The Struggle

Early one morning, a chrysalis can be seen dangling from a small weed. Inside, a butterfly is trapped within his own dark, small world. Not long before, he had enjoyed a simple life of crawling on the plant which he had hatched on, eating the greenery until there were holes large enough to crawl through. Life had been easy.
But he could not remain a caterpillar forever. There was something better in store for him. He was destined to fly with other butterfly companions in the clear blue sky. But between the caterpillar and his butterfly destiny lay a long, difficult process.
And that is where he finds himself now. He has worked hard spinning his chrysalis. He has waited long days as the whole make-up of his body began to transform into something totally different. And now it has been almost two weeks. He has wings, but they are tightly enclosed in his little green chamber. He has a hard task to do before he will be free from his chrysalis. This is the reality. But does he now stop to question whether the struggle before him is worthy of his effort? Does he wonder if he should not just stay in his chrysalis for the rest of his life – or even, just one more day? No. He gets right to work, stretching his wings, and using all six of his new legs in the effort to break free from his prison. The sun begins to rise upon him, and the dew glistens in beautiful reflection of the soft, bright rays.
A while later, a beautiful butterfly emerges and holds onto his chrysalis as his wings slowly dry. And finally, he takes off for his first flight. Higher, higher, and higher his wings take him, until he is out of our sight.
The hard toil, the long days, and his last dark struggle – all are now rewarded. He has become strong because of the exercise that had at first exhausted him. And wouldn’t you agree that he is in a much better condition than he was before his metamorphosis?
Pain, sorrow, affliction, and hardship may come to us in this life; but let us always look upward to our Father and Creator, and let us look forward to brighter days. We are assured that all things work together for good to those who love God. Christ will bring us forth in victory, and we will more fully comprehend the mercy and love of God in allowing hard times to come to us.
Here are three of my favorite promises from God’s word:
“He shall call upon Me, and I WILL answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.” Psalms 91:15.
“But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:57.
“These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33.
~Dylann, a fellow sojourner.

Just a Little Flower

I was walking one morning, enjoying some time with God in the country setting around my home. As I was walking and talking with the Lord, I stopped at the side of the road to pick a flower, putting it behind my ear for safe-keeping on my way home. Then I went on, forgetting about the little flower as I prayed in the fresh air and sunshine.

Then I heard a quiet noise behind me in the road, like something small had fallen to the ground. I felt behind my ear, and to my dismay, I felt no little flower! So I turned around and frantically looked at the gravel beneath me; but to no avail. I finally saw it a few feet away from me, and picking it up gently, I put it back in its place in my hair. I breathed a sigh of relief and moved on feeling secure because it was with me.

I began pondering the situation. Why did I care so much about just a little flower? It was just one among many of its kind growing along this road; I could easily have replaced it. Why bother going to all of that trouble to find that one? To this day, I honestly don’t understand why I wanted it so badly. Yet its incomprehensibility makes it all the more closely parallel the tender, loving care of our Savior toward us.

When we fall and are lost, Jesus seeks us high and low, far and near, until He finds us, lying alone on the ground. He gently lifts up our fragile form, holding us close to Himself. We are safe and sound in His keeping, and He feels secure to move on. As He goes on, He picks up more fallen, lost souls to carry home with Him.

We have nothing to worry about, because Jesus will always care for us – just as I was so careful with that little flower. He says in Matthew 6:28-34, "Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: and yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall He not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? Or, What shall we drink? Or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."

Let’s take God at His word. He says, "All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: the grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God will stand for ever." Isaiah 40: 6-7.

In His loving care,

Sister G.

P.S. This article is not for girls only! Let’s all take a lesson from one of God’s most beautiful and fragile creations!

In the Rain

A positive victory over a negative spirit

We hear so much these days being positive and negative, optimist and pessimist; and it’s generally accepted that positive is the way to go. Really, we need to accept things the way they come to us from the hand of our loving, all-wise Father in heaven, and with a humble, happy attitude. In fact, why would we not do so, when we know that "ALL things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose"? Romans 8:28. God’s word says, "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." 1 Thessalonians 5:18. It is God’s will that we be happy and thankful despite circumstances. Isn’t that wonderful? God doesn’t want us to be unhappy. And it is by His power and grace that we can be preserved from having a negative spirit.

The way we look at situations honestly does have a major effect on our happiness in general. We need to let God take full control of our hearts and lives, including our thoughts and attitude. When we let Him reign within, He fills us with peace no matter what comes our way. 2 Thessalonians 3:16 says, "Now the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always by all means." Even trials give us deeper peace as we learn to approach them having Jesus with us, in us, and through us.

Now I wish to tell you about an experience of mine that happened just a few weeks ago. Personal testimonies always seem to have more power and deeper meaning than talking without sharing a real-life, practical example.

I woke up one morning and noticed that my left foot was a little swollen near the toes. But I went about the day, hardly noticing it at all. However, I noticed later in the evening that my foot was pretty swollen in that area, and standing or walking on it was something I had to do with special care. My shoe felt tighter than before.

Over the next couple of days I struggled with a complaining, whining attitude, as my left foot had not healed yet and both of my feet had a slight skin problem. I had found myself telling my family all about my foot problems – which is fine, but considering the fact that I had already told them more than once and they well knew what was going on down there, it became apparent to me that my complaining was an issue that needed to be dealt with. Hence the struggle. I ended up on my knees multiple times a day over this issue.

A few days later brought me a powerful experience that closely corresponds with the following E.G.W. quote: "God’s children are always being tested in the furnace of affliction. If they endure the first trial, it is not necessary for them to pass through a similar ordeal the second time; but if they fail, the trial is brought to them again and again, each time being still more trying and severe. Thus opportunity after opportunity is placed before them of gaining the victory and proving themselves true to God. But if they continue to manifest rebellion, God is compelled at last to remove His Spirit and light from them." MS 69, 1912.

So I will tell you about my next ("still more trying and severe") test.

It was getting later and later, and I still had not done my outdoor chores, thinking it might be a better time that evening. I decided to do them after I took a shower. When I got out, it was late enough that I could not wait any longer to do my work. But it was growing cloudy and dark. These were definitely rain clouds coming in, and I did not want to do my work in the rain.

On top of this, my feet had still not healed up and I had a fresh little cut on my right ankle. And do you think I wanted to put on my slip-on shoes (the left of which felt too small for my foot) and after having just taken a shower, go out in the rain for fifteen minutes or so, giving water to my pets? I secretly hoped that somebody would offer to do it for me. And the other thought that went through my head was that maybe they didn’t need water since it was raining anyway. But I knew that they did not all have access to the rain water.

I was tempted to complain to my family about it, but was convicted to be positive. I struggled hard. I went to my room and knelt, asking for God’s help with my attitude. I then put my outdoor clothes on and headed toward the back door.

As I stepped out the door, I realized that it was really pouring much harder than I had thought. Satan was quick to tell me that this situation was worth being unhappy over. Yet I knew that if I went about my work murmuring, I would not be happy or at peace with Jesus. So I prayed while standing next to the house, sheltered by the wall from the rain. I told the Lord that I knew I would be happier if I went into the situation with Him; that I did not want to complain; that I wanted to be happy in all situations. And I told Him that I knew He could make me happy no matter what happened in my earthly life. I asked Jesus for His grace to do my work with a Christlike attitude. And I began working with a deep assurance that my prayers were answered.

I quickly made my way to the hose, laughing to myself, "I don’t know why I need the hose for anything when it’s raining so hard!"

Things went so efficiently as I watered my pets that night. I wasted no time going back and forth to do something somewhere where I had already been. I multitasked more than I had ever thought to do before. I was very quick, because "a voice" kept letting me know what would be the most efficient task to do next.

After just a little while into this, I was enjoying myself so much that I began to sing as I went about my work. Like I said earlier, even trials can give us deeper peace when we have Jesus with us. And I experienced that to the full in the rain that night; I felt so near to God that if I had been locked outside in this condition, it would not have mattered to me at all. My peace was deeper than a flood created by a thousand years of this hard rain could ever be – because my peace came from Jesus Christ.

Drops of rain trickled down my forehead as I bent over or leaned forward. I paused in my song of praise only to laugh at my drenched condition. I practically forgot about my foot and other problems; it did not hurt nearly as much as it had bothered me when I made a point to think about it.

I came in the house toward the end of the song and mixed my singing with laughter as I saw the expressions on the faces I passed by on my way up to my room. I came back down with a towel over my clothes and sat at the table for a very pleasant time of family worship.

You see, happiness does not in the slightest degree depend on circumstances; it is the way we learn and choose to deal with every situation of our lives. Just pause to think of it this way: God can order and provide the circumstances of our individual lives however He sees fit, and His deepest desire is for us to be happy. So when you put it together, you can only realize that all of the events of your life – whether they seem good or bad – were ordained of God for your very best interest and peace for life and eternity. Besides, it just does not fit for a Christian to be unhappy over something that is only earthly and temporary, not effecting one’s promise of eternity.

Are you unhappy? Why not consider changing your attitude? Just don’t make the same mistake I have made before. When cherished sin has separated me from Jesus, I have at times tried to tell myself that I was not at peace for false reasons, such as my attitude – thus excusing my real sin. But if you hear the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit convicting you that you, too, have an attitude problem, just yield yourself to Jesus and be happy!

Let’s all take a lesson from the murmuring Israelites who missed out on so many blessings because they refused to see God’s providence and leading, and simply trust in Him. God says to us, "Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come." 1 Corinthians 10:10-11.

God bless and keep you all in His infinite love and joy – come what may!

~Sister G.

He is Able To Keep Us!

“But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.” 2 Thess. 3:3
“Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.” Jude 1:21,24
_____As these two verses say, God is able to keep us from evil, from giving into the temptations that the devil will throw at us. God can only keep us if we ask Him to; we must be willing and we must be following what He has said in His holy word! We need to be surrendered to Christ, and walking and talking with Him all throughout the day!
_____He longs to keep us from doing evil, from falling to Satan’s lies and temptations! Why don’t we give Christ our whole heart today, right now, and invite Him to be our Guide, to be our Protector each minute of the day?! Tell Him, “Jesus, pilot me, be my Guard and Guide! Carry me through!” He will never fail you! Have faith in Him! “But seek ye first the kingdom of God... and all these things shall be added unto you”! Matthew 6:33.
_____We are on an upward journey; we can't afford to give in to Satan’s temptations and start going downward! We must resist the devil and he will flee from us!
_____Keep looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, as you continue on the upward journey to the glory land!
Posted by: Sister K.

A Changing of Heart!

"Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." Psalm 139:23,24.

"A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you. I will take the stony heart out of your flesh and give you an heart of flesh. And I will put My spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes and ye shall keep my judgments and do them." Ezekiel 36:26,27

_____I want to tell you a true story. Though sad at first, it turned out glad. To say the truth, I will be telling you a story of the changing of my own heart - the changing of my heart from not desiring God as I should, and desiring the evil things of this world, to then, hating the things of this world, and desiring and loving God!
_____It will be most hard for you to believe, but praise the Lord for not forsaking me!
_____Let me now begin.
_____For two whole weeks there was a mighty war going on in my heart. It was like I was standing on a cliff, at the very edge. I could choose to go off to death, (the things of this world) or to turn around and run to the safety of the Mighty Rock, Jesus Christ!
_____I realized I needed to stop playing Christian, that I needed to either be one in heart and soul or not be one at all. Satan was putting lies in my head, like: "If you surrender all to Christ you won't be able to do all these 'fun' things. You would be missing out on 'real life.'" But then the Lord would speak to my heart: "Child, there is true happiness and fun walking with Me!" I kept going back and forth. Do I choose to throw God and a Christian life out the door and live for the world, or throw the world out the door and live for God? That was a question that was warring.
_____I stopped having morning devotions(stopped eating spiritually); I hardly prayed. All that would fill my mind was me telling myself made up stories and thinking of movies I've seen. (I'm even now ashamed to write so.)
_____I finally didn't want anything to do with God and the Bible. (Most terrible thing.) I turned my back. I was shocked at myself when I got the desire to watch something I would have never dreamed of watching before. The war kept going on.
_____No one would have known, for I just put this pretty smile on my face and acted like everything was go lucky good. (Terrible, isn't it?) But I knew I was miserable. My heart was longing for something. I thought that in forsaking a Christian walk with God, I would maybe find it. But I then realized I was terribly wrong!
_____I could feel the Lord calling me and calling me to come to Him!! At times it was most strong! I just didn't know how to go about it! I knew, yes, surrender to Him; but I just didn't have the power, the will to do so. The verse in Matthew 11:28-30 kept coming to mind: "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart. And ye shall find rest unto your souls, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light!"
_____There were times I would make a couple steps to safety, but then I would turn around and make those steps back to "death"(desire of this world).
When I finally decided to give up and stop playing Christian and throw it out the door, everything just seemed to go all terribly wrong!
_____I was washing the dishes yesterday afternoon, and I asked myself, "What is wrong with me, I'm so selfish and mean! I used to be kind and love everyone. What is going on, I'm so miserable! I thought letting go on religion would make me some how 'happy.'" Then I remembered a story I had read a couple weeks ago in a YD issue, about a girl who went through the same thing I did. But after she decided to give up being a Christian and all, and everything just seemed to go wrong, she then realized how much she needed Christ in her life, how she couldn't live without Him and be truly happy. That's what happened to me. I realized how I just was not able to live without Christ, how I need Him!! How much He truly was a big part of my every day life!! How so many times I would tell Him about something, and after doing so, how much greatly better I felt!! How much I actually talked to Him and told Him things, how much I just needed Him!!
_____I then ran away, I fled from the cliff like a lamb running away from a lion who wants to kill them, I ran to the great safety of the Mighty Rock, Jesus Christ!
_____It wasn't until then, did I have peace and great joy! It wasn't until I realized my wrong in thinking I didn't need Christ and I came back to Him, did I have the victory in the great war between choosing to live for Christ or the world.
_____Even now I smile as I think about it and look back, how God led me!
_____Also one thing that kept me from turning my back all the way from Christ was how I knew my family and friends would take it. I just couldn't break their hearts so! And most of all, Christ's!
_____Praise the Lord for never forsaking me!!!!!
_____I feel ashamed to be writing this and it all being true, but let's turn away from the fact about how terrible it was for me to want nothing to do with God for that short time and let's look at how He rescued me and picked me up from that terrible pit!! Praise Him!!
_____My joy is full, but I am not to be content, I am to grow closer to God each and everyday, spending time with Him!!
_____At this time I would like to give special thanks to two good dear friends of mine: Sister C. and Sister G. for all they have said to encourage me on the Upward Journey!! God has truly spoken greatly to me through them! Thank you girls for it all! Praise the Lord!! You both are SUCH a wonderful blessing!!
_____I want to close with a Bible verse and a poem by a fellow sojourner.
_____"I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise to our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord." Psalm 40:1-3.

Oh My Lord, Help Me Now!

Oh my Lord, oh help me now,
Help me to get through this all,
Oh how my heart longs for Thee,
Oh come so very close to me.
___That I might feel Thy presence flow,
___So close to me that I shall know,
___That You have come to rescue me
___From all my sins to make me free.
To be the one
You decided me to be.
To live that all might see
That You have come to rescue me.
___And that You would gladly do the same for them,
___If they would only ask-
___And turn to You, a loving friend
___Then they shall be rescued at last;
From all their sins and be made free,
And some day soon go to Heaven bright and free,
And see our King that loves us so abundantly!
Oh thank You Lord for helping me!
___For coming to my rescue and my plea
___Your lovingkindness is all I need.
___For Lord, if You live in me,
___I will have it all, for that's what I needed.
By Sabrina, a fellow sojourner.
November 30th, 2008.

_____The Lord changed and is still changing my heart! He will do the same for you, though sinful you may be, just turn to Him, flee from that terrible cliff, (the desires and things of this world) and run to the safety of Jesus Christ!! (saving treasures in heaven.)
_____We are on an Upward Journey to a great and glorious land, let's continue on, keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, and our hand in His, each step of the way!!
_____Even so, come Lord Jesus!!

Posted by: Sister K.

A Lesson from My Toothpaste

_____The other day, I opened the bathroom cabinet to brush my teeth. As I was holding my tube of toothpaste, I actually paused to read it for some reason. The words that were emphasized the most were: “Gently removes surface stains.” Through these words, God reminded me of His power to remove the stains from my character. And isn’t He gentle about it? But He does it thoroughly, cleansing away each stain, to make us whiter than snow. Here are the gentle words of our heavenly Father: “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isaiah 1:18.
_____He also says to us, “Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before Mine eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do well…” Isaiah 1:16-17. There is some effort on our part involved. Just think of it this way: if we want our teeth to be clean, do we leave it up to the toothpaste to do it all? Of course we don’t. We get our toothbrushes out and brush thoroughly until the difference is seen and felt. When we see a stain in our characters, we need to accept the help of the Holy Spirit, and then believe and do according to His will and leading. We take hold of God’s strength as our effort is combined with His divine power, to remove stains “and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” And for a tangible example, we use the toothpaste (like the Holy Spirit) AND the toothbrush (our cooperation). Neither the toothpaste nor the toothbrush will whiten our teeth all by itself. The cooperation is so necessary and essential.
_____Friends, do we spend enough time with God? Do we devote our time to Him as we should? It isn’t a one time thing. Ask yourself, “How often do I brush my teeth?” We need to take our walk with God more seriously than our dental care. When we are baptized, or give our lives to God, is that the end? I cannot imagine that any of us would say, “My teeth are clean. I brushed them once when I was ten years old; that’s enough.” Do you know that the spiritual things are more real than the physical, tangible things that we come to take so seriously? Paul says, “...Though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
_____May we diligently take care of our outward and inward man; and in faith, cooperate with our heavenly Father.

In God-given faith, hope, and charity,
Sister G.

Growing Up into Christ

Part of a chapter from the book Steps to Christ

_____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.
_____A life in Christ is a life of restfulness. There may be no ecstasy of feeling, but there should be an abiding, peaceful trust. Your hope is not in yourself; it is in Christ. Your weakness is united to His strength, your ignorance to His wisdom, your frailty to His enduring might. So you are not to look to yourself, not to let the mind dwell upon self, but look to Christ. Let the mind dwell upon His love, upon the beauty, the perfection, of His character. Christ in His self-denial, Christ in His humiliation, Christ in His purity and holiness, Christ in His matchless love – this is the subject for the soul’s contemplation. It is by loving Him, copying Him, depending wholly upon Him, that you are to be transformed into His likeness.
_____Jesus says, “Abide in me.” These words convey the idea of rest, stability, confidence. Again He invites, “Come unto me…and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28. The words of the psalmist express the same thought: “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him.” Psalms 37:7. And Isaiah gives the assurance, “In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength.” Isaiah 30:15. This rest is not found in inactivity; for in the Saviour’s invitation the promise of rest is united with the call to labor: “Take My yoke upon you…and ye shall find rest.” Matthew 11:29. The heart that rests most fully in Christ will be most earnest and active in labor for Him.
_____When the mind dwells upon self, it is turned away from Christ, the source of strength and life. Hence it is Satan’s constant effort to keep the attention diverted from the Saviour and thus prevent the union and communion of the soul with Christ. The pleasures of the world, life’s cares and perplexities and sorrows, the faults of others, or your own faults and imperfections – to any or all of these he will seek to divert the mind. Do not be misled by his devices. _____Many who are really conscientious, and who desire to live for God, he too often leads to dwell upon their faults and weaknesses, and thus by separating them from Christ he hopes to gain the victory. We should not make self the center and indulge anxiety and fear as to whether we shall be saved. All this turns the soul away from the Source of our strength. Commit the keeping of your soul to God, and trust in Him. Talk and think of Jesus. Let self be lost in Him. Put away all doubt; dismiss your fears. Say with the apostle Paul, “I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20. Rest in God. He is able to keep that you have committed unto Him. If you will leave yourself in His hands, He will bring you off more than conqueror through Him that has loved you.When Christ took human nature upon Him, He bound humanity to Himself by a tie of love that can never be broken by any power save the choice of man himself. Satan will constantly present allurements to induce us to break this tie – to choose to separate ourselves from Christ. Here is where we need to watch, to strive, to pray, that nothing may induce us to choose another master; for we are always free to do this. But let us keep our eyes fixed on 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

Into Our Hearts

“That Christ may dwell in [our] hearts by faith…”

Into My Heart
“Into my heart, into my heart, come into my heart, Lord Jesus,
Come in today, come in to stay, come into my heart, Lord Jesus.”
--Unknown Author

_____Jesus said in Matthew 12:34, “…out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” So, if our hearts are selfish, then selfishness is in our words, and is not good for us or those around us. But if Christ is in our hearts, His love will shine through and be a blessing, a “savour of life unto life” to others. With the love of Jesus in our hearts, our words will be what He wants them to be, and God will be glorified.
_____“Come in TODAY.” Hebrews 3:12-15 says, “Take heed brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called to day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end; while it is said, To day if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation,” but “put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ”, and let Him into your heart today. Let us accept Jesus our Saviour into our hearts, now, today. He says to us, “Knock, and it shall be opened to you;” so since we know that Jesus always has a door open for us, then why shouldn’t we open the doors of our hearts to our blameless, holy, merciful, loving Saviour, Jesus Christ, Who gave His all for us? Should we not give our minds, bodies, hearts, and our all, to Jesus?
_____“This is the day that the Lord hath made”; we have no time to lose. The more time wasted in selfishness is less time to grow closer to Jesus. Let us pray and humble ourselves before God, and He will soften our hearts and we can choose to surrender, and give our hearts to Him. We know that when we draw nigh to God, He will draw nigh to us (James 4:8). When we “confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9.
_____When we let God take our thoughts, words, actions, and motives into His hands, by His grace, we can live in trusting obedience, and we can say, “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart…” Psalms 19: 7-8. When giving ourselves to God, when living and walking in the Spirit, when grasping His hand by faith in trusting obedience and wearing His robe of righteousness, our hearts will rejoice in God! In our daily lives, in our thoughts, words and actions, Jesus our Saviour, Friend, and King, will shine through, and His love and character will be revealed, by the power of His Holy Spirit.
_____“‘Keep thy heart with all diligence,’ is the counsel of the wise man; ‘for out of it are the issues of life.’ As man ‘thinketh in his heart, so is he.’ The heart must be renewed by divine grace, or it will be in vain to seek for purity of life. He who attempts to build up a noble, virtuous character independent of the grace of Christ, is building his house upon the shifting sand. In the fierce storms of temptation it will surely be overthrown. David’s prayer should be the petition of every soul: ‘Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.’” Messages to Young People, page 285.
_____Jesus said, “A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things…” Matthew 12:35. When we let Jesus have our hearts and cleanse us from all unrighteousness, His love, character, righteousness, and all the fruits of the Spirit will be in our hearts and manifested in our lives, for out of the heart are the issues of life. Jesus wants to put the Holy Spirit in our hearts so that His love and character will shine through, day by day, moment by moment, by His grace, bringing glory to our Father in heaven, and blessing other precious souls that Jesus died for.
_____Let us give our hearts to God, continually consecrating ourselves, our minds, our bodies, our words, and our motives to Him, always letting Him lead us and guide us in His work; for we know “that [our] labour is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 15:58. Giving our hearts to Jesus, He will bless us more than we can ask or think or imagine! Let us, by His grace, in His strength, now, today, always, continually, give our hearts to God! Our heavenly Father says to each of us, “My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe My ways.”*

You may also want to read: Ezekiel 36:25-27, Hebrews 10:22, Psalms 19:14, 1 Samuel 16:7, 1 Chronicles 28:9, Psalms 4:7,8; Psalms 9: 1,2; Psalms 15:1,2; Psalms 51: 15-17, *Proverbs 23: 26, Matthew 5:8, Matthew 6:21, Matthew 11:29, Ephesians 6:5, and Mark 12:29-31.

God bless you and save you to the uttermost,

Sister C.

“Love Not Sleep”

“How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: so shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.” Proverbs 6: 9-11.

_____One morning I didn’t get up until after 7:30, so I didn’t really have much time to read my Bible. But I prayed, asking God to give me understanding of His word, and apply it to my life. Also, I asked Him to help me get up earlier so that I could really begin the day with Him everyday. When I opened my Bible, I came to Proverbs 6. God knew what I needed to know and then do through His strength, so He really spoke to me through these verses. He showed me that the more unneeded sleep I got, the less time I could have to spend with Him in the morning. He revealed so much to me! Could it have been a coincidence that I turned to Proverbs 6? No, God had exactly what I needed in store for me. He is so good to show me that I must not love sleep so much that I let it get in the way of beginning the day with Him!
_____“Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.” Proverbs 20:13. Now God says to me, firmly but gently, and all out of love, “Open your eyes, and GET UP, and ‘thou shalt be satisfied’ with the ‘bread of life’. I will feed you with that bread, the bread of life through My Word, and apply it to your heart, mind, and life. You will be filled; you will not be empty from lack of spiritual food. Through the spiritual food that I have to give you, I will make you spiritually alive. ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.’ You need physical food to stay physically alive, but you need to begin the day with My bread of life, so that you may be spiritually alive, and strengthened and quickened by My Spirit. I will give you the grace, knowledge, and strength you need throughout the day, to overcome temptation, to learn more of Me, and to behold the heavenly Father’s character, and be ‘changed into the same image from glory to glory.’ And as this is true, so also have I shown you that ‘the path of the just is as the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.’ So, after I feed you every morning with My bread of life, My unseen but very filling spiritual food, if someone asked you if you were hungry, you could truly tell them, ‘I have meat ye know not of ’ because it is My unseen bread that fills your soul with My love. I am with you, and I will feed you till you are filled. Through Me, you shall be fully satisfied. Now, by My grace, power, and strength, you can get up early every morning and spend more time beginning the day with Me. And poverty shall not come to you as one that travelleth, but by My love, grace, strength, righteousness, wisdom, and knowledge, ‘shall the chambers’ of your heart ‘be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.’”
God bless you all,
Sister C.
Matthew 4:4, 2 Corinthians 3:18, Proverbs 4:18, John 4:32.
You may also want to read: Proverbs 9: 9-10, Proverbs 8: 1-21,
Proverbs 22: 4, Proverbs 3:1-13, Mark 3-13, John 6: 30-58, and
Luke 11:2-3

“Stand Therefore”!

“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may
be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”

_____Do you believe that we are in a serious battle against the host of hell? Do you believe that you yourself personally are in this battle, each and every moment of the day? Paul says that we wrestle against “principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Ephesians 6:12. This is serious. We have mighty foes to meet! So what do we do? Where do we turn? Our heavenly Father is mighty to save, and He has graciously provided a way for us to conquer and overcome enemies that are much stronger than we are. Here it is: “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.” Verse 13.
_____There is a reason God’s inspired word says we need to take the whole armour of God. Each piece is of vital importance. If I was in a battle, and I neglected to wear my helmet, it would seal my fate. If I do not have my sword in hand, the enemy may strike me down; even if I have all the other armour. Just so, it means life or death whether we take the whole armour of God or not.
“Stand therefore,” are Paul’s words, “having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness.” Verse 14. We need truth and we need righteousness – truth in action – in our daily lives. Without these, we are cast down to the depths of sin.
_____We are to have our “feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.” Verse 15. What does the gospel do when we wear it? In Romans 1:16-17, Paul says, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth….For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” Which brings us to the next piece of armor: “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” Verse 16. The shield is a very important piece of armor, and faith is something that we must have, that we must earnestly pray for. It is a shield that protects us from deadly darts of doubt.
_____We also need salvation, and the holy Scriptures. These must be a part of us, if we are ever to conquer. Keep your Bible nigh at hand, and more importantly, in your heart. God’s word is a two-edged sword that is able to pursue sin, and destroy it. It cuts through the selfishness of our hearts, enabling us to die to self and live in Christ, and live out the principles of His word. When we have God’s word in our hearts, it is manifested in our lives, and it effects our thoughts, words, and actions. God speaks to us through His word, renewing our minds and refreshing our souls. And salvation protects our minds from being deceived into sin, being a vital safeguard for spiritual life. “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: praying always with all prayer and supplication for all saints.” Verses 17-18. Prayer is mentioned here – constant prayer, and prayer for our fellow Christians. We need prayer in order to have communion with God, and we need a constant relationship with God and dependence on Him in order to have victory. And we shall have it, when we trust Him! “Pray without ceasing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17.
_____If you take a look at literal armor, you will see the different areas that are protected by each piece. The helmet, for instance, protects the head; the breastplate protects the heart; the loins, between the waist and the ribs are also protected. The sword’s sheath is in the area of the loins. The feet are protected – from rough ground and the attacks of the enemy. And the shield is a valuable defense for any part of the body. All are essential – and do you notice the unity? The heart, protected by righteousness, pumps power and life into each part of the body. The mind, receiving this life-giving power, under the protection of salvation, commands all parts of the body to do what they need to do for the good of the body as a whole. The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, is drawn from the sheath connected to the truth covering the loins. With our feet protected by the gospel, we can march boldly forward in the battle. It is the power of God unto salvation, covering our feet, that keeps us from stumbling.
_____And last but certainly not least, the shield of faith. This piece of armor is so important. If you do not have faith, doubt and discouragement will destroy your God-given righteousness, gospel power, salvation, and your confidence in the truth of God’s word. With the enemy’s increasing vigilance and experience, comes a stronger need for this shield, and for all of the armor.
Maybe you think yourself too weak for this great warfare. Well, you are; and so am I. As humans, we are terribly weak. But listen to the apostle Paul’s words from 2 Corinthians 12:9-10: “And he [the Lord] said unto me, ‘My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” Our own weakness has no bearing upon our defeat or victory; it is Christ’s strength that causes us to triumph. His strength is stronger than our weakness is weak. Our part is only to choose to rely on Him, and be “strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.”
_____Let me quote Ellen White here: “If we have on the heavenly armor, we shall find that the assaults of the enemy will not have power over us. Angels of God will be round about us to protect us.” Review and Herald, May 25, 1905.
So the matter now in question is: are YOU wearing the armor? ALL of it? The enemy will attack you whether or not you choose to enter the battle. So do the right thing, and put on the armor. Your mighty Defender will be right there with you in the heat of the battle. Claim His faithful promise: “And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I AM with thee, saith the Lord, to deliver thee.” Jeremiah 1:19.
_____The choice is yours; stand therefore!
Your fellow soldier in Christ,
Sister G.

If you have been blessed by this article, you may also want to read the following: 2 Corinthians 2:14, 1 Corinthians 15:57-58, Philippians 1:27-29, 2 Timothy 1:7-10, 1 Peter 1:3-9, 1 Peter 5:6-11, James 4:7, 1 John 4:4, 1 John 5:4-5, Isaiah 59:19,Draw Nigh by Prayer (MS 92, 1901), which can be found at the side of this blog.

The Character of Christ

Part One: Love

_____“God is love.” 1 John 4:8. What a true description of the God who “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.
_____The Father and the Son are one, along with the Holy Spirit. So just as much as we say that God is love, we can say that Jesus is love. Many believe that God is a harsh, unmerciful judge and that they have to hide from Him behind the love and mercy of Jesus; but that is a lie of the devil. Jesus came to earth to save us from sin and its consequences; but He came for another reason, too. He came to glorify His Father’s character; to prove to all of God’s vast creation the simple, yet beautiful truth that God is love. He came to earth to remove the ugly covering that Satan had thrown over the beautiful character of our heavenly Father. On the night of His betrayal, Jesus told his disciples, “The Father Himself loveth you.” John 16:27.
_____The love that filled the heart of Christ was constantly being manifested in the words and actions of His life. His compassion and mercy, humility and meekness, unselfishness and endurance, all the beauties of His character, centered on His love for God and all created beings. The beloved disciple, in John 13:1, wrote of Jesus: “Having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end.” How unworthy are we of this infinite, everlasting love! “But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8.
_____We are called, by God’s grace, to cultivate Christ’s character in our own hearts and lives; to be the “light of the world.” Matthew 5:14. This is our duty and privilege, the very purpose of our existence. The more we see of Christ’s beauty of character, the more we long for it. Our desire to glorify and represent our merciful God deepens each time we eat the bread of life and drink the living water found in the word of God. We want to draw others closer to the Saviour who spreads so much love and joy in our hearts. We simply cannot keep it to ourselves.
_____Jesus said, “As the Father hath loved Me, so have I loved you: continue ye in My love. If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father’s commandments, and abide in His love.” John 15:9-10. Jesus kept His Father’s commandments out of love and He wants us to do the same. He says, “If ye love Me, keep My commandments.” John 14:15. When He was asked which commandment was the greatest, He answered, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Matthew 22:37-40. God is love and His law is a transcript of His character. The government and law of the King of love centers around that one principle that brought Jesus to earth and to Calvary – love. As faithful subjects and ambassadors of that kingdom, we are to keep the law of love and prove ourselves faithful to the King of kings. Impossible? It would be, were it not for Christ’s sacrifice of love. But with God, ALL things are possible! Paul’s words from Philippians 4:13 still ring true today: “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
_____And faith has a part in this, too. The Bible says, “The just shall live by his faith.” Habakkuk 2:4. Ask God for faith! He will never fail to answer your earnest, persevering prayers, so long as you do not fail to keep coming to the throne of grace with your petitions. Ellen White put it this way, in Christ’s Object Lessons, page 175: “There is no danger that the Lord will neglect the prayers of His people. The danger is that in temptation and trial they will become discouraged, and fail to persevere in prayer.”
_____As “the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost,” it shines out of our hearts to all those that we come into contact with. This includes those who love us back, as well as those who show by their actions that they really don’t love us at all. The standard one is to reach in order to be lovable, is only to have that one’s soul paid for by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Of course, this includes everybody!
_____Here are Jesus’ words concerning this subject: “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be called the children of your Father which is in heaven: for He maketh the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? Do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” Matthew 5:43-48. Paul says in Romans 12:17-21, “Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”
_____If you try to overcome evil with evil, there can only be one logical result: evil - more and more evil! Let us be over comers on the side of good, and heap coals of fire on their heads! The God of love is far more powerful than the prince of evil. Let us take courage! Let us love one another, as Christ has loved us.
Perhaps the best definition of true Christ-like love is found in 1 Corinthians 13. Let us remember that when we read the word “charity,” we are reading about love. Paul says, “Charity suffereth long and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” Verses 4-7.
_____Let us strive for the victory over sin and self and Satan! Christ is the captain, and through Him we are more than conquerors! By God’s grace, let us be patient with each other and with Him who has been so patient with us. Let us be kind, guarding our hearts from envious feelings; humble and meek, and zealous for God’s glory, not our own. We need to ask God to take into captivity every thought and action to the obedience of Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5). Giving God our iniquity, we can rejoice in the rays of truth that shine forth from the “Sun of righteousness”! (Malachi 4:2). By the grace of Jesus Christ, we can bear our trials and afflictions, believe the truth given us, hope in God’s unfailing promises, and endure the temptation our all-wise Father permits to come our way. “Charity never faileth…” 1 Corinthians 13:8. God will never fail us! We can love and trust Him wholeheartedly!
_____Let us cultivate the love of Christ in our hearts today – supreme love for God, selfless love for our fellow human beings, and zealous love for the truths of God’s word. When we let the love of God reign in our hearts, everything else will fall into place.
_____“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.” Ephesians 3:17-19.

God be with you all –
Sister G.

A Mighty Helper

When your load seems hard to carry,
And the path of life is steep;
When the mountians rise above you,
And the valleys are so deep;
It is then you need a helper
And a friend to bear your load,
Someone who can lift your burdens
And assist you on the road.

There is One who will go with you
Through the dark and cheerless night,
One who never faints nor falters;
He can make your burdens light.
It is He who died for sinners;
He will guide you all the way.
Then, dear soul, give Him your burdens,
And your night will turn to day.
By: N. P. Neilsen

If Christ Should Come Today

"Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." Luke 21:36.

___"Christ bids us watch, that we may be accounted worthy to escape the things that are coming on the earth. It is of the greatest importance that we heed this warning. The enemy of all righteousness is on our track, seeking to lead us to forget God.
___We should be filled with joy at the thought of Christ's soon appearing. To those that love His appearing He will come without sin unto salvation. But if our minds are filled with thoughts of earthly things, we cannot look forward with joy to His appearing.
___'If I knew that Christ were coming in a few years,' one says, 'I should live very differently.' But if we believe that He is coming at all, we should live just as faithfully as if we knew that He would appear in a few years. We cannot see the end to the beginning, but Christ has provided sufficient help for every day in the year.
___All we have to do with is this one day. Today we must be faithful to our trust. Today we must love God with all the heart and our neighbor as ourselves. Today we must resist the temptations of the enemy, and through the grace of Christ gain the victory. Thus we shall watch and wait for Christ's coming. Each day we should live as if we knew that this would be our last day on this earth. If we knew that Christ would come tomorrow, would we not crowd into today all the kind words, all the unselfish deeds, that we could? We should be patient and gentle, and intensely in earnest, doing all in our power to win souls to Christ....
___I urge you to turn your thoughts from worldly things and center them on the things of eternity. Christ has placed everlasting life within your reach, and He has promised to give you help in every time of need.... We should never rest satisfied with present attainments. If we put mind and heart into the work of reaching God's ideal for us, if we go to Christ, the mighty helper, for aid, He will give us the very assistance that we need. He will bestow on us the very power that will enable us to be victorious in the struggle against evil." --Our Father Cares, June 29th.

___This is very powerful, and very important, friends. Let's not take it lightly, but let's strive towards the mark of the high calling of God. Fight the good fight of faith, never take your eyes from looking to Jesus.
___We are on an upward journey to that great and glorious land, where no night is found, nor sorrow, pain, sickness, tears, death, sin and all things that are not how God first created this world. We need to be ready to meet our all-great King and Saviour Jesus Christ!! Fear thou not, for Jesus promises to be with you!
___Have a wonderful day!

Keep pressing forward on the upward journey!

A sojourner on this journey,
Sister K.

The Privilege of Prayer is Ours.

___"And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us: And if we know that He heareth us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions we desired of Him."
1 John 5:14,15.
___"And whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight." 1 John 3:22.
___"If ye shall ask anything in My name, [Jesus said] I will do it. If ye love Me, keep My commandments." John 14:14-15.
___"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.
___"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth: and he that seeketh findeth: and to him that knocketh it shall be opened." Matthew 7:7-8.
___"And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, BELIEVING, ye shall receive." Matthew 21:22.
___Here we have just looked at a couple of verses on prayer/asking. They all are wonderful promises.
___We have seen that whatsoever we ask, we shall have it. But we also need to realize that we won't receive what we ask if we don't believe. We must first believe.
___Another thing we need to realize is that not everything we ask for is best for us. God knows what's best. Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that all things work together for good to them who love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose."
___Our prayers aren't always answered how we want them to be answered. God's answer is sometimes "Yes," and sometimes "No," or even "Just wait." But it doesn't mean that our prayers weren't answered; for they were - just maybe not the way we had wanted, or when we had wanted them to be answered. God knows best, so however our prayers may be answered, praise our Almighty God and the Lord Jesus Christ!
___Talking to God by prayer is how we grow closer to Him - by prayer and study of His word. The book "Steps to Christ," on page 98, states: "Unceasing prayer is the unbroken union of the soul with God, so that life from God flows into our life; and from our life, purity and holiness flow back to God."
Prayer is so powerful! When one sits alone in a quiet place and prays to God, he/she lays all kinds of trials, sorrows, joys, wants, needs, etc. before God. God loves to hear His children talk to Him.
___"We may keep so near to God that in every unexpected trial our thoughts will turn to Him as naturally as the flower turns to the sun." SC p. 100.
Don't we all long for that? And you know, it's possible. In Christ's strength, we may become those who are kept so near to God that in every unexpected trial we will turn right away to God! And it's a wonderful experience!
___"Keep your wants, your joys, your sorrows, your cares, and your fears, before God. You cannot burden Him; you cannot weary Him. He who numbers the hairs of your head is not indifferent to the wants of His children. 'The Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.' (James 5:11.) His heart of love is touched by our sorrows, and even by our utterance of them. Take to Him everything that perplexes the mind. Nothing is too great for Him to bear, for He holds up worlds, He rules over all the affairs of the universe. Nothing that in any way concerns our peace is too small for Him to notice...." SC p. 100.
___The privilege of prayer is to all who will take hold of it!! We need to be diligent in our praying. We should let NOTHING hinder us from talking to Jesus! We are to make every effort to keep our minds and souls open to Jesus Christ, with communion between Him and our hearts! If we were really seeking for a real, strong, ever open communion with God, we would take strongly the privilege of prayer!
___Friends, let's not neglect the great privilege of prayer that God has given us to commune with Him each and every second, minute, hour, day, week, month and year! Let's lift our hearts often to God in prayer, and always be pressing forward on our upward journey to the great and glorious land where night is not found, where Jesus our precious, loving Saviour and King reigns. He promised us that He is preparing a place for us. He said in John 14:1-3, "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I WILL come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."
Amen. Even so, come Lord Jesus!
___Let's each and everyone of us, by faith and much prayer, keep pressing on our upward journey to the land of milk and honey, the land, Canaan!!

Posted by: Sister K.

He is Always Near

___Blessings from our Almighty God our Father and His only begotten Son, our loving Saviour, Jesus Christ!!
___Jesus said in the book of John, chapter 14, verse 27, "Peace I leave with you, 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."
___That is a precious promise. He says that He leaves us peace - not peace of the world, since you can't find peace from it. But you can find real, everlasting peace in Jesus Christ our Lord! He says, "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."
___He will never leave us nor forsake us!! He is always near!!
___"Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved." Psalm 55:22.
___May God be with you and keep you in all truth until His soon return!! I pray that if I don't meet you on this most evil world, that I'll meet you in heaven, where it's just lovely and sweet!! Meet me there!!
___"Looking for the blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." Titus 2:13,14.
___"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2.
___"Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God..." 2Peter 3:12.
___"Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and for ever. Amen." Jude 21, 24, 25.
______He Is Always Near.
___" 'But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith He to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.' Matthew 9:6.
___"With a new hope the sick man looks upon Jesus. The expression of His countenance, the tones of His voice, are like no other. Love and power seem to breathe from His very presence. The cripple's faith takes hold upon Christ's word. Without question he sets his will to obey, and, as he does this, his whole body responds.
___"Every nerve and muscle thrills with new life, healthful action comes to his crippled limbs. Springing to his feet, he goes on his way with firm, free step, praising God and rejoicing in his new found strength.... Acting on the word of Christ, he was made whole.
___"By sin we have been severed from the life of God. Our souls are palsied. Of ourselves we are no more capable of living a holy life than was the impotent man capable of walking. Many realize their helplessness; they are longing for that spiritual life which will bring them into harmony with God, and are striving to obtain it. But in vain. In despair they cry, 'O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from this body of death?' (Rom. 7:24, Margin). Let these desponding, struggling ones look up. The Saviour is bending over the purchase of His blood, saying with inexpressible tenderness and pity, "Wilt thou be made whole?" He bids you arise in health and peace. Do not wait to feel that you are made whole. Believe the Saviour's word. Put your will on the side of Christ. Will to serve Him, and in acting upon His word you will receive strength. Whatever may be the evil practice, that master passion which through long indulgence binds both soul and body, Christ is able and longs to deliver. He will impart life to the soul that is 'dead in trespasses' (Eph. 2:1)....
___"When temptations assail you, when care and perplexity surround you, when, depressed and discouraged, you are ready to yield to despair, look to Jesus, and the darkness that encompasses you will be dispelled by the bright shining of His presence. When sin struggles for the mastery in your soul, and burdens the conscience, look at the Saviour. His grace is sufficient to subdue sin. Let your grateful heart, trembling with uncertainty, turn to Him. Lay hold on the hope set before you. Christ waits to adopt you into His family. His strength will help your weakness; He will lead you step by step. Place your hand in His, and let Him guide you.
___"Never feel that Christ is far away. He is always near. His loving presence surrounds you. Seek Him as one who desires to be found of you. He desires you not only to touch His garments, but to walk with Him in constant communion." --The Ministry of Healing, pp. 84,85.
___"Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30.
___May you draw ever so much closer to Him!! If we draw nigh to God, He'll draw nigh to us!
___God bless you most richly and continually!

The King of Kings' ambassador to this evil world,
Sister K.

He Supplies Our Needs!

"Do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?" Matthew 6:25.

___"He who has given you life knows your need of food to sustain it. He who created the body is not unmindful of your needs of raiment. Will not He who has bestowed the greater gift bestow also what is needed to make it complete? Jesus pointed His hearers to the birds as they warbler their carols of praise, unencumbered with thoughts of care, for 'they sow not, neither do they reap;' and yet the great Father provides for their needs. And He asks, 'Are not ye of much more value than they?'
____'No sparrow falls without His care, No soul bows low but Jesus knows;
____For He is with us everywhere,
____And marks each bitter tear that flows.
____And He will never, Never NEVER
____Forsake the soul that trust Him ever...'
___"God's law is the law of love. He has surrounded you with beauty to teach you that you are not placed on earth merely to delve for self, to dig and build, to toil and spin, but to make life bright and joyous and beautiful with the love of Christ-like the flowers, to gladden other lives by the ministry of love.
___"Fathers and mothers, let your children learn from the flowers. Take them with you into garden and field and under the leafy trees, and teach them to read in nature the message of God's love. Let the thoughts of Him be linked with bird and flower and tree. Lead the children to see in every pleasant and beautiful thing an expression of God's love for them. Recommend your religion to them by it's pleasantness. Let the law of kindness be in your lips.
___"Teach the children that because of God's great love their natures may be changed and brought into harmony with His. Teach them that He would have their lives beautiful with the graces of the flowers. Teach them, as they gather the sweet blossoms, that He who made the flowers is more beautiful than they. Thus the tendrils of their hearts will be entwined about Him. He who is 'altogether lovely' will become to them as a daily companion and familiar friend, and their lives will be transformed into image of His purity." (Thoughts From the Mount be Blessing, pp. 95-98).
___"God would adorn our characters with His own rich graces. He would have our words as fragrant as the flowers of the field." (Review and Herald, May 19, 1896)
Lift Him Up, February 28th, p. 73.

Posted by: Sister K.

Learning to Swim

Psalms 15:1-3
From the porch swing came the hum of animated conversation, with every now and then a merry laugh. In the living room Aunt Jane clicked her knitting needles impatiently, and sniffed disapproval. “Really, Stella,” she remarked acidly, “I wish Joan had more independence and backbone. That Marshall girl treated her mean as mean only last week, and yet here’s Joan talking and giggling with her as sweetly as if she hadn’t been shamefully used. Now I wouldn’t stand it! I wouldn’t!” Mrs. Hartwell looked up, and her eyes lingered on the hard, bitter lines that marked her sister's face. Then she listened, with a smile, as the sweet, gentle voice of her daughter came drifting in through the open window. “Why, I don’t think Joan lacks spirit,” she answered. “You know how, as a little girl, she used to resent a slight. But lately she seems---” there were gay “Goodbye’s” outside; the screen door banged; the “culprit” stood before them smiling. “Joan,” began Aunt Jane severely, “How can you be so spineless as to treat that girl as a friend? Have you no pride? She’s been saying the meanest things about you--lies every one of them! Why, Mrs. Gray told me---” “Oh, stop, auntie! Please stop!” and Joan put her fingers in her ears. “Don’t repeat it, please. I don’t want to know!” “And why not?” Inquired her aunt. There was a moment or two of silence, and then a brave face, in which two gray eyes swam with tears, was lifted to Aunt Jane’s stern visage. “Because,” she explained calmly, “I’m leaning to swim. You remember, Mother,” and she turned to the one who was sure to understand, “what a time I had learning to swim when we were down at the coast last summer? My head just would go down, and then I’d come sputtering, with such a dreadful salt taste in my mouth. At last my teacher said, ‘Keep your head up and your mouth shut, and then you’ll be all right!’ and, sure enough, I was! After we came home I got to thinking about it, and I finally decided like this auntie: if I listen to all the gossip that’s floating around, I’m sure to go down with it and come up sputtering. That just makes me feel mean all over. But if I keep my head up and my ears and mouth shut, then I can have a perfectly lovely time-- riding the breakers. And it’s ever so much more fun then to be sputtering all the time! It really is!” “Humph!” said Aunt Jane; but the teller of the story says that her frown was a bit less deep, and her knitting needles clicked a bit more softly.--
___Let's be like little Joan, lets be learning how to swim, and not go down with the unkind things people say about each other. Lets keep our mouths and ears shut from speaking and hearing unkind things, and pray for those that may gossip to us and say some unkind thing about someone else! Lets turn the other cheek, and be like Christ! Lets forgive when someone says something that makes us feel bad or mad! Lets turn the other cheek in love and treat them as if nothing was said!! By God's grace and mighty strength we can do so!

____Words
Words are the vehicles of thought,
The magic means by which we’re taught.
They are the messengers that tell
The way to heaven, the way to hell.
__Words have a wondrous winning way,
__Whene’er we know just what to say;
__But when we fail to chose them right,
__They change our day to darkest night.
Words soothe our souls, words rouse our fears;
Words touch our hearts, words bring the tears.
Words build us up, words tear us down;
Words make us smile, words make us frown.
__Words bring us hope, words bring despair;
__Words make us hate, words make us care.
__Words make us meek, words stir up pride;
__Words prove us true, words prove we’ve lied.
Words make us good, words make us bad;
Words make us weep, words make us glad.
We bless or curse by what we say.
God, teach us how to talk, I pray.
__Teach us wise words; teach us their power;
__Teach us to use them hour by hour
__In such a way that we can know
__We’ll bless the world, where'er we go!
At last, in God's great judgment tried,
By words condemned or justified!
Since by our words we’re saved or lost,
Before we speak, let's count the cost!
___By: A. A. Esteb.


Posted by: Sister K...