit

Holiness/Hope/Humility/Homily/Hymns/Honor/Helping

Invocation/Immanence

Prayers/Praise/Pleas/Preaching/Petitions/Perseverance/Power/Patience/Peace

CEN

Heaven responds with Purpose, Promises, Prophecies, making us Partakers and surely with more Power

This is life eternal,” Christ said, “that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” Why is it that we do not realize the value of this knowledge? Why are not these glorious truths glowing in our hearts, trembling upon our lips, and pervading our whole being?

In giving us His Word, God has put us in possession of every truth essential for our salvation. Thousands have drawn water from these wells of life, yet there is no diminishing of the supply. Thousands have set the Lord before them, and by beholding have been changed into the same image. Their spirit burns within them as they speak of His character, telling what Christ is to them, and what they are to Christ. But these searchers have not exhausted these grand and holy themes. Thousands more may engage in the work of searching out the mysteries of salvation. As the life of Christ and the character of His mission are dwelt upon, rays of light will shine forth more distinctly at every attempt to discover truth. Each fresh search will reveal something more deeply interesting than has yet been unfolded.—Lift Him Up, p. 378.

“God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation,” the apostle Paul writes, “through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth,” 2 Thessalonians 2:13. In this text the two agencies in the work of salvation are revealed—the divine influence, and the strong, living faith of those who follow Christ. It is through the sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth that we become laborers together with God. Christ waits for the co-operation of His church. He does not design to add a new element of efficiency to His word; He has done His great work in giving His inspiration to the word. The blood of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the divine word, are ours. The object of all this provision of heaven is before us—the salvation of the souls for whom Christ died; and it depends upon us to lay hold on the promises God has given, and become laborers together with Him. Divine and human agencies must co-operate in the work.—Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, p. 22.

Friday June 30, 2023

The Christian's Badge

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. Ephesians 3:20.

The Lord is waiting to manifest through His people His grace and power. But He requires that those who engage in His service shall keep their minds ever directed to Him. Every day they should have time for reading the Word of God and for prayer....

Individually we are to walk and talk with God; then the sacred influence of the gospel of Christ in all its preciousness will appear in our lives.59Testimonies for the Church 6:253.

There is an eloquence far more powerful than the eloquence of words in the quiet, consistent life of a pure, true Christian. What a man is has more influence than what he says.

The officers who were sent to Jesus came back with the report that never man spoke as He spoke. But the reason for this was that never man lived as He lived. Had His life been other than it was, He could not have spoken as He did. His words bore with them a convincing power, because they came from a heart pure and holy, full of love and sympathy, benevolence and truth.

It is our own character and experience that determine our influence upon others. In order to convince others of the power of Christ's grace, we must know its power in our own hearts and lives. The gospel we present for the saving of souls must be the gospel by which our own souls are saved. Only through a living faith in Christ as a personal Saviour is it possible to make our influence felt in a skeptical world. If we would draw sinners out of the swift-running current, our own feet must be firmly set upon the Rock, Christ Jesus.

The badge of Christianity is not an outward sign, not the wearing of a cross or a crown, but it is that which reveals the union of man with God. By the power of His grace manifested in the transformation of character the world is to be convinced that God has sent His Son as its Redeemer. No other influence that can surround the human soul has such power as the influence of an unselfish life. The strongest argument in favor of the gospel is a loving and lovable Christian.60The Ministry of Healing, 469, 470.

Friday June 30, 2023

The Former Rain and/or the Latter Rain

"Many have in a great measure failed to receive the former rain. They have not obtained all the benefits that God has thus provided for them. They expect that the lack will be supplied by the latter rain. When the richest abundance of grace shall be bestowed, they intend to open their hearts to receive it. They are making a terrible mistake. The work that God has begun in the human heart in giving His light and knowledge must be continually going forward. Every individual must realize his own necessity. The heart must be emptied of every defilement and cleansed for the indwelling of the Spirit. It was by the confession and forsaking of sin, by earnest prayer and consecration of themselves to God, that the early disciples prepared for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. The same work, only in greater degree, must be done now. Then the human agent had only to ask for the blessing, and wait for the Lord to perfect the work concerning him. It is God who began the work, and He will finish His work, making man complete in Jesus Christ. But there must be no neglect of the grace represented by the former rain. Only those who are living up to the light they have will receive greater light. Unless we are daily advancing in the exemplification of the active Christian virtues, we shall not recognize the manifestations of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain. It may be falling on hearts all around us, but we shall not discern or receive it."

4th paragraph

https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/123.2798

IN WHICH SANCTUARY DO YOU WORSHIP ?

REMEMBER...THE SANCTUARY REPRESENTS THE RESIDENCE OF GOD, THE COMMUNION WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE WORK OF JESUS FOR THE SALVATION OF THE HUMAN RACE:

1) THE CREATION IS A SANCTUARY OF GOD THE CREATOR, THUS IS THE SABBATH THAT REMINDS US OF THIS, AS WE ADORE GOD

2) JESUS IN THE EARTHLY SANCTUARY AND IN THE HEAVENLY SANCTUARY WITH A PLAN AND A SACRIFICE FOR US, AND IN THE PRAYER OF GRACE, AS WE KNOW WHERE WE'RE COMING FROM AND WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH HIS POWER: Justification by Faith

3) JESUS IN OUR HEART FOR REDEMPTION IS A SANCTUARY AS IS OUR BODY, TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, BOTH HONOR GOD IN OUR BEHAVIOR: The work of Sanctification

4) GOD'S HISTORICAL WORK OF SALVATION IS A SANCTUARY IN THE FAITH, FROM THE MIRACLES OF THE PAST UNTIL THE PROPHECY THAT SUSTAINS US FOR A GLORIOUS FUTURE

5) THE CHURCH IS A SANCTUARY AS IN THE ASSEMBLY OF SAINTS IN RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND WITH EACH OTHER

6) THE GOSPEL AS PREACHED TO THE ENTIRE WORLD BY CHRISTIANS IS A SANCTUARY, IN THE FIELD OF MISSION, JESUS IS WITH US UNTIL THE END OF THIS WORLD

7) HEAVEN, THE RESIDENCE OF GOD IS THE SANCTUARY WE'RE GOING TO AS IS THE KINGDOM OF GOD ALREADY IN OUR MIND PERFECTED BY THE POWER OF HIS WORD, JESUS-CHRIST

You should worship in all of these sanctuaries, as they are the same and one, they complete each other, and there is not one without the others

Revival will happen this time, And This Is How:

Friends,

Revival will happen this time, and this is the way: If we ask God for that, and if we ask God to give us His Holy Spirit and pray for each other, even for people we're not comfortable with in the church, and pray for our enemies. This is one of the things that God won't refuse. We don't have to be worried about asking God if this is His will, as it is always His will. Let's do HIs will. As simple as that...

Share with your friends...

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THE THREE ANGELS MESSAGE

The Proclamations of Three Angels

REVELATIONS 14:

6 Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people—

7 saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”

8 And another angel followed, saying, “Babylon[f] is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”

9 Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand,

10 he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.

11 And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”

12 Here is the patience of the saints; here are those[g] who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me,[h] “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’”“Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.”

JESUS APPEARS TO JOHN IN REVELATION TO TELL HIM ABOUT THE END

Revelation 10 New King James Version (NKJV)

The Mighty Angel with the Little Book

10 I saw still another mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud. And a rainbow was on his head, his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire. 2 He had a little book open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, 3 and cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roars. When he cried out, seven thunders uttered their voices. 4 Now when the seven thunders uttered their voices,[a] I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven saying to me,[b] “Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered, and do not write them.”

5 The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised up his hand[c] to heaven 6 and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it, and the sea and the things that are in it, THAT THERE SHOULD BE DELAY NO LONGER, 7 but in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets.

AS JESUS WITH ARCHANGEL GABRIEL APPEARED TO DANIEL AND TOLD HIM ABOUT THE END

JESUS AND THE ARCHANGEL GABRIEL APPEAR WITH POWER TO THE PROPHET DANIEL at the end of his prophetic writings to announce the historic events leading to the end in Daniel 10 to 12

Daniel 10 New King James Version (NKJV)

Vision of the Glorious Man

4 Now on the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, that is, the Tigris,[b] 5 I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, a certain man clothed in linen, whose waist was girded with gold of Uphaz! 6 His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like torches of fire, his arms and feet like burnished bronze in color, and the sound of his words like the voice of a multitude.

16 And suddenly, one having the likeness of the sons[c] of men touched my lips; then I opened my mouth and spoke, saying to him who stood before me, “My lord, because of the vision my sorrows have overwhelmed me, and I have retained no strength.

Daniel 12 New King James Version (NKJV)

The times of the end

7 Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time; and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished.

8 Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, “My lord, what shall be the end of these things?”

9 And he said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. 10 Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.

11 “And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. 12 Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days.

Jesus leading us

Joshua 5:13–15

The Commander of the Army of the Lord

13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, oa Man stood opposite him pwith His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, “Are You for us or for our adversaries?” 14 So He said, “No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” And Joshua qfell on his face to the earth and rworshiped, and said to Him, “What does my Lord say to His servant?” 15 Then the Commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, s“Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy.” And Joshua did so.

SPIRITUAL POWERS

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (NIV)4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have Divine Power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Ephesians 6:12 (NIV) For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

IT'S A SO MUCH NEEDED OUTLINE OF THE SABBATH SCHOOL LESSON

The idea is to stress the biblical answers to the most relevant points, and to stress applications in a very direct way, using the comments of the official sabbath school lesson only and the verses of the Bible. It may be used by teachers as a summary, and by students as an outline, not to replace actual study. It's usually ready by Saturday night eventually. PLEASE SHARE WITH PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE CHURCH TO PROMOTE SABBATH SCHOOL ANNEX. You may share it now in French: www.ese9.blogspot.com

However, sometimes relevant citations from the Ellen White Estates will be posted instead in order to bring more light to the subject of the week. In which case you may visit www.twitter.com/sabbathschool also