Sunday, December 3, 2023
Happiness in Serving Our Captain, December 3
Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6:12.
In earnest, determined exercise as faithful soldiers, obeying the orders of the Captain of our salvation, there is genuine enjoyment such as can be obtained in no other employment. The peace of Christ will be in the heart of the faithful soldier. There is rest for the soul in wearing Christ's yoke, in lifting Christ's burdens. It seems a contradiction to say that there is no rest for the soul except that which is found in continuous and devoted service. But this is true. Happiness comes in willing, obedient service, where all the powers of our being are moving in happy, healthy, harmonious action in obeying our Captain's orders. The more responsible the task assigned to Christ's soldiers, the more the soul exults in the Saviour's love and approval. The soul realizes a freedom in the performance of the weightiest and most taxing duties.
But this doing the duty of a soldier means work. It is not always just such work as we would choose. Outward inconveniences, difficulties, and trials have to be borne by the soldiers of Jesus. There is a constant warfare to be maintained against the evils and inclinations of our own natural hearts. We must not pick and choose the work most agreeable to us; for we are Christ's soldiers, under His discipline, and we are not to study our own pleasure. We must fight the battles of the Lord manfully. We have enemies to conquer that would gain the control of all our powers.
Self-will in us must die; Christ's will alone must be obeyed. The soldier in Christ's army must learn to endure hardness, deny self, take up the cross, and follow where his Captain leads the way. There are many things to do which are trying to human nature, and painful to flesh and blood. This work of self-subduing requires determined, continuous effort. In fighting the good fight of faith, obtaining precious victories, we are laying hold of eternal life.—The Youth's Instructor, December 22, 1886.
Saturday, December 2, 2023
Pastor Andrew Henriques www.prophesyagain.com Warning! Flee Babylon! Rebuilding Tower of Babel With These 5 Policies. 14 Days of Probation. You Must Be Cleansed of Leprosy. Only This Uniform Will Protect & Save You!
Saved To Serve || Prophesy Again
1.***********************************************************************************************************
“To this people were committed the oracles of God. They were hedged about by the precepts of His law, the
everlasting principles of truth, justice, and purity. Obedience to these principles was to be their protection, for it would
save them from destroying themselves by sinful practices. And as the tower in the vineyard, God placed in the midst of
the land His holy temple.” {COL 287.2} Read Matthew 21:33 and Isaiah 5:1,2.
2.***********************************************************************************************************
“One object before them in the erection of the tower was to secure their own safety in case of another deluge.
By carrying the structure to a much greater height than was reached by the waters of the Flood, they thought to place
themselves beyond all possibility of danger. And as they would be able to ascend to the region of the clouds, they
hoped to ascertain the cause of the Flood. The whole undertaking was designed to exalt still further the pride of its
projectors and to turn the minds of future generations away from God and lead them into idolatry.” {PP 119.1}
3.***********************************************************************************************************
By His [Christ’s] perfect obedience He has made it possible for every human being to obey God's
commandments. When we submit ourselves to Christ, the heart is united with His heart, the will is merged in His will,
the mind becomes one with His mind, the thoughts are brought into captivity to Him; we live His life. This is what it
means to be clothed with the garment of His righteousness. Then as the Lord looks upon us He sees, not the fig-leaf
garment, not the nakedness and deformity of sin, but His own robe of righteousness, which is perfect obedience to the
law of Jehovah. {COL 311.4}
4.**********************************************************************************************************
The class who do not feel grieved over their own spiritual declension, nor mourn over the sins of others, will
be left without the seal of God. {5T 211.1}
5.***********************************************************************************************************
Not all who profess to keep the Sabbath will be sealed. There are many even among those who teach the truth
to others who will not receive the seal of God in their foreheads. They had the light of truth, they knew their Master's
will, they understood every point of our faith, but they had not corresponding works. These who were so familiar with
prophecy and the treasures of divine wisdom should have acted their faith. They should have commanded their
households after them, that by a well-ordered family they might present to the world the influence of the truth upon the
human heart. {5T 213.2}
6.*********************************************************************************************************
By their lack of devotion and piety, and their failure to reach a high religious standard, they make other souls
contented with their position. {5T 214.1}
7.*********************************************************************************************************
We are too easily satisfied with our attainments. We feel rich and increased with goods and know not that we
are "wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." {5T 214.3}
8.*******************************************************************************************************
In this life we must meet fiery trials and make costly sacrifices, but the peace of Christ is the reward. There has
been so little self-denial, so little suffering for Christ's sake, that the cross is almost entirely forgotten. We must be
partakers with Christ of His sufferings if we would sit down in triumph with Him on His throne. So long as we choose
the easy path of self-indulgence and are frightened at self-denial, our faith will never become firm, and we cannot know
the peace of Jesus nor the joy that comes through conscious victory. The most exalted of the redeemed host that
stand before the throne of God and the Lamb, clad in white, know the conflict of overcoming, for they have come up
through great tribulation. {5T 215.1}
9.*******************************************************************************************************
No one need say that his case is hopeless, that he cannot live the life of a Christian. Ample provision is made
by the death of Christ for every soul. Jesus is our ever-present help in time of need. Only call upon Him in faith, and He
has promised to hear and answer your petitions. {5T 215.2}
10.******************************************************************************************************
Oh, for a living, active faith! We need it; we must have it, or we shall faint and fail in the day of trial. The
darkness that will then rest upon our path must not discourage us or drive us to despair. It is the veil with which God
covers His glory when He comes to impart rich blessings. We should know this by our past experience. In that day
when God has a controversy with His people this experience will be a source of comfort and hope. {5T 215.3}
11.****************************************************************************************************
Not one of us will ever receive the seal of God while our characters have one spot or stain upon them. It is left
with us to remedy the defects in our characters, to cleanse the soul temple of every defilement. Then the latter rain will
fall upon us as the early rain fell upon the disciples on the Day of Pentecost. {5T 214.2}
12.****************************************************************************************************
It is now that we must keep ourselves and our children unspotted from the world. It is now that we must wash
our robes of character and make them white in the blood of the Lamb. It is now that we must overcome pride, passion,
and spiritual slothfulness. It is now that we must awake and make determined effort for symmetry of character.
{5T 215.4}
13.****************************************************************************************************
Now is the time to prepare. The seal of God will never be placed upon the forehead of an impure man or
woman. It will never be placed upon the forehead of the ambitious, world-loving man or woman. It will never be placed
upon the forehead of men or women of false tongues or deceitful hearts. All who receive the seal must be without spot
before God--candidates for heaven. Go forward, my brethren and sisters. I can only write briefly upon these points at
this time, merely calling your attention to the necessity of preparation. Search the Scriptures for yourselves, that you
may understand the fearful solemnity of the present hour. {5T 216.2}
Soldiers for Christ, December 2
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. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:13-17.
Soldiers engaged in battle have to meet difficulties and hardships. Coarse food is given them, and that often in limited quantities. They have long marches, day by day, over rough roads and under burning suns, camping out at night, sleeping on the bare ground, with only the canopy of heaven for a covering, exposed to drenching rains and chilling frosts, hungry, faint, exhausted, now standing as a target for the foe, now in deadly encounter. Thus they learn what hardship means. Those who enlist in Christ's army are also expected to do difficult work, and to bear painful trials patiently for Christ's sake. But those who suffer with Him shall also reign with Him.
Then who of us have entered the service to expect the conveniences of life, to be off duty when we please, laying aside the soldier's armor and putting on the civilian's dress, sleeping at the post of duty, and so exposing the cause of God to reproach? The ease-loving ones will not practice self-denial and patient endurance; and when men are wanted to make mighty strokes for God, these are not ready to answer, “Here am I; send me.” Hard and trying work has to be done, but blessed are those who are ready to do it when their names are called. God will not reward men and women in the next world for seeking to be comfortable in this.
We are now on the battlefield. There is no time for resting, no time for ease, no time for selfish indulgence. After gaining one advantage, you must do battle again; you must go on conquering and to conquer, gathering fresh strength for fresh struggles. Every victory gained gives an increase of courage, faith, and determination. Through divine strength you will prove more than a match for your enemies.—The Signs of the Times, September 7, 1891.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)