_____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.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
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
_____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.
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
_____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.
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.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
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
Thursday, July 1, 2010
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.
___"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.
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