Devotional Snippet

I'm really thankful for blogging.It serves as an encouragement to continue reading God's Word.I see this blog as my accountability partner.It serves as a reminder of the lessons God is teaching me and when I read through it,I'm encouraged to continue walking with God and to choose His Word over temporal pleasures.I pray that as you read through it,you will be encouraged to pursue God and choose Him momentarily.It's my prayer that if you find yourself  praying less,you will drop all and choose God.There are times I feel like living a prayerless life but I am nothing without God.Do not allow satan to deceive you to choose feelings over eternal interests.Each day is a struggle,but victory is assured through Our Victor-Jesus!

"Our Master was a man of sorrows; He was acquainted with grief; and those who suffer with Him will reign with Him. When the Lord appeared to Saul in his conversion, He did not purpose to show him how much good he should enjoy, but what great things he should suffer for His name. Suffering has been the portion of the people of God from the days of the martyr Abel. The patriarchs suffered for being true to God and obedient to His commandments. The great Head of the church suffered for our sake; His first apostles and the primitive church suffered; the millions of martyrs suffered, and the Reformers suffered. And why should we, who have the blessed hope of immortality, to be consummated at the soon appearing of Christ, shrink from a life of suffering? Were it possible to reach the tree of life in the midst of the Paradise of God without suffering, we would not enjoy so rich a reward for which we had not suffered. We would shrink back from the glory; shame would seize us in the presence of those who had fought the good fight, had run the race with patience, and had laid hold on eternal life. But none will be there who have not, like Moses, chosen to suffer affliction with the people of God. The prophet John saw the multitude of the redeemed, and inquired who they were. The prompt answer came: "These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."-1T,p.78

At Gorham, Maine, August 26, 1847, our eldest son, Henry Nichols White, was born. In October, Brother and Sister Howland of Topsham kindly offered us a part of their dwelling, which we gladly accepted, and commenced housekeeping with borrowed furniture. We were poor, and saw close times. We had resolved not to be dependent, but to support ourselves, and have something with which to help others. But we were not prospered. My husband worked very hard hauling stone on the railroad, but could not get what was due him for his labor. Brother and Sister H. freely divided with us whenever they could; but they were in close circumstances. They fully believed the first and second messages, and had generously imparted of their substance to forward the work, until they were dependent on their daily labor.
My husband left the railroad, and with his ax went into the woods to chop cordwood. With a continual pain in his side, he worked from early morning till dark to earn about fifty cents a day. He was prevented from sleeping nights by severe pain. We endeavored to keep up good courage, and trust in the Lord. I did not murmur. In the morning I felt grateful to God that He had preserved us through another night, and at night I was thankful that He had kept us through another day. One day when our provisions were gone, my husband went to his employer to get money or provisions. It was a stormy day, and he walked three miles
and back in the rain. He brought home on his back a bag of provisions tied in different compartments, having in this manner passed through the village of Brunswick, where he had often lectured. As he entered the house, very weary, my heart sank within me. My first feelings were that God had forsaken us. I said to my husband: "Have we come to this? Has the Lord left us?" I could not restrain my tears, and wept aloud for hours, until I fainted. Prayer was offered in my behalf. When I breathed again, I felt the cheering influence of the Spirit of God, and regretted that I had sunk under discouragement. We desire to follow Christ and to be like Him; but we sometimes faint beneath trials, and remain at a distance from Him. Sufferings and trials bring us near to Jesus. The furnace consumes the dross and brightens the gold(emphasis mine).-1T,p82,83

So challenged by the words of James White (you'd have to read the whole chapter to get the context):

"God gives me strength to labor hard all day. Praise His name! I hope to get a few dollars to use in His cause. We have suffered from labor, fatigue, pain, hunger, cold, and heat, while endeavoring to do our brethren and sisters good, and we hold ourselves ready to suffer more if God requires. I rejoice today that ease, pleasure, and comfort in this life are a sacrifice on the altar of my faith and hope. If our happiness consists in making others happy, we are happy indeed. The true disciple will not live to gratify beloved self, but for Christ, and for the good of His little
ones. He is to sacrifice his ease, his pleasure, his comfort, his convenience, his will, and his own selfish wishes for Christ's cause, or never reign with Him on His throne." 

I am always encouraged when I read about how others have suffered for the cause of God.I have not yet suffered compared to them.

Evening Devotion:Heart Searching

Good evening dear readers :).Tonight,I will be sharing messages that call for introspection in my own life.I am challenged and I realize,I am in need of God's grace more than ever.It's easy to grow careless,to slumber,to get absorbed by things that are not benefiting us spiritually.That's when our souls are at stake.It's my prayer that we may choose God regardless of where we find ourselves,how we feel,etc.

"I saw that all heaven is interested in our salvation; and shall we be indifferent? Shall we be careless, as though it were a small matter whether we are saved or lost? Shall we slight the sacrifice that has been made for us? Some have done this. They have trifled with offered mercy, and the frown of God is upon them. God's Spirit will not always be grieved. It will depart if grieved a little longer. After all has been done that God could do to save men, if they show by their lives that they slight Jesus' offered mercy, death will be their portion, and it will be dearly purchased. It will be a dreadful death; for they will have to feel the agony that Christ felt upon the cross to purchase for them the redemption which they have refused. And they will then realize what they have lost--eternal life and the immortal inheritance. The great sacrifice that has been made to save souls shows us their worth. When the precious soul is once lost, it is lost forever."-1T,p.124
"I saw that many measure themselves among themselves, and compare their lives with the lives of others. This should not be. No one but Christ is given us as an example. He is our true Pattern, and each should strive to excel in imitating Him. We are co-workers with Christ, or co-workers with the enemy. We either gather with Christ or scatter abroad. We are decided, wholehearted Christians, or none at all. Says Christ: "I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of My mouth."

"I saw that some hardly know as yet what self-denial or sacrifice is, or what it is to suffer for the truth's sake. But none will enter heaven without making a sacrifice. A spirit of self-denial and sacrifice should be cherished. Some have not sacrificed themselves, their own bodies, on the altar of God. They indulge in hasty, fitful temper, gratify their appetites, and attend to their own self-interest, regardless of the cause of God. Those who are willing to make any sacrifice for eternal life, will have it; and it will be worth suffering for, worth crucifying self for, and sacrificing every idol for. The far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory swallows up everything and eclipses every earthly pleasure."-1T,p.126

Devotion and Reflections:Part 2

One thing tat comes in handy when I'm reading a certain book/passage,is reading it on the Spirit of Prophecy as well.It makes you understand certain concepts that you might not get.But the Holy Spirit is indeed a teacher.There are instances when he'll impress something in your mind and when you read the Bible/SOP you get a confirmation.

The statements below really stood out for me:

"In freeing our souls from the bondage of
sin, God has wrought for us a deliverance greater than that of the Hebrews at the Red Sea. Like the
Hebrew host, we should praise the Lord with heart and soul and voice for His "wonderful works to the
children of men." Those who dwell upon God's great mercies, and are not unmindful of His lesser gifts,
will put on the girdle of gladness and make melody in their hearts to the Lord. The daily blessings that
we receive from the hand of God, and above all else the death of Jesus to bring happiness and heaven
within our reach, should be a theme for constant gratitude. What compassion, what matchless love, has
God shown to us, lost sinners, in connecting us with Himself, to be to Him a peculiar treasure! What a
sacrifice has been made by our Redeemer, that we may be called children of God! We should praise
God for the blessed hope held out before us in the great plan of redemption, we should praise Him for
the heavenly inheritance and for His rich promises; praise Him that Jesus lives to intercede for us."

"Often the Christian life is beset by dangers, and duty seems
hard to perform. The imagination pictures impending ruin before and bondage or death behind. Yet the
voice of God speaks clearly, "Go forward." We should obey this command, even though our eyes
cannot penetrate the darkness, and we feel the cold waves about our feet. The obstacles that hinder our
progress will never disappear before a halting, doubting spirit. Those who defer obedience till every
shadow of uncertainty disappears and there remains no risk of failure or defeat, will never obey at all.
Unbelief whispers, "Let us wait till the obstructions are removed, and we can see our way clearly;" but
faith courageously urges an advance, hoping all things, believing all things." -PP,p.290

Devotion and Reflections:Part 1

I can safely say,for the Christian,completeness only occurs through constant communion with God and applying whatever lesson God teaches us.Personally,whenever I slack in my devotional life,I start to feel empty.It is through prayer,study of God's Word and sharing Him that I get the most fulfillment in life.Few weeks back I started spending less time in prayer and more time listening to music and by the end of the week,I felt burnt out.I am learning that communion with God grants us peace of mind,strength,love for God more than sin and the ability to trust in God regardless of how the future looks like.

God really loves us and constantly he seeks what's best for us.God's best might not necessarily bring us joy initially but as we allow him to lead,it  is then that we see his goodness.I'm really realizing that God truly means what he says.He does not sell us dreams,but his thoughts toward us are more than we can imagine.God takes the salvation of each one of us seriously that he does all he can to make us see the bigger picture.But not only is God interested in our salvation,but also in the smallest details of our lives-our well-being,our needs,our sorrows,joys and more.It's really humbling.

For my evening devotion,I decided to read Exodus 12-15.And one thought that has always been on my mind is why God led the Israelites through the red sea?Yes,he wanted to show his greatness to the Israelites.But one thing that humbles me is the fact that He also took them through this path to save them from the Philistines.He knew that they'd be discouraged as they were not prepared to fight.How gently Christ leads us!!!He considers where we are and allow trials that are in our level.Indeed,he remembers that we are but dust!How comforting.

This he does even in our spiritual lives.Ever been so overwhelmed others know things you do not know?I have,but God has made it clear that he does not teach us the same things because we are at different levels in our spiritual journey.So,it's okay if others know what you do not know,we are all learning.So,focus on where God is leading you as an individual.Of course this doesn't mean we should be content with knowing little.

I have also learnt that nothing in the Bible is there by chance and everything/most things point to Christ as our Redeemer.Nothing that's in the Bible is there by chance.It all points to the plan of salvation.When the angel was going to kill the firstborns,God ordered the Israelites to eat meat with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.I did not realize that all these had their meaning.The unleavened bread symbolised leaving apart from sin-putting away sin.Leaven represents sin at times.While the bitter herbs symbolised the bitterness from being slaves/bound by sin.So,with regards to the Bible,there shouldn't be parts that we esteem better than others.Everything in the Bible is significant.In fact,I used to be one person who never bothered to read the genealogy.But this year,I decided to,and I got such a wonderful lesson.Hope I'll share it,either on a seminar/here.

One statement stuck with me and it is encouraging to me:

"The path where God leads the way may lie through the desert or the sea,but it is a safe path."-PP,p.290

Devotional Snippet

Thankful for the privilege of being able to read the book Ministry of Healing.It's a beautiful book.There's hope for a sinner like me,through Christ,to have victory over sin and every evil habit.I've been blessed by these statements below and may they be encouragement to your souls as you seek to be holy,like Christ is.

"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 to 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,p.86

" Jesus does not desire those who have been purchased at such a cost to become the sport of the enemy's temptations. He does not desire us to be overcome and perish. He who curbed the lions in their den, and walked with His faithful witnesses amid the fiery flames, is just as ready to work in our behalf to subdue every evil in our nature. Today He is standing at the altar of mercy, presenting before God the prayers of those who desire His help. He turns no weeping, contrite one away. Freely will He pardon all who come to Him for forgiveness and restoration. He does not tell to any all that He might reveal, but He bids every trembling soul take courage. Whosoever will, may take hold of God's strength, and make peace with Him, and He will make peace.
The souls that turn to Him for refuge, Jesus lifts above the accusing and the strife of tongues. No man or evil angel can impeach these souls. Christ unites them to His own divine-human nature. They stand besides the great Sin Bearer in the light proceeding from the throne of God.
The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses "from all sin." 1 John 1:7.
"Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." Romans 8:33, 34. "-The Ministry of Healing,ch.5,p.90

A pitiful God YET victorious:Judges 4

verse 1:"And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord, when Ehud was dead."

After reading this verse,I actually pitied God.I thought the Israelites would actually get to a point where they finally choose God and not turn back.But sadly,it became a cycle-to worship God after a victory and then when the One who had brought about a revival dies,they also stop.Isn't that how it is?We become revived and strengthened during the week of prayers,the revivals,the seminars,the 10 days of prayers and camp meetings.But when they come to an end,our experience with God also comes to an end.We no longer make time for prayer,we suddenly ralize we are busy,and we suddenly realize we have other things to focus.How much it must hurt to God.Have mercy on my soul Lord!

God is the first individual to be cheated on,even though He is a God.How sad!For thousands of years,God's hearts has been ripped-promises have been made and soon after broken.He has been taken like a fool!Don't we fear God?How can you not fear the One who knows your thoughts before you even utter them?How do we lose reverence for such a being?So,I found myself hurting for God,even though I am the cause as well.What if it were to be reciprocated?What if God can make promises to us and then turn around and act like He never did?It would sure hurt.The least we can do is to respond in love.

We have been "called and chosen",the least we can be is to be faithful (Revelation 17:14)

But God "long-suffering,merciful,kind" gives Israel another chance.Like in the past chapters,even at these instance,there are faithful servants of God.God bless them.Had not it been for their faithful,then what?Although God is not limited to human vessels,the work depends on their faithfulness.

God speaks to his prophetess,Deborah,and commands her and she obeys.She had so much faith in the Lord and commanded Barak with faith.Again another challenge:Have I such a close walk with my heavenly Father that,I've learnt to listen to His voice and hear Him?Do I quickly obey,without laying obstacles as excuses?God needs such women-women who trust God more than their feelings and what society says.

May we be counted amongst the faithful.Let us vindicate the character on our heavenly Father.He deserves better.
 





 

 

Morning Devotion:Judges 3

In the third chapter of Judges we find the same cycle found in Judges 1 and 2.The Israelites went on further to intermarry with the neighboring nations,thus being more exposed to idol worship.God  used the same nations to persecute them.Then they'd repent and God will raise someone to fight for them.But the sad thing is,when the one who was raised would die,they'd go back to their sinful ways.

The following verses stood out for me and I got lessons from them.

verse 6:They took their daughters in marriage and gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods.
  
Intermarriage between believers and unbelievers is one of the reasons Israel was easily led to idol worship.In the New Testament we are admonished and commanded not to marry unbelievers.The one you marry can either draw you to God or away from God,hence it is advised to not marry those who do not believe in present truth.

verse 7:The Israelites chose other gods over God.When we choose not to serve God we automatically serve the devil.There aren't many gods,rather,there may be many gods but they all belong to two categories:God and the false god (devil).Even if you might not  necessarily bow to man-made idols, if there's anyone or anything you hold more dearly THAN God,then it is your idol-it can include false theories as well.

verse 8-10:The cycle continues:the Israelites sin against God,God persecutes them,they repent.Isn't it sad that as humans we can take God for granted?Isn't this what we do,when we know the truth and we promise to live by it,and we don't?Then God sends His servants to remind us and we commit again;but we never reach a stage where we actually do not turn back to our sins.I'm challenged.Why can't I be so committed to God that He needs not to use trials or other measures?Does it make sense that we play God like a fool while He's the King of kings?May God help me not to take Him for granted.

Hebrews 12:28 commands us,
 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

verse 9:And when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.
  
Here,we see God's long-suffering toward us.He also uses those who are willing to serve Him.Are we also willing to fulfill our mission-the third angel's message accompanied by the health message?

verse 10: We can only fulfill that which God commands us to do through the aid of the Holy Spirit.What scares me the most is having the Holy Spirit leave me.So,let's pray for hearts that are open to the impressions of the Holy Spirit and allow Him to use us.

verse 11: And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died  

Through Othniel,God was able to free Israel and restore them back to true worship.Othnied lived faithfully all throughout.When we live faithful lives we not only please God but serve to inspire others to be faithful to God.When tempted to sin or to do as we feel,post things via social media,etc,we should think of our influence,whether it strengthens others to be faithful to God.Also,it's crucial to faithful through the end.

verse 12:Again Israel rebels.By now I personally would have  washed my hands off Israel.Imagine walking with God for forty years and rebelling against Him afterwards?Just shows our years of experience are not assurance for salvation,or proof that we'll always walk with God.This reminds of Ezekiel 18 where we're told that if one is righteous all throughout but sins at the end,he's unrighteous in God's eyes.It reminds me of a statement in SOP,where it talks about one who has been seen as a "star" will fall.We are never immune to falling and that's why we need to abide  in Christ.

verse 13-30 God delivers Israel and they serve him for for eighty years.

From this chapter I see God's long-suffering and love towards us.His patience also shines through.Although Israel kept sinning,God runs after them.I mean,can you imagine One who created and owns everything,running after you for your OWN sake?But we ought to be mindful that God's patience reaches a certain point where He no longer pleads.

God loves us and through the Bible is revealed His love for mankind:

"The wealth of earth dwindles into insignificance when compared with the worth of a SINGLE soul for whom our Lord and Master died. He who weigheth the hills in scales and the mountains in a balance regards a human soul as of infinite value."-God's Amazing Grace,page 173 (emphasis mine)
    

WILL YOU GIVE UP YOUR VINEYARD?

(Based on 1 Kings 21)

"1 And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.

² And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house: and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money.
³ And Naboth said to Ahab, The Lord forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.
⁴ And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread."~1-4

There is a powerful object lesson from this story.Naboth valued the vineyard he had inherited from his father more than anything.This vineyard could be equated with riches,for he valued so much.When king Ahab money and another vineyard he didn't have to think about it-he refused because this was an "inheritance".At the end Naboth is killed (you'll have to read the whole chapter).This vineyard was worth so much to him that he was willing to die for it.  

This is the attitude we need to have when it comess to our faith-our relationship with God,the salvation freely given to us.To a certain extent,it is an inheritance that has been passed from our forefathers (Abraham).Like Ahab,the devil seeks to take this inheritance away from us and He does it in various ways.

Like Ahab,he offers money,worldly riches,world attainments and more.As the youth he presents us with a false picture:a life of prosperity,a life free from duty and a life which is seemingly peaceful.But like Naboth,we are to stand true to this great gift of salvation.We also see that Naboth was not threatened by Ahab's position-he didn't even have to think or even consider what he offered.So should we.God's will should be the ultimate determining factor,even when we relate to those of higher positions.

Ahab also offered Ahab another vineyard in exchange of his.I mean what what harm could it do and it might serve the same purpose anyway,right?Well,Satan does the same with us.He offers a counterfeit relationship with God.He doesn't need us to leave the church.We can still have this "vineyard" in another form:"having the form of godliness,but denying the power thereof"(1 Timothy 3:5).

But like Naboth,let us refuse his offer and his suggestions.We are to guard our relationship with God so closely and let nothing come between us,even at the point of death.What Christ has done for us and what he offers,is worth dying for.Blood has been shed for us to have this liberty of enjoying worshipping God without our lives been at stake.We still have the privilege of reading our Bibles-when in the dark ages this wasn't a privilege for many.Many have been burned,abused,beaten,denied food and more just so we can have the light of the gospel.Some (waldenses) have lived in caves just to keep the Gospel in its truest form and undiluted.Such an inheritance-so full and free!

Like Naboth loved his vineyard unto death,let's also do the same.We are promised,"Yea,and all that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution"(2 Timothy 3:12).This may come in any form,but our relationship with God and the salvation we have received is NOT worth giving up.


^" Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life."~Revelation 2:10

"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death."~Revelation 12:11

May we hold fast the gift of salvation freely given

My we choose poverty,scorn,ridicule,loneliness,seperation from loved ones,loss than to give up our heritage

May we not accept money-if it mean we will neglect duty and transgress God's law

May we choose to be in rags,if need be,for truth

May we choose to be "singular and straight laced" than to fit in

May we choose truth,rather than a counterfeit

And if it so happens that we have to die for we LIVE and believe,let us remember those who die in the Lord,will resurrect to eternal life (John 5:29;1 Thessalonians  4:13-17).

 

" Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."~Galatians 5:1

P/S:If there are any errors,forgive me,have to rush-Sabbath preps :)

A Higher Calling

Live Righteously and Godly

We should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God

and our Saviour Jesus Christ.Titus 2:12, 13.

O that our hearts may be deeply impressed with the importance of living

holy lives, that the world may take knowledge of us that we have been with

Jesus, and have learned of Him. Christian worth does not depend upon brilliant

talents, lofty birth, wonderful powers, but on a clean heart,—a heart which,

purified and refined, reflects the image of divinity. It is the presence of Him

who gave His life for us that makes the soul beautiful.... It is the men of prayer

that are men of power....

Do not allow trifling things to absorb your time and attention. Keep your

mind on the glorious themes of the Word of God. A study of these themes will

give you a strength that will carry you through the trials and difficulties of the

last days, and bring you to where you will walk with Christ in white, because

you are worthy. In the Word of God, studied and obeyed, we possess a spiritual

guide and instructor by which the worst forms of evil in ourselves may be

brought under the discipline of His law.If the teachings of this Word were

made the controlling influence in our lives, if mind and heart were brought

under its restraining power, the evils that now exist in churches and in families

would find no place. Upon converted households the purest blessings would

descend, and from these households an influence would go forth that would

make God’s people a power on the side of truth....

Now is the time to watch and pray, to put away all self-indulgence, all

pride, all selfishness. The precious moments that are now by many worse than

wasted should be spent in meditation and prayer....

On Christ’s coronation day He will not acknowledge as His any who bear

spot or wrinkle or any such thing. But to His faithful ones He will give crowns

of immortal glory.

Sin:Cause of our woes

Our High Calling : Page 81

76. The Cause of All Our Woes

But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin . Heb. 3:13.

Mark the words "deceitfulness of sin." Satan always presents his temptations under the guise of goodness. Beware that you yield not to them. One violation of straightforward truthfulness prepares the way for the second violation, and wrongs are repeated, until the heart of unbelief becomes hardened, and the conscience loses its sensitiveness.

Let none flatter themselves that the sins of their youth can easily be given up by and by. This is not so. Every sin cherished weakens the character and strengthens the habit; and physical, mental, and moral depravity result. You may repent of the wrong you have done, and set your feet in right paths; but the mold of your mind and your familiarity with evil will make it difficult for you to distinguish between right and wrong. Through the wrong habits you have formed Satan will assail you again and again.

Many . . . look upon sin as a little thing. . . . Many take counsel of their own wishes and desires and follow their inclinations and finally conclude that sin is not so very offensive, not so terrible and dreadful in the sight of God. Sin that may appear little, that may be termed little by the blunted conscience, is so grievous a thing in the sight of God that nothing but the blood of God's own Son could wash it away. This fact places the true estimate upon sin. God will never tarnish His glory to come to our ideas and views. We shall certainly have to come to His. Just in proportion to the excellence of God is the heinous character of sin. . . .

God seeks our real happiness. If anything lies in the way of this, He sees it must first be removed. He will thwart our purposes and disappoint our expectations and bring us through disappointments and trials to reveal to us ourselves as we are. . . . Sin is the cause of all our woes. If we would have true peace and happiness of mind, sin must be removed.

Youth to Stand Up for Christ

Our High Calling : Page 279

272. Youth to Stand Up for Christ

For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels . Luke 9:26.

Always stand up for Christ. In word, in spirit, in action, be His witness. He loves you, and He wants to impart to you His rich grace, that you may impart this to others. . . . Christ has purchased you with His own blood. Then, everywhere, at all times and under all circumstances, stand up for Jesus. Remember that thus you will exert the very best influence upon all with whom you associate. . . .

It is your privilege ever to grow in grace, advancing in the knowledge and love of God, if you maintain the sweet communion with Christ it is your privilege to enjoy. In the simplicity of humble faith ask the Lord to open your understanding, that you may discern and appreciate the precious things of His Word. Thus you may grow in grace, grow in simple, trusting faith. Then your light will shine forth to all with whom you associate. Keep your mind fixed upon the Saviour. . . .

Be sure that your spiritual life does not become poor, sickly, inefficient. There are many who have need of the words and example of a Christian. Weakness and indecision provoke and assaults of the enemy, and any one who fails to increase in spiritual growth, in a knowledge of truth and righteousness, will frequently be overcome by the enemy.

Let your countenance reflect the joy of the Lord. Speak of His goodness and tell His power. Then your light will shine more and more distinctly. Above your trials and disappointments will be revealed the reflection of a pure, healthy religious life.

There is no limit to the influence of the human agent who wears the yoke with Christ. Daily he studies the life of Christ and conforms his life to the divine pattern.... It is by the manifestation of the spirit of Christ in our words and actions that the world takes knowledge of us that we have been with Jesus, that we are the children of God. The true nature of our religion is ... in the gentle spirit, the kindness, the peace which we manifest.

WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON?

Our High Calling : Page 15

10. Mine to Choose

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; ... but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord . Joshua 24:15.
In our world there are two classes. One is made up of those who behold a crucified and risen Saviour. The other includes all who have chosen to look away from the cross, and to follow the leadings of satanic influences. The latter class are busily engaged in putting stumbling blocks before God's people, to cause them to fall, and turn from the path of obedience into the broad way of disobedience and death....
Many choose unrighteousness because Satan presents it in such a way that it seems attractive to those who are not on guard against his wiles. And he works in a special manner through unsanctified men and women who profess to be children of God. In some way or other the enemy will seek to deceive all, even the very elect. Only as we are partakers of the divine nature can we escape the corrupting influences that are brought to bear upon us by the enemy of our souls.
As Satan seeks to break down the barriers of the soul, by tempting us to indulge in sin, we must by living faith retain our connection with God, and have confidence in His strength to enable us to overcome every besetment. We are to flee from evil, and seek righteousness, meekness, and holiness. . . .
It is time for every one of us to decide whose side we are on. The agencies of Satan will work with every mind that will allow itself to be worked by him. But there are also heavenly agencies waiting to communicate the bright rays of the glory of God to all who are willing to receive Him.
It is ours to choose whether we will be numbered with the servants of Christ or the servants of Satan. Every day we show by our conduct whose service we have chosen....
Dear young reader, what choice have you made? What is the record of your daily life?

JUST A SHARING THAT MOVED ME TO TEARS :)

This morning I was reading the gospel of Matthew, the eleventh
chapter, from verse 2 up to six. It reads as follows
“Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent
two of his disciples,
3 And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?
4 Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those
things which ye do hear and see:
5 The blind receive their sight and the lame walk, the lepers are
cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have
the gospel preached to them.
6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.”


Now here there are 7 points that were impressed in my mind as I was
reading this.These verses seem to be parallel to the verses we read
yesterday.Just a reminder,yesterday we read a story about Jesus being
tempted in the wilderness(Matthew 4).We said the devil succor to
maneuver his evil plans in our state of our weakness. Today the story
is about John, the Baptist who was born in the Herodias kingdom. John
is the one who was born and lived for one purpose; preparing people
for the great light which is Jesus Christ. This man is he that was
spoken of by Isaiah saying, “he is the voice of one crying in the
wilderness, saying, “Prepare the way of the Lord and make His path
straight.” In the wilderness, it is where he was taught by God
himself; where he was not influenced by any secular education, even
from the Pharisees. This man I’m talking about is the man who baptized
Jesus. Without taking more of your time, let me go straight to the
points I discovered through the aid of the Holy Spirit.


1. In verse 2, we see John in prison. He then hears a rumor about the
works of Jesus and sends His disciples to Jesus. Underline the fact
that he sends them about after hearing rumors about the work of
Christ.


2. In verse 3 we see John who told people to behold “the lamb of God
which takes away the sin of the world” confused about who Christ
isoform emphasis sake, this is the one who baptized Jesus: and heard
God speaking from heaven, that Jesus is his son in whom he is well
pleased. Allow me to say that even when we have seen miracles of God
and his grace intervening in our lives; when we are in the prison of
this life’s tribulations we forget and get confused about who Jesus
is.


a) We doubt Jesus and hence we seem not to fathom him, especially when
we hear people around us being blessed by him, while we are in the
prison of suffering and tribulations.


3. In verses 4 and 5 I am confounded by the answer of Jesus which
amazes me even now. In such a way that puts me in the shoes of John
the Baptist, for it leads me to ask, “Does Jesus really care?”


4. The question is “are you he who should come or do we look for
another?”, and Jesus answers not the question. Instead, he heals,
raises people from death, delivers people from demons and gives sight
to the blind. Then he commands John’s disciples to tell John what they
have seen.


5. Here, we learn that hearing about the good works of Jesus is enough
to uplift your faith when you are in the prison of sufferings and
tribulations.
-The fact that we are in prison i.e. facing problems, does not change
who Jesus is in our lives. He is the Lord and he changes not (Malachi
3:6).
-The fact that you hear that there are people who are still blessed,
while you are in prison does not mean he cares not about you; but his
mercies are still open for you, only if you don’t doubt His Word.
Remember Matthew 4:4,”man shall not live by bread alone but by every
word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”
-You hearing that the Lord has delivered other people must bring hope
and assurance in his Word that says “I will never leave you nor
forsake you.”


6.Jesus cares about everything we go through.Sometimes,he does not
need to come himself to us, but he sends the Holy Spirit to comfort us
through his Word that evokes faith evokes faith to a despairing soul
in prison as he did to John. For faith is more important than miracles
to them who believe in God already.
-Allow me to say as Jesus was also led into the wilderness in his
ministry; even John had to go through the same thing.However,being in
the wilderness was not going to bring the faith that God wanted to
establish, for the wilderness is where he grew up.So,it was his
comfort zone. And so his wilderness was the wilderness where he had to
stay with the infidels.


7. Jesus is the way to eternal life, so let’s allow God to lead us
even where he passed. He went to the wilderness and he was able to
conquer the devil’s temptations by the Word of God. Even so it is with
us. Let us follow still for where he leads; he is able to sustain us.
“For it is given to us not only to believe in him, but to suffer for
his sake.”
-The devil is pleased when we are in prison (faced with trials); for
he knows it is the convenient time for him to lead us to doubt Jesus.
Allow me to say it was good news for John to hear about what Jesus was
doing for I am told; faith comes by hearing the Word of God.
Sometimes, hearing the Word of God is more sufficient for your faith
THAN miracles. Be blessed and know that Jesus cares.
By M.M