Christian Life

Life Sketch of Ruth Grosboll, Part II

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Ruth Josephine Wallner Grosboll passed away on January 10, 2010, in Wichita, Kansas. She worked at Steps to Life Ministries for over 15 years and has been a regular contributor to LandMarks magazine.

John and Ruth arrived in Burma in 1947 just at the time the country was entering a long civil war. John became the business manager of the Rangoon Mission Hospital and, for a time, Ruth was the only nurse qualified to assist the two or three physicians working at the hospital so she gained much experience from the many surgeries in which she assisted. Help was required to take care of their children while they both worked, so a housekeeper was hired. In the latter part of 1949 John was hospitalized after developing tuberculosis so it was decided to fly the entire family back to the United States where John could be treated at the White Memorial Hospital, in California, in the early part of 1950. Later that year, John and Ruth decided to settle again, for the time being, in Toppenish, Washington. For a few weeks they lived with Ruth’s parents, Joe and Agnes Wallner, and afterwards rented a two-car garage where their family lived for one year. The garage had a bathroom and a kitchenette and was located behind Elmer and Maizie Williams’ (Ruth’s oldest sister and brother-in-law) home and also next door to one of the Adventist physicians in the town of Toppenish.

The city, recognizing the need for their own hospital, had recently opened a community hospital and for a short time Ruth became the superintendent of nurses. While John was supposed to be resting and recuperating from tuberculosis, he decided to build a house. They purchased 5 acres of land ¾ mile from town and John built the first house that they had ever owned. In 1952 while living in this house their third child and only daughter was born. Their first son had been named after his father, their second son had been given a name by their first son and this time Ruth announced to the family that she was going to name this girl herself. She did not need any other opinions because she had already decided on the name she had chosen for this girl. It was Gwen. She did, however, allow her husband to select a middle name and he chose his mother’s name.

John became the credit manager of the Toppenish Community Hospital. In winter, the sun went down around 4 o’clock and being a faithful Sabbath keeper, John told the business manager that he could not work after sundown on Friday; however, he was willing to make up the time on Sunday if allowable. The manager told him that if he could not work until 5 o’clock on Friday he would need to find another job so John prepared to leave and look for work elsewhere. When the manager discovered how serious John was about his religion he immediately changed his mind, telling him that he could take off at noon on Friday when he needed to and work half a day Sunday. The friendship John and his family developed with this man lasted for many years.

John and Ruth both had good jobs and they owned their house and land without debt. They lived less than a mile from an Adventist church school where their children were able to attend through the eighth grade and only a few miles from Granger, Washington, where they could attend up to the tenth grade. They covered the whole area, distributing literature about the Three Angels’ Messages and the end of the world, giving many Bible studies that resulted in baptisms; however, John was not completely satisfied; he wanted to be more directly involved in God’s work.

The hospital where he worked was not a missionary hospital, but simply a commercial community hospital, so in 1954 he accepted an invitation to become the credit manager for Madison Sanitarium, a self-supporting sanitarium and college where he himself had gone to school briefly in 1934 and 1935. The family home was sold once more and they moved to Madison, Tennessee, where they lived until 1955. During that short period of time, about 15 months, it appeared that tragedy would again strike their family. Gwen, at two years of age, was exposed to Rabies and had to have injections in her stomach for 14 days and Marshall fell from a ladder and had both a head concussion and a ruptured spleen which almost caused him to bleed to death. As ominous as these things were, an even more ominous development caused the entire family to be placed in jeopardy. Ruth developed a lung disease which the physicians said could be fatal and which, it was said, could not be cured. John and Ruth had purchased a home on an acre of land about ¾ of a mile from Madison sanitarium.

In 1955 John decided to accept an invitation from his brothers to come and manage the new nursing home in Longmont, Colorado, that they had built, so in late summer of that year John, Ruth and their three children moved there, without selling their home in Tennessee. They rented a home between Hygiene and Lyons, Colorado, on historic Highway 66 right across from McCall Lake. This move to Colorado was most rewarding and satisfying and within six weeks after moving to that dry climate, Ruth’s cough disappeared and never reappeared as long as she was in a dry climate.

The next year they built a home across the street from Foothill’s Nursing Home and four years later sold that home and moved to an 80 acre farm with a home and out buildings. This proved to be too much to manage along with a nursing home so in 1963 John built yet another home near Berthoud, about five miles from Campion Academy where all of their children graduated. John and Ruth managed Foothill’s Nursing Home until 1975 and it grew to having 180 beds and over 115 workers on the staff.

1975 saw yet another move and their home in Berthoud was sold, enabling them to purchase a small fruit orchard near Weiser, Idaho. Ruth enjoyed working with fruit trees, berries and vineyards but John did not, so the orchard was sold and another home in Nyssa, Idaho, was bought where they lived a short time before moving to Prosser, Washington. While living in Nyssa, John covered the entire area with literature about the Three Angels’ Messages and the end of the world.

From 1980 until 1992 John and Ruth lived in Prosser, Washington, on a property which had fruit and nut trees, berries and vineyards which Ruth loved to take care of. Ruth always wanted to see an agricultural program developed at Steps to Life but she did not live long enough to see that fully develop. Gardening was not the only thing to occupy Ruth and at times she also worked either full-time or part-time as a registered nurse until 1992.

Again, tragedy struck their family in 1991 when in July, John and Ruth’s second son, Marshall, together with his wife Lillian and their two children, Matthew and Christine, were all killed in a plane crash near Salmon, Idaho. It was shortly after this that they decided to move to the Wichita, Kansas area. It was there that Marshall, who was an ordained Seventh-day Adventist minister, had furthered the outreach ministry that he had started while pastoring on the east coast of the United States. At first, this ministry was conducted under the auspices of the local conference and Union Conference in mid-America, but later it became necessary to be totally independent of the organizations connected with the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and conduct a ministry in what Ellen White described as “irregular lines.”

Ruth and John again purchased five acres of land a few miles from the Steps to Life Ministry offices. They put a modular house on it, planted fruit trees and berries and also tended the grapes that were on the property. They lived there until another tragedy hit the family. John was struck by a car and instantly killed in April of 2000. Ruth was about 50 feet away and witnessed this fatal accident.

Ruth worked in the ministry of Steps to Life in almost every department, and over the last several years she was the main receptionist, answering the telephone during business hours and responding by letter to inquiries as well as writing material for LandMarks magazine. Her heart was in the finishing of God’s work in the world. She reminded our staff over and over again about our need to pray for brotherly love for all human beings and our great need to pray for and receive the Holy Spirit. Ruth was no stranger to tragedy but this only strengthened her faith. She was looked to for counsel by people all over the world and she was often called for advice, or simply a word of encouragement.

Ruth was an astute observer about the happenings in the church among the professed people of God and also world events. She was an early riser ever since her youth when she had to have the cows milked before going to school and she studied her Bible and the writings of Ellen White every morning. She was very concerned about the state of apostasy that she saw everywhere among God’s professed people. She loved poetry and had several books of poems that she used to read. At 93 years of age she still raised a garden and baked bread every week or two as well as canning and freezing fruit every summer.

Ruth had studied nutrition on her own in order to know how best to provide her family with a healthful diet and later studied nutrition at the University of Colorado. She was well-read in the area of natural remedies, hydrotherapy, and natural treatments.

Grandma Ruth, as she was affectionately called by many, worked her last day on December 31, 2009. She will be sadly missed by all of her family as well as many others who had the privilege of associating with her. We look forward to a glad reunion with her and all others who arrive at character perfection in the very near future.

Pastor John Grosboll is Director of Steps to Life and pastors the Prairie Meadow Church in Wichita, Kansas. He may be contacted by e-mail at: historic@stepstolife.org, or by telephone at: (316) 788-5559.

Don’t Take the Lord’s Name in Vain

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Exodus 20:1–4, 7 says, “And God spoke all these words, saying.” We need to take note that what follows is the beginning of the Ten Commandments spoken by the voice of the Lord. This is His preamble to the constitution of grace. “I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” Verse 2.

He is your Deliverer and He is delivering you out of darkness into His light. He is cutting you free from the cord of the wicked that binds you. He says to listen and learn from the holy principles of His universal government, the constitution of His grace, His divine directive that sustains and maintains all that He has created. His commandments are ten promises of what He will do in your life if you will just surrender control over to Him.

“You shall have no other gods before me.” Verse 3. I will cause you to know my love for you and to understand My power. I will be your Father and will be the object of your worship when you come to know me.

“You shall not make for yourself any carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them or serve them.” Verse 4. He is delivering you from false worship. You will not be like the pagans who create their own gods rather than to worship their creator God. Your life will be marked by reverence for Him in contrast to being marred by malice, deceit, vanity and emptiness.

“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.” Verse 7.

There are serious consequences for breaking the third commandment and taking God’s name in vain. Why are we held guilty if we take His name in vain? What acts do we commit that amount to taking His name in vain?

To understand this we must understand the majesty of the Lawgiver as Nehemiah did when he said in Nehemiah 9:5, 6, “Stand up and bless the Lord your God Forever and ever! Blessed be Your glorious name, Which is exalted above all blessing and praise! You alone are the Lord; You have made heaven, The heaven of heavens, with all their host, The earth and everything on it, The seas and all that is therein, And You preserved them all. The host of heaven worships You.”

God says to fear, stand in awe and reverence of His glorious and awesome name, the Lord your God (Deuteronomy 28:58).

The Bible refers to God by many names and all reflect His character and represent the glory of God, including His word in His law which is a transcript of His character.

God revealed His glory to Moses. This is a conversation that God had with Moses after Moses had swung those first tables of the Ten Commandments to the ground and broke them. In Exodus 33:17–23, “The Lord said to Moses, ‘I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by name.’ And he replied, ‘Please show me Your glory.’ Then God said, ‘I will make all My goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.’ But He said, ‘You cannot see My face; for no man can see Me, and live.’ And the Lord said, ‘Here is a place by Me, and you shall stand on a rock. So it shall be, when My glory passes by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand while I pass by. Then I will take away My hand, and you shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen.’ ”

Continue on in Exodus 34:6, 7:

“And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, ‘The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children unto the third and to the fourth generation.’ ”

What was Moses’ response to this revealed glory? In verse 8 it says, “Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped.”

God proclaimed His name as referencing His glory, His character. That is why His name is so exalted.

David wrote,

“I will worship toward Your holy temple, And praise Your name For your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word even above all Your name. In the day when I called, You answered me, And you strengthened me with strength in my inner self.” Psalm 138:2, 3.

Why does God magnify His word even above His name? Because, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1. He became flesh and tabernacled among us. We have to recognize the majesty of the name of God, which represents His character.

When we take His name in vain, we are slandering His character. Do any of us take God’s name in vain?

We need to look at the spirit of the law and not just the letter. I would have never thought that I took the Lord’s name in vain. As I studied this, I found myself asking God to forgive me. The beauty of getting deep into the word of God is that the more we study His law, the mirror, we realize there is dirt on our own face and we recognize our great need for a Savior. Hebrews 4:12 says, “The word of God is alive and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, even to the point of judging the intentions of our heart and our thoughts.”

There are four categories in taking the name of the Lord in vain.

When we first think of someone taking God’s name in vain we think of the ungodly, disrespectful, unbelieving, sacrilegious person who uses God’s name as an irreverent byword—a curse word.

Swearing falsely is also taking God’s name in vain; not performing our oaths to the Lord.

Becoming wearied by the requirements of true worship and offering less than our best to God is taking His name in vain.

Hypocrisy—dishonesty, double-minded behavior, insincere, empty talk, not walking the talk, deceitful rebellion against God’s governing regulations; in other words, disobedience. That is taking God’s name in vain.

Ungodly and Irreverent

The first category is the ungodly, irreverent people who use His name as a byword.

At the last company I worked for before going into full-time ministry, the director was a computer programmer. This man used God’s name in vain and that irreverent byword all throughout the day. Everybody was very intimidated by this man because if you got on his bad side, he would not help you and without his help, you could not do your job because he was the program computer developer.

I was so grieved that I could not help but speak up. When I told him what the name of the Lord meant to me and how I felt when he did this, rather than respecting me, he got worse. As he ignored my request I realized that this is the one who God would say is an enemy against God. Psalm 139:19, 20 says, “Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God! … For they speak against You wickedly; Your enemies take Your name in vain.”

Each time he would do this I determined in my heart that I was not just going to let it go by. Every time he would use the name of the Lord in vain around me I would say, “The name of the Lord is great and greatly to be praised. Give glory to His holy name.” Psalm 48:1; I Chronicles 16:29. I want to tell you that this irritated him to no end.

Finally, one day he came to me and said, “I am tired of you doing that.” I said, “You have got to be kidding. You are upset by me saying this?” I sat and talked with him more and this man became a good friend and he did not take the name of the Lord in vain anymore. Not just around me, but he quit taking the name of the Lord in vain around others. God gave me favor with this man.

As Christians, we are to be especially careful to reverence God’s name. We need to take caution not to use His name as a byword in careless phrases as, “Oh my God,” or “God only knows,” or “I swear to God.” We need to be careful not to use His name lightly in jesting. People are sending a lot of jokes about Jesus and Satan and they will say that they are so cute. Please don’t send those to me. They grieve my soul, because the name of the Lord is great and greatly to be praised and we need to give glory to Him that is due glory.

As Christians, we need to be careful never to offer a prayer in a robotic jesting manner, casually repeating canned and clever phrases. That is taking His name in vain. Prayer is a great privilege and when we come to Him we should pause for just a moment as we think about this great God who tells us we can call Him Abba.

Jesus taught us in Matthew 6:9 how to pray. He said, “In this manner, therefore pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed it be Your name.” What does it mean to be hallowed? It means to be kept holy. Jesus was saying, “Our Father, your name is to be kept holy” and Jesus did keep it holy.

When He was praying in the garden before he went to Gethsemane, in John 17:11, He said, “Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are one.” It goes on in verse 25, “O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me.”

Jesus addressed His Father as holy and righteous. Should we not also likewise worship in the same manner?

Swearing Falsely

The second category of taking God’s name in vain is swearing falsely, not performing our oaths to the Lord. Leviticus 19:12 says, “You shall not swear by My name falsely, nor shall you profane the name of the Lord your God: I am the Lord.” God wants us to be serious. Let our yes be yes and our no be no.

Jesus said, “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ But I say unto you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ be ‘No.’ For whatsoever is more than these is from the evil one.” Matthew 5:33–37. How cautious we need to be.

Becoming Weary

The third category of taking His name in vain is when we become wearied by the requirements of true worship and offer less than our best.

As I studied this out I thought, Lord, I let my schedule get so crammed that sometimes I am going off to do a revival series somewhere and I am studying on the plane to get the message and I feel sometimes that I am giving God less than my best.

God is speaking about offering polluted things beginning in Malachi 1:6–10: “ ‘A son honors his father, And a servant his master. Then if I am the Father, Where is My honour? If I am the Master, Where is my reverence? Said the Lord of hosts To you priests who despise My name. And yet you say, ‘In what way have we despised Your name?’ You offer defiled food on My altar. But say, ‘In what way have we defiled You?’ By saying, ‘The table of the Lord is contemptible.’ And when you offer the blind as a sacrifice, Is it not evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? Offer it then to your governor! Will he be pleased with you? Will he accept you favorably? Says the Lord of hosts. But now I entreat God’s favor, That He may be gracious to us. While this is being done by your hands, Will He accept you favorably? Says the Lord of hosts. Who is there even among you that would shut the doors, So that you would not kindle fire on My altar in vain? I have no pleasure in you, Says the Lord of hosts, Nor will I accept an offering from your hand.”

The priests and the people had found God’s requirements for sacrifice and worship contemptible. Are we not a holy nation, a royal priesthood—is this not also applicable to us? When they found the requirements for worship contemptible, God found their acts of worship contemptible. In fact, He said, Who among you would shut the door—shut the door to the church? Don’t kindle an offering in vain to me. I would rather the doors be shut. God help us!

Have we forgotten the reverence due a holy God? Have we become so overly familiar with Him that we forget to stand in awe and honor of the Almighty God? Has church become a social club? Do we come to honor Him in truth and spirit, or do we come to be entertained, or even worse, to be wearied, because the sermons are too long? Do we criticize the message from Scripture when we are called to magnify the word of God?

God says,

“ ‘For from the rising of the sun, even to its going down, My name shall be great among the Gentiles; In every place incense shall be offered to My name, And a pure offering; For My name shall be great among the nations,’ Says the Lord of hosts.” Malachi 1:11.

God is telling them that He has a solution. If His people won’t correct their behavior He will raise up a people who will worship Him with gratefulness and purity in their hearts.

“But you have profaned my name, In what you say, ‘The table of the Lord is defiled; And its food is contemptible.’ You said also, ‘Oh what a weariness!’ And you have sneered at it, Says the Lord of hosts.” Malachi 1:12, 13.

The priests profaned and perverted sacred things. They provoked God by profaning His holy name, taking His name in vain. They may have started in full-time ministry with the right heart and the right spirit but they became polluted with pride. They sneered at the offering in which they were to give—they thought it too little, too plain for them, contemptible. They thought that they deserved more because they served in the temple.

Continuing on in verses 13, 14,

“ ‘You bring the stolen, and the lame, and the sick; Thus you bring an offering! Should I accept this from your hand?’ Says the Lord. ‘But cursed be the deceiver Who has in his flock a male, And takes a vow, But sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished—For I am a great King,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘And My name is to be feared among the nations.’ ”

The people had reckless disregard for the holy ordinances. The sacrifices they brought and the sacrifices that were accepted were substandard. It was not their best. They felt, it was enough just to come to the altar of sacrifice and they did not need to bring an acceptable offering. Surely they did not need to read their Sabbath School lesson before they came to Sabbath School.

He is a holy God whom we should worship in holiness, reverence, spirit and in truth. They had become wearied by real worship. God said, their offerings were offered in vain. He was not pleased with their acts of taking His name in vain.

As Christians in our home, are we blaspheming the name of the Lord, taking it in vain? Do our children see us arguing, fighting and not loving in character? Do they see us doing the very things that we tell them not to do? That is taking God’s name in vain.

Wherever you go, people are watching. If you get impatient in line and you think you are entitled to better treatment and you get all puffed up, you are taking God’s name in vain. You are profaning the name of the Lord and that causes people to blaspheme the name of God.

Hypocrisy

The fourth category is hypocrisy: dishonesty, double-minded behavior, insincere, empty talk, not walking the talk, deceitful rebellion against God’s governing regulations.

The Strong’s Concordance defines vain as emptiness, vanity, falsehood and nothingness, emptiness of speech, lying and worthlessness of conduct. That is taking God’s name in vain.

Jesus in Mark 7:6, 7, 9, 13 says, “He answered and said unto them, Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. In vain do they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ He said, All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your own tradition. Making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.”

How cautious we need to be that we are not taking God’s name in vain.

The following Scripture should compel each one of us to check our spiritual pulse. In Matthew 7:21–23 Jesus says, “Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name? And in Your name have cast out demons? And done many wonders in Your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ ”

To these who thought they were in full-time ministry, doing the work of the Lord and professing the name of the Lord, Jesus says, “I don’t know you.” Professing the name is not what qualifies us for heaven. Obedience through His grace and by His divine power qualifies and equips us to enter the kingdom of heaven.

Those who called on Him were calling on Him in pretense only. They were not walking in obedience or in surrender to God. They were not really His followers, because they did not practice the Father’s revealed will. They were deceiving themselves into thinking that their own form of worship was enough. Yet they refused to practice His will.

Paul writes, “The Lord knows those who are His. Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” II Timothy 2:19. If we profess the name of the Lord, we must live according to the profession. We need to depart from our lawless ways; otherwise we are nothing more than hypocrites who are taking His name in vain and practicing a useless religion.

“Therefore shall you keep My commandments, and perform them: I am the Lord. You shall not profane My holy name, but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel: I am the Lord Who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the Lord.” Leviticus 22:31.

By His grace He has promised to sanctify us and we will not then hypocritically take His name in vain. God’s commandments become His promises of what He will do in us if we will surrender to Him.

It is all about coming to the Lord and surrendering and saying, “Father I need you; I recognize my sinfulness. Work in me to will and to act according to your good purpose.”

“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace towards me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was in me.” I Corinthians 15:10.

The grace of God is more than His unmerited favor. Jesus Christ, your gift from God, is your only hope of glory. The Holy Spirit is the second greatest gift of God who works in us and allows God to do abundantly more than we could ever think or ask. And the word of God, the sanctifying, transforming power of the word of God, is another gift of His grace.

Do we call Him Saviour and refuse to accept His gift of salvation by grace? That is taking His name in vain. We are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do the good works that He prepared before Him that we should do.

He says in I John 2:3–6, “Now by this we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, I know him, and does not keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought also himself to walk just as he walked.”

Do we call Him Lord and refuse to do as he commanded? If so, we take His name in vain.

Shelley Quinn’s sermon was taken from the Ten Commandment Weekend, 2008 series aired on 3ABN. For more information contact www.3ABN.org.

Habits are Forever

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Have you ever wondered what makes a person who he is? When Jesus comes, our bodies will be changed when the mortal body that we now occupy puts on immortality (I Corinthians 13 and 15). Even though our physical appearance will have changed, we will still be the same person. What makes us who we are is our character, and this character is formed by our habits.

When Jesus comes, I am sure that we will not recognize some people. Imagine someone who was very old, and who was deformed because of an accident. When you meet them, all the scars will be gone and they will appear young and healthier than they ever were during their life on this earth. You probably would not recognize them by their appearance, but you will know them because they will have the same habits and personality as they had when you knew them in this world.

Job knew that he would be the same person when He met His God. While he laid suffering from the boils that encompassed his body, he looked forward to the great day when he would meet his Maker. He said about this, “Whom I shall see for myself, And my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!” Job 19:27. Job’s body was so sick and wounded that he may not have been recognizable to his friends, but when Jesus comes, he will not have any boils; he will have a completely new, healthy body. Yet, he will still be the same person with the same thoughts, the same emotions and the same habits that he had developed in this life.

“We shall be individually, for time and eternity, what our habits make us.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 452. Now that can be a very wonderful thought if our habits are good, or it can be a rather discouraging thought if our habits are not good. Thank the Lord that in His power our habits can change, because every one of us have developed some that are undesirable that we would like to change. However, changing our habits is not an easy thing to do. Jeremiah wrote, “Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil.” Jeremiah 13:23. Day by day, as we form habits, they become more and more firmly established and someday, when we are sealed, they will never be able to be changed. Either we will be sealed with good habits or we will be sealed with bad habits.

However, there is no need to become disheartened. The Lord can help us do what looks impossible to us, and would be impossible in our own strength. Later, in this article, we will study how the Lord can help us do the seemingly impossible, but first I would like to look at one other aspect of habits that we need to study carefully.

What We Might Have Become

Did you know that there are not only bad habits, which will keep us out of Heaven if they are not overcome, but also good habits which we need to cultivate? There are some habits that may not be such that they would keep us out of heaven, but they could greatly affect us throughout eternity. For years, I struggled with what it means when it describes these habits in Christ’s Object Lessons, 363. Consider it with me carefully, and we will see if we can better understand it. “For all that we might become through the right use of our talents God holds us responsible. We shall be judged according to what we ought to have done, but did not accomplish because we did not use our powers to glorify God. Even if we do not lose our souls, we shall realize in eternity the result of our unused talents. For all the knowledge and ability that we might have gained and did not, there will be an eternal loss.”

I read and re-read that passage, and wondered, how could that be? How could it be through the billions and billions of years of eternity that there would be an eternal loss because I did not develop some talent here on earth? If I do not learn to play the piano well here, I will have a million years to practice up there. What difference does it make? If I do not learn to speak correctly here, I will have a million years to learn there. All that really matters is that I make it there, right? And yet, this statement startled me. I thought, What in the world does this mean? Could I get to heaven and yet not have all that I could have and have to endure some eternal loss?

I also pondered over what Paul says about this in I Corinthians 3:11–15: “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become manifest [clear]; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it, endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”

Paul here is talking about people who will be saved in heaven, but they will be saved with a loss. Jesus taught in the parable of the talents that the one who had the most talents was given another one. Could it be that those who develop their talents in this life will receive more talents in heaven? That seems to be indicated in Matthew 10 and Matthew 25. But it goes even beyond that. We take our characters with us to heaven. Those characters that are firmly established on earth will be the characters that will last throughout eternity.

Why is it that those who do poorly in grade school continue to do poorly in high school and college? Is it simply because they do not have the knowledge to make it? No, it is because the habits they developed in grade school go on with them to high school and the habits they had in high school go on with them to college.

Young people go to college and think, “I have not done well in the past, but now I will turn over a new leaf.” I tried to do this, and it was one of the hardest things I have ever done. I had to seek the Lord’s help, and I thank Him that He brought me through.

Some young people enter college with such poor habits that they flunk. (That is like those who will not make it to heaven at all.) Others have not developed the best habits, but at least they make it through college by plodding along. Although they never really develop their abilities to the utmost, at least they still graduate. And yet, throughout their lives, they carry a loss because they did not learn all that they could have.

There is one more group of college students. These are the ones who have learned to utilize their time, learned to concentrate, developed their memory and learned how to listen during their early school years, and they carry these skills into their college years. They are blessed throughout life. This is the way it will be in heaven. Some will not make it at all because they have developed such bad habits. But others, who have not developed specific bad habits, but have not developed all the talents God has given them, when they get to heaven they will carry the loss throughout eternity.

Habits Seldom Changed

When is the easiest time for habits to be developed? Sister White counseled parents in Child Guidance: “What the child sees and hears is drawing deep lines upon the tender mind, which no after circumstance in life can entirely efface. The intellect is now taking shape, and the affections receiving direction and strength. Repeated acts in a given course become habits. These may be modified by severe training, in afterlife, but they are seldom changed.” Child Guidance, 199, 200.

You know by your own experience that this is true. Very few people ever change the habits they develop in their youth. These habits are retained throughout life, usually with little modification. However, God’s prophet did not leave us without hope. Although these bad habits are “seldom changed,” it is not impossible to change them if we allow God’s spirit to work in our hearts.

Yet it is true that the older one gets, the harder it is to change. But we cannot let this be an excuse. Hard or not, now is the time to make the needed changes. If a person is fifty years old they may say, “I am too old to change now. If I were fifteen years old, I could have done it. But I guess I will just have to wait until I get to heaven to change my habits.” That will not happen!

If it is hard to change after fifty years, how hard do you think it will be to change after five hundred or five thousand years? Now is the time to make the necessary changes to our characters. Someone says, “Oh, heaven is not like that. Whatever we have been like here, if we simply make it, somehow we will immediately be little saints when we get to heaven.”

Lucifer found a way to become discontented, rebellious and jealous. It all happened in heaven, which shows that it can go on there. That is why God has to make sure that our characters are developed here so that we will be safe to be saved in heaven. Our characters will not be changed after we arrive in heaven. The personality that we have here is the personality that we will have there. Job said, “When God comes, I will see Him for myself. It will be me, not someone else.” It will be our characters that we take to heaven—if we get there, by God’s grace.

Character Fit for Heaven

The following are several quotations from the pen of inspiration on this subject. Here we can see exactly what God’s expectations are for us. “We are here to form perfect characters for heaven.” The Review and Herald, July 13, 1886.

“An important work is before us. We are to obtain a moral fitness for heaven.” Ibid., July 6, 1886. That is what this life is all about. Just like college is to prepare us intellectually to carry on a business or a profession, so this life is the fitting up place for heaven.

“Those who would be saints in heaven, must first be saints upon the earth; for when we leave this earth, we shall take our characters with us.” Ibid., August 19, 1890. Whatever you want to be like in heaven, that is what you must be like here.

Heaven will be a happy place for everyone who gets there, because no one will get there who has not learned to be happy. In The Signs of the Times, November 14, 1892, we read: “Let no unkind words fall from the lips of those who compose the home circle. Make the atmosphere fragrant with tender thoughtfulness of others. Only those will enter heaven who in probationary time have formed a character that breathes a heavenly influence. The saint in heaven must first be a saint upon the earth. The habits of speech, the character of our actions, put a mould upon us; and that which we cultivate in our association with others in this life, goes down into the grave with us, and will be unchanged when we shall come up from the grave. Many are deceiving themselves by thinking that the character will be transformed at the coming of Christ; but there will be no conversion of heart at his appearing. Our defects of character must here be repented of, and through the grace of Christ we must overcome them while probation shall last. This is the place for fitting up for the family above.”

“How long a time are you designing to take to prepare to be introduced into the society of heavenly angels in glory? In the state which you and your family are in at present, all heaven would be marred should you be introduced therein. The work for you must be done here. This earth is the fitting-up place. You have not one moment to lose. All is harmony, peace, and love in heaven. No discord, no strife, no censoring, no unloving words, no clouded brows, no jars there; and no one will be introduced there who possesses any of these elements so destructive to peace and happiness. Study to be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate, laying up for yourselves a good foundation against the time to come, that you may lay hold on everlasting life.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 705, 706.

“What can be done for you? Do you design to wait until Jesus comes in the clouds of heaven? Will He make you all over new when He comes? Oh, no, this will not be done then. The fitting up must be done here; all the hewing and squaring must take place here upon earth, in the hours of probation. You must be fitted up here; the last blow must be given here.” Ellen G. White, vol. 2, The Progressive Years, 1862–1876, 95. (By Arthur L. White). The longer one waits to begin the overcoming process, the more difficult it becomes. But thank the Lord that no one is so old and so entrenched in habits that God cannot change him or her if they really want to change. God has promised extra grace—grace sufficient for every need.

This extra measure of grace is given to us through the ministry of the Holy Spirit and the angels, and their help is available in this life only. We have not been promised these extra gifts in heaven, for it is here in this life that the grace is needed. Without this added grace, we are in the situation that Paul described in Romans 7:18, 19; “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do.”

Paul realized that without help, he could do nothing at all about his evil tendencies. So what did he do? Did he just sit back and say, “Well, God, You will just have to accept me as I am because I cannot change. I know that You will take care of perfecting my character when I get to heaven?” No, he cried, “Oh wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Romans 7:24, 25. He realized that alone he could do nothing, and that he could not take his sinful character to heaven. So, he looked to Christ as his hope.

Overcoming With the Spirit

Paul explained more about this hope in Romans 8:3, 4: “For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”

Paul had some habits of the flesh that he wanted to overcome but could not in his own strength. Have you ever been convicted about something that needed to be changed in your life, but you have tried and found you cannot change? That is where Paul was. Some have been convicted about smoking. They have tried and tried and they just cannot break it. They are slaves to this wicked habit. Other people are impatient. They do not want to be nor do they mean to be impatient. But though they try hard, they are still impatient. It is seemingly impossible to overcome the habit. Some are afflicted with habits of laziness. They do not have enough get-up-and-go to even read their Bibles or the Spirit of Prophecy. There are still others who have developed habits of lust over years and years and they are constantly thinking thoughts of lust and they cannot break free from them. The list of evil habits that we have developed goes on and on: gluttony, fretfulness, worrying, daydreaming, envying, etc.

Just like Paul we want to overcome, but we cannot. What is our only hope? Paul tells us: “For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” Romans 8:13. [Emphasis supplied.]

There has to be a new birth in each of our lives. The old life must be a crucified and be resurrected to a new life in Jesus who came down to make this possible. Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say unto you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3.

It takes the crucifixion, death and burial of the old life, and a resurrection to a new life of holiness. Is that possible? Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13. This is not just an empty phrase. It is a promise and it is guaranteed by the infinite power of the God of the universe.

Replacing the Old with the New

Our old, acquired habits that do not reflect the sunshine of obedience and the trust of heaven must be put off. Yet this, in itself, is not enough. We must also develop good habits. The Christian life is not just a matter of don’t do this or don’t do that; it also involves developing what is good.

It is not good enough to simply overcome fretfulness. We must then go on to cultivate cheerfulness. It is not good enough to just overcome lust. We must then learn to develop the true, holy and sanctified love that God wants each one of us to have. It is not good enough to just overcome worrying; we must develop a faith that will carry us through every trial and every perplexity. It is not good enough to just overcome grumbling. We must develop an attitude of praise and thanksgiving that, as Paul said, is thankful in every situation.

There is a parable in Luke 11:24–26 about a man who had an unclean spirit. That means he had bad habits that he could not overcome. These were such bad habits that the devil actually took over his life in some of these areas. The Lord came and cast out the demon and set this man free. The demon then went out from this man, it says in verse 24, and went “through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none.” So then this demon said, “I will return to my house from which I came. And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man was worse than the first.” It is impossible to have an empty life forever. Sooner or later that vacuum will be filled with something. If it is not filled with what is good, it will be filled with what is evil. Today is the only day that God has given us to develop habits that will make us the kind of people who will be happy in heaven throughout eternity.

When Jesus comes there will be two classes of people: those who have changed and those who have remained the same. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” II Corinthians 5:17.

Again recall the statement that we looked at in the beginning, from Testimonies, vol. 4, 452: “We shall be individually, for time and for eternity, what our habits make us.” Stop and think about the habits that you have formed throughout your life. What habits do you have that must be overcome, that will keep you from entering heaven? What talents have you neglected developing? Do you want to suffer an eternal loss because you did not gain all the knowledge or ability you might have?

Let us fix our minds on the goal to be won, and press toward the mark. Now is the probationary time that we have been allotted. Do not despair, my dear friend. Our Savior and all the host of heaven are near to help you in this work. No one is too weak or too sinful to be saved if they will fully surrender themselves to God. This is my prayer for each of you.

Pastor Marshall Grosboll, with his wife Lillian, founded Steps to Life. In July 1991, Pastor Marshall and his family met with tragedy as they were returning home from a camp meeting in Washington State, when the airplane he was piloting went down, killing all on board.

Dangerous Path – Secret Protector

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As I looked out of the window, I knew I was in trouble. Two men, who I knew to be hit men, drove up in front of the little house where I lived with my little girl. I had crossed one of the leaders of a group I seemed to have become a part of and I knew my number was up. At that point I did not know God as a Father, but as a God of wrath. Still the familiar words came out, “Oh God, help me.” I watched as they got out of their car and headed toward the gate in my front yard. Time froze at that window as I watched them draw nearer; then, all of a sudden they turned quickly and headed back toward their car. My eyes looked again and, amazingly, there was my grandmother walking toward the gate of my yard. This was the first time she had ever come to my home and at just the time when I needed somebody to intervene, God did it through my grandmother. I know my life was spared.

Grandma stayed for a little while and I knew that when she left, those men would be back. I phoned my mother in Minnesota and told her that I was in real trouble. I grabbed my little girl and a few clothes and left that house never to return again. I did not know God, but He loved me even in the midst of all the filth.

After staying with Mom for a short period in Minnesota where she tried to redirect me, my brother offered that I could stay with him and his family in Idaho until I got settled. I had not yet turned my life around when we moved in with them and several weeks later my sister-in-law found some drugs on me. Before I knew it, my brother asked me to leave because they were concerned for the safety of their children. Now I had no place to go and knew nobody in that area. My little girl and I lived in my car for about two weeks. One morning a very nice lady knocked on my car window and asked me if we would like to stay in her little camper until I could find some place to live. She was concerned about my daughter. Amazing how God stepped in again!

Later, I decided to go back to my home town and ended back in with some of the old friends. One night after joining with these friends in some drugs, I lost my mind. I don’t know what happened for several hours. I was told that I just sat and stared with no response. After three hours with no improvement my friends became afraid for me and decided to take me into the hospital. I suddenly started asking for my little girl so they went and picked her up from the sitter and brought her to me. She started screaming and crying, “Mommy, Mommy!” Suddenly I snapped out of it and immediately realized how close I had come to insanity and even death. I cried and squeezed my daughter. Looking back now I know that God had put her into my life especially for that moment. I am amazed how often God stepped in.

After that experience, needless to say, I quit drugs, but still had not changed anything else in my life.drug

God had another plan for me. Shortly afterward my brother and his family were in a horrific car accident. His wife and eldest daughter were killed instantly but my brother and the youngest were still alive. I immediately caught a flight to see him though it was only to be for a few minutes. He was unable to talk because of the tubes down his throat and up his nose. Oh! What a mess! I told him I loved him and I know that when he reached out and touched me, that he loved me also. I told him I would be back in later but I never saw him alive again, as he died.

Oh, I was heartsick and blamed God. I believed that my brother was in heaven so I tried to contact him. He never answered, so I thought I needed to become a witch and then I could contact him. I picked up witchcraft books and started incantations, etc. Oh my; I look back now and see how God had His hand over me again and I did not even know it.

Finally, I came back to reality and considered what my brother would have wanted me to do with my life. The first thing I did was to quit where I was working because it was not a nice place and my brother never did approve of me being there. I went back to school for training and ended up working in law offices. Had it not been for my brother’s death, I would not be here because the thought of changing my life had not occurred before this. God truly works in mysterious ways. He knew that was the only way He could get my attention—through my brother’s death.

As I started working in my new field, I fitted in well with the lawyers and I was outspoken, etc. After several years, I received a flyer from a friend advertising a healthful cooking class. Since I had not been feeling well, I decided to attend. I thoroughly enjoyed it as it was a most wonderful and informative class. On the last night we were asked to fill out a card and to check whether or not we wanted Bible studies. I do not know why I checked yes, but I did. Amazing how the Spirit works!

On the first night of the arranged Bible studies something happened that changed my life. Jesus was presented to me in such a way that I broke down in tears. What a loving Savior. I thought of all those wasted years that I did not know Him and His Father.

I now had such a yearning to learn more of my Savior. I was so diligent in studying and I went the extra mile and read the Spirit of Prophecy. I just could not keep myself away from the Word of God and Spirit of Prophecy and I gave my heart and my all to God and His Son, Jesus Christ.

I look back and can see God’s hand in protecting me in so many instances. Behold what manner of love He had for me, a sinner—a chief of sinners. Now I am truly free in Him.

The law office where I worked soon noticed the change in me. They even quit cursing, etc., around me—it was a totally different atmosphere that was created.

God had a plan for me, but first He had to get my attention. Now He had my attention and my dad came down with cancer. I was able to share with him about the love of Jesus and before he died, he said he gave his heart to Jesus.

Early one morning while studying, God moved upon my heart to move to Minnesota. I said, “No Lord, not Minnesota.” But the impression was so strong to go tell the remaining family what God had done in my life.

I moved, and the first couple of years were rough because they all thought I was a member of a cult. Mom started having strokes so I stayed with her in the evenings. I would get her tucked in and go out and spend time reading and singing. She would come out and ask me why I was always so happy and humming. I was always singing Scripture songs in my heart. I would say it was Jesus; do you want to hear about Him? She would say no. One night I was spending time with God and He so impressed me to go back and tell Mom about Jesus, and I said, “No Lord, she does not want to hear about Him.” But the Lord kept moving upon my heart, so I went back and I said, “Momma, do you want to hear about Jesus?” Amazingly she said yes, so I sat her up and we talked. That was the first time I had ever prayed with Momma. Those were very special moments. The next morning she had a massive stroke.

Did God have a plan for my life? Yes, and if I had not followed, many would not have heard about Jesus. My sister has now given her heart to the Lord. God has saved me from much and now He is working through me to touch others.

I am so thankful for a God who loved me before I knew Him. I am so thankful for a God who protected me from the Devil’s wrath that was trying to destroy me. I praise God for the life He has given me and I treasure each moment.

I look back and I know why Grandma showed up at my gate that day. It was the only time she had been there. It was because God loved me and had plans for my life. I look back and I can see God’s hand of protection over me. I know why all those things happened and there are many more experiences I could share. I can honestly say that truly, I “know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:28–31.

Because He lives, I live and I can face tomorrow with joy in my heart. He has predestined me for a high calling and I choose to follow Him because He first loved me. Truly, if God be for us, who can be against us (Romans 8:31)? God has saved me from much. He has given me a life and I have returned it to Him for His use and for His glory.

“Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies.” Psalm 103:1-–4.

Judy Hallingstad is on the LandMarks team. She can be contacted by email at: judyhallingstad@stepstolife.org.

Rescued in Time

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This is a true testimony of my life. In all I have learned one thing:

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”
Jeremiah 29:11.

I was born about 23 years ago in a remote village in the western part of Kenya. Should I say that I was lucky to be born into a middle well-off family? No, I wasn’t lucky; better to be born in Garisa (a town so dry and arid there is NO farming).

At the age of 7 years, my mother passed away while undergoing an operation in one of the hospitals in Kenya. Why just Mum? This is a question to which I have never got the answer. I loved her so much more than Dad because Daddy was a very harsh man.

Secondly, Mum always called me Papa, meaning her father, as I had inherited my grandfather’s name. Before her death I never knew anything about it nor imagined what would happen when someone died. On receiving the message of her death—never to see her again, I never stopped crying—it haunted me a lot! I developed very low self-esteem for I lost my mother, somebody close to me, the one who loved me.

Marriage in Kenya depends on a man’s wealth. A poor man will often stay single or have one wife, but being rich even makes some devoted Christians fall into polygamy. After Mum passed away, several other mamas replaced her and as I talk now, three still survive, each of them struggling for a portion of that wealth for themselves and their children.

I thank God that He made me a bright student in all of my education levels. This did not please my family members because jealousy has been the order of the day. No house wants the other to prosper. That disadvantaged me even more as I lacked someone—my Mum—to have a direct say for me to my father.

Although with a lot of difficulty convincing Mzee—father—to pay school fees, I managed to get the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education Examination (KCSE) in 2004, passing with a grade B plain grade which is above the required level of C+ to qualify for university entry.

Do you think things worked well for me after this? No! Matters became even worse. This education level cannot secure you a good job anywhere. You must be a graduate. One of my stepmothers proposed that I go and search for a job in Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya. Yes, it is a thought, but many Kenyans hang out there jobless, though they even hold degrees, but in fields where no employment is available.

In September 2009, I had applied for an admission at KCA University in Nairobi. Having paid a registration fee of $560.00 U.S. dollars plus another $2,000 for tuition and examination fees for the first year to their examination body with the money I received for being a polling clerk in the 2007 general elections in Kenya, my family totally refused to support me with any additional expenses. Totally refused! In this earthly kingdom, fortunate are they who have mothers, for then they have someone to promote their case and their grievances shall be heard by their fathers. My family then decided to corrupt the whole issue more than not advancing my studies; five years ago, my younger sister was allowed to take my position. Why? Why? Only that she had a mother to push her case while I was left behind.

These past years have been very difficult for me without hope, without an education and without family who cared about me. I sank so low that I decided to leave and lose my life in River Yala. On that day I was tired in my heart, but on my way to the river I remembered a verse I had read from one of the Christian magazines quoted from Mark 8:36: “For what shall it benefit a man to gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” Contemplating that day how students at times die in road accidents just days before their graduations and some men and women get sick and lose their health and die suddenly leaving their homes and everything, I convinced myself that all of these things have no benefits anyway; life is so uncertain. I should win my own soul today, but what then? There was still nothing to look forward to in this life. The battle continued as the two sides raged in my head. Die, because you may convince yourself that life will get better for now, but troubles still wait for you—no university studies, eat at someone’s mercy, the continued burden of stress. O Lord, Ah! No! Seek refuge from a country far from your home? Then what? I felt that going with the water was the only option for me—be eaten by klate animals and in all, forgotten! After all, who was there to miss me; who was there who would care? I had no one, so I thought, but I was oblivious to the unseen Watcher who saw and knew all.

Praise the Lord! God performed a miracle just at the right time when I could not sink any lower. A sound was being heard from far off. What was it? As I got nearer to the river, the louder and clearer it became. The message from those loud speakers* started attracting my attention. It was a Saturday! “Karibu tufurahi Sabato.” Welcome to a happy Sabbath were the words I heard from a distance of about three kilometers on the other side of the river. I decided to stop and listen to the music first. I enjoyed it so much that I walked toward its direction. At last I came to the source of the music and found that it was coming from what looked like somebody’s home. I thought, Is this a church or someone’s home where the family is just trying to enjoy life with music? I passed by the home, not entering, being respectful of private property and then sat down just behind the fence. (Due to earlier family differences and traditions, conducting church in someone’s private home hinders many villages to attend services in Bunyore.)

One young man coming from the other way on that pathway noticed me from a distance that I was really enjoying the music and approached me, giving me a warm handshake welcoming me to the Sabbath. “Do you know me?” I asked. The man said no, but he was just trying to invite me in. I was convinced to enter the home. Oh, it was a church in someone’s home!

I was welcomed with much love and when I testified what I was just going through at that time and my intention to end my life, Evangelist Jeremiah Otemo immediately ran to his house to bring several Bible literature books and quoted the verses that were written for the last days, parents refusing their own children.

After the Sabbath they did not allow me to go. I stayed with them for some days and on my departure, I was given a Bible and other Christian literature books to influence me more. Since that day, I visit them every two Sabbaths each month, as I stay about 28 kms from the home church. I am now fully observing, among others, the fourth commandment, keeping the Sabbath whether at college in Kisumu or at my new home (Jeremiah’s). I enjoy sharing with others the love of (1 John 4:8) God, attending Sabbath school and reading the gospel literature which keeps me busy in research for my vision of authoring and publishing books. I am ready to be sent anywhere for the Lord’s work, even far to share with other perishing souls what the Lord can do while eagerly waiting to meet the Messiah at His second coming to take us to our rest. I get hope in doing it.

Pray for the work in Kenya that shifting the church to the new site (see 1st quarter, 2010 mission offering) will be a reality soon to encourage other villagers to attend and receive the Sabbath blessing.

Do not give up, for the Lord has something special for you. Jesus said to go and call your friends and family and tell them about Me (John 4:16). His nature, His law is love. It ever has been and ever will be. Amen.

*Evangelism in Africa is often carried out by erecting horn speakers that broadcast all over the village. Each Sabbath at Bunyore, Evangelist Jeremiah Otemo plays sacred music at the beginning of the Sabbath, welcoming the village to the Sabbath. Sabbath services are also broadcast over the speakers for all to receive the blessing.

It was during the December 2009 visit to Kenya that Sandra Mulchin asked Nobert to write his testimony for LandMarks after meeting him. The story of his rescue from despair and his determination to follow the Lord has touched hearts. Through the providence of God, Nobert is now able to attend the Kisumu campus of the University of Kenya where he is continuing his studies in accounting (this course chosen due to high demand for qualified accountants). He is praising the Lord that where he had no hope, God has given him hope. He is now witnessing for Jesus at the university and when school is out he helps Jeremiah Otemo with the project in Bunyore. At last this young man has found the family he has been looking for since his mother’s death—the family of God, and now patiently waits to be reunited with his loved mother at the first resurrection. It is my privilege and honor to be called Mum Sandra.

The Spelling of Love. Rebuke or Discipline or The Greatest Blessing

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he topic of this study is a necessary precursor for many other studies. To grasp this truth will change our entire viewpoint and make an eternal life difference in how we view our God, His Word, and life on this earth.

Jesus and His disciples had left Judea and passed through Samaria on their way to Galilee. The Bible says, “Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with His journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give Me to drink” (John 4:6, 7 KJV).

In just minutes after meeting this woman Jesus turned the conversation from a drink of water to the woman’s personal relationships. When He tells her to call her husband she replies that she has no husband. In response He said, “You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’ for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly” (John 4:17, 18 NKJV).

Put yourself in this woman’s shoes. A total stranger, a stranger of a hated people, has just walked into your space, space that you have chosen carefully and well to shield yourself from public contact. This stranger then initiates conversation, and within just a few minutes is laying bare those very secrets that compelled you to draw water during the hottest hours of the day, those same hours when others choose the cooler comforts of home!

“Christ, at Jacob’s well, laid open the sinful life and character of the woman of Samaria. ‘Unnecessary, uncourteous,’ say many.” The Signs of the Times, June 15, 1876. Is this your view also? Are you among the “many” that are referred to here?

Let’s turn to another story. “There was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. Then Jesus said to him, ‘Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe’ ” (John 4:46–48 NKJV). Again, let us put ourselves in the shoes of this nobleman. Here he is in a heart-wrenching situation, seeking healing for his greatest earthly treasure—his son who is at the point of death. Moments may very well determine life or death—and Jesus meets him with reproof.

Spirit of Prophecy expounds on this: “When the nobleman came to Him asking Him to heal his son, He [Jesus] met him with a reproof for their unbelief. ‘Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.’ Thus was his eager entreaty met. He was not only greatly disappointed, but chagrined.” The Signs of the Times, June 15, 1876. What would have been your response?

Now we turn to yet another scenario. At the very time when sin first entered this world, God instituted a ceremony, carried out by divine decree, twice a day—the sacrificial service. Of this service Inspiration says, “The sacrificial offerings were ordained by God to be to man a perpetual reminder … of his sin.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 68. [Emphasis supplied.] God Himself designed, ordained, instituted and instructed Adam and Eve regarding this service. It was God who intended it to be a perpetual, that means ongoing or continuous reminder of their sin. Twice a day God, in love, saying, “You are a sinner. You are a sinner.” Why?

We read another incident in the life of Jesus, “And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves” (Matthew 21:12, 13 KJV).

“He [Jesus] looked upon them and, with indignant sorrow, He poured out the money of the changers; He overthrew the tables, and with a whip of small cords, drove the cattle and people out of the court. With majestic authority He commands, ‘Take these things hence; make not My Father’s house a house of merchandise’ (John2:16). ‘It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.’ ” The Signs of the Times, June 15, 1876.

Pointed, public rebuke of sin. And this was not the rabble, the outcasts of society, the lower classes. Inspiration continues, “This language was close and cutting indeed. It was not addressed to the rabble, but to the chief priests, to the teachers of the people.” Ibid.

Jesus, the gentle, meek, loving, mild, long-suffering, patient, courteous, kind Saviour, rebuked and reproved those who would seem to be perfect strangers, those in power, those who had a high opinion of themselves and of their righteousness.

These are just a few examples of the courteous rebuke in Scripture. We could add Nicodemus, David, Cain, Saul—the first king of Israel, Saul who turned to Paul, and the list goes on. Somehow, I think we have a real problem or difficulty accepting the reality of this side of Christ. But as Inspiration says, there was a wise purpose in everything Christ said and did. So, what was His purpose? What was, and is, His purpose in being so pointed about our sin?

There is a very compelling and real reason. REBUKE or DISCIPLINE truly spell LOVE. How so? Here is why.

“Christ, at Jacob’s well, laid open the sinful life and character of the woman of Samaria.” Pointed, explicit exposure of sin. Why? Here is the reason. “Jesus knew that this was the only way to reach the case. But how many would complain of such a way of saving souls. When the nobleman came to Him asking Him to heal his son, he met Him with a reproof for their unbelief. ‘Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.’ Thus was his eager entreaty met. He was not only greatly disappointed, but chagrined. …” Ibid.

Speaking of people’s assessment of Jesus’ treatment of the nobleman Inspiration says, “But how many in these days would have allowed the feelings of their own natural heart to overbear their judgment, and become impatient and unreconciled to Jesus’ manner of working? They would have said, ‘Why pain and seemingly disappoint the father, when He might have healed his son at once with His word.’ ” The Inspired word explains. “He [Jesus] designed that the repulse should expand the feeble faith of the parent, and it had this effect.

“His work was to bless and save. He covered His glory with humanity, bringing from Heaven the very best gifts which could be given to man; spoke peace, gave messages of light and hope. But all these gifts were considered as matters of course; the gift was received but the Giver forgotten. They walked in the light with no thought of gratitude to Him from whom its beams proceeded. When the chastisement came in reproof, in warning, or by affliction, to save from apostasy and ruin, then there was a turning upon Jesus with a defiant, stubborn, impenitent resistance which was fearful. And why, says the proud, perverse spirit, must I be crushed by rebuke? Why must I be humiliated? They forget all the light, all the favors previously given, and feel that they are abused because God takes with them the only course which will bring them to a knowledge of themselves, that they may find peace in Him through submission, penitence for sin, and confiding trust in God. For this reason God sends to the church the greatest blessing He can give them in a knowledge of themselves. Satan is alluring them to sin that they may be lost; God gives a clear presentation of their sins that they may repent and be saved. The greatest danger of the world is, that sin does not appear sinful. This is the greatest evil existing in the church; sin is glossed over with self-complacency. Blessed indeed are they who possess a sensitive conscience; who can weep and mourn over their spiritual poverty and wanderings from God; who are poor in spirit and can receive the reproof God sends them; and who, with confessions and brokenness of heart, will take their places, all penitent, in humiliation at the cross of Christ. God knows it is good for men to tread a hard and humble path, to encounter difficulties, to experience disappointments, and to suffer affliction. Faith strengthens by coming in conflict with doubt, and resisting unbelief through the strength of Jesus.

“They who despise reproof will be left to their own devices.” Ibid.

Friends, Jesus rebukes because He knows it is the greatest blessing He can give us, a knowledge of ourselves; that is, an understanding that we are sinners, exposed to the wrath of a holy God, doomed to the second death. He does this so that we will come to Him and be cleansed from sin, healed from the fatal disease of sin. He knows that we cannot be saved in our sin, so He points out that sin that we might repent and be saved from it.

Let’s turn to a few illustrations of the practical outworking of this principle. We will begin with two examples of people that rejected the “greatest blessing,” or love (R-E-B-U-K-E), Jesus’ true, principled love.

“Judas saw the sick, the lame, the blind, flock to Jesus from the towns and cities. He saw the dying laid at His feet. He witnessed the Saviour’s mighty works in healing the sick, casting out devils, and raising the dead. He felt in his own person the evidence of Christ’s power. He recognized the teaching of Christ as superior to all that he had ever heard. He loved the Great Teacher, and desired to be with Him. He felt a desire to be changed in character and life, and he hoped to experience this through connecting himself with Jesus.” The Desire of Ages, 717.

This description sounds like that of a converted, dedicated person. But Jesus knew the depths of Judas’ heart. Christ knew that Judas had a covetous disposition, and that, left untreated, this evil would work his ruin.

Then we read, “Christ’s discourse in the synagogue concerning the bread of life was the turning point in the history of Judas. He heard the words, ‘Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you’ (John 6:53). He saw that Christ was offering spiritual rather than worldly good. He regarded himself as farsighted, and thought he could see that Jesus would have no honor, and that He could bestow no high position upon His followers. He determined not to unite himself so closely to Christ but that he could draw away. He would watch. And he did watch.” Ibid., 719.

And then still further in the chapter, Inspiration records these tragic words: “In all that Christ said to His disciples, there was something with which, in heart, Judas disagreed. Under his influence the leaven of disaffection was fast doing its work. The disciples did not see the real agency in all this; but Jesus saw that Satan was communicating his attributes to Judas, and thus opening up a channel through which to influence the other disciples. This, a year before the betrayal, Christ declared. ‘Have not I chosen you twelve,’ He said, ‘and one of you is a devil’ (John 6:70)?

“Yet Judas made no open opposition, nor seemed to question the Saviour’s lessons. He made no outward murmur until the time of the feast in Simon’s house. When Mary anointed the Saviour’s feet, Judas manifested his covetous disposition. At the reproof from Jesus his very spirit seemed turned to gall. Wounded pride and desire for revenge broke down the barriers, and the greed so long indulged held him in control. This will be the experience of everyone who persists in tampering with sin. The elements of depravity that are not resisted and overcome, respond to Satan’s temptation, and the soul is led captive at his will.” Ibid., 720.

Judas’ spirit rose up in pride and in opposition to the rebuke of Jesus, though the heart of our Saviour was bleeding with pain over the sin cherished in one of His loved disciples. Because Judas refused the lesson in the rebuke, he later became the betrayer of Divinity, the very One who had come to save him from himself, from his sin, from his pride and offer to him the precious boon of eternal life. The greatest blessing rejected brought eternal ruin.

“When Cain saw that his offering was rejected, he was angry with the Lord and with Abel; he was angry that God did not accept man’s substitute in place of the sacrifice divinely ordained, and angry with his brother for choosing to obey God instead of joining in rebellion against Him. Notwithstanding Cain’s disregard of the divine command, God did not leave him to himself; but He condescended to reason with the man who had shown himself so unreasonable. And the Lord said unto Cain, ‘Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?’ Through an angel messenger the divine warning was conveyed: ‘If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door’ (Genesis 4:7). The choice lay with Cain himself. If he would trust to the merits of the promised Saviour, and would obey God’s requirements, he would enjoy His favor. But should he persist in unbelief and transgression, he would have no ground for complaint because he was rejected by the Lord.

“But instead of acknowledging his sin, Cain continued to complain of the injustice of God and to cherish jealousy and hatred of Abel. He angrily reproached his brother, and attempted to draw him into controversy concerning God’s dealings with them.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 73, 74.

For what purpose did God rebuke both Judas and Cain? Was it from vengeance, from anger, from retaliation or revenge? No, it was from a heart yearning with love. Hear the words of this same God to a group of people who were in rebellion, in rejection of His warnings and reproofs.

“Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel” (Ezekiel 33:11)? Friends, do you hear the pathos, the longing in the voice of our God? He sees the end of sin not as a human can see it. He sees the reward of humility and repentance. It is a great heart of love that rebukes.

Let us turn to two examples of rebuke received.

“The Lord sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, ‘There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor. The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.

“ ‘Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him.’

“David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this must die! He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity.’

“Then Nathan said to David, ‘You are the man!’ ” “Then David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the Lord’ ” (2 Samuel 12:1–7, first part, 13 NIV).

David accepted the rebuke. He was forgiven. He was restored to a relationship with His God, the Life-Giver.

“When Cephas (Peter) came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.

“When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, ‘You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs’ ” (Galatians 2:11–14 NIV)?

Inspiration says of Peter’s response to this rebuke, “Peter saw the error into which he had fallen, and immediately set about repairing it as far as possible.” Sketches from the Life of Paul, 72. Peter, one of the lead apostles, publicly rebuked by Paul, gratefully acknowledging his error, accepted the rebuke, and immediately did what he could to repair the damage.

If we are to inherit eternal life, we must learn to not only accept rebuke, but appreciate it for what it is, God’s love, His yearning, His purpose to save us.

God reproves because He loves. And His instructions to us are life. We must learn to see, understand and value this aspect of our God, and the absolute necessity for it in our own lives, not the life of our neighbor, our friend, our husband or wife, but in our own life.

There is a beautiful description God gave us of how we are to accept His rebuke. It is my prayer that you will study this instruction carefully, prayerfully, and cherish the attitudes portrayed in it.

“Those who are reproved by the Spirit of God should not rise up against the humble instrument. It is God, and not an erring mortal, who has spoken to save them from ruin.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 257.

“It is not pleasing to human nature to receive reproof, nor is it possible for the heart of man, unenlightened by the Spirit of God, to realize the necessity of reproof or the blessing it is designed to bring. As man yields to temptation, and indulges in sin, his mind becomes darkened. The moral sense is perverted. The warnings of conscience are disregarded, and its voice is less clearly heard. He gradually loses the power to distinguish between right and wrong, until he has no true sense or his standing before God. He may observe the forms of religion and zealously maintain its doctrines, while destitute of its spirit. His condition is that described by the True Witness: ‘Thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked’ (Revelation 3:17). When the Spirit of God, by message of reproof, declares this to be his condition, he cannot see that the message is true. Is he therefore to reject the warning? No. God has given sufficient evidence, so that all who desire to do so may satisfy themselves as to the character of the Testimonies; and, having acknowledged them to be from God, it is their duty to accept reproof, even though they do not themselves see the sinfulness of their course. If they fully realized their condition, what would be the need of reproof? Because they know it not, God mercifully sets it before them, so that they may repent and reform before it shall be too late. ‘Those who despise the warning will be left in blindness to become self-deceived; but those who heed it, and zealously go about the work of separating their sins from them in order to have the needed graces, will be opening the door of their hearts that the dear Saviour may come in and dwell with them.’

“Those who are most closely connected with God are the ones who know His voice when He speaks to them. Those who are spiritual discern spiritual things. Such will feel grateful that the Lord has pointed out their errors.” Ibid., vol. 5, 682, 683.

This instruction requires the setting aside of pride and protection of self, but, of what do we have to be proud? We are sinners. Why deny the truth and lose the opportunity of cleansing, of healing, of eternal life? We would consider it foolish for one to reject and become angered over a medical diagnosis of an illness that would be terminal without treatment. Sin is no different. Sin is a terminal disease—and there is a cure, a complete, total, perfect cure! But in order to receive that treatment, it requires the acceptance of rebuke and discipline, private or public, and maybe both. Is eternal life worth it to you? Is a home in the Kingdom of Glory and a seat on the throne with our Saviour for eternity worth accepting, with thanksgiving and gratitude, the rebuke of the God who loves us and knows that rebuke is our only hope of that salvation?

Remember, “God gives a clear presentation of their sins that they may repent and be saved. The greatest danger of the world is, that sin does not appear sinful. This is the greatest evil existing in the church; sin is glossed over with self-complacency. Blessed indeed are they who possess a sensitive conscience; who can weep and mourn over their spiritual poverty and wanderings from God; who are poor in spirit and can receive the reproof God sends them; and who, with confessions and brokenness of heart, will take their places, all penitent, in humiliation at the cross of Christ. God knows it is good for men to tread a hard and humble path, to encounter difficulties, to experience disappointments, and to suffer affliction. Faith strengthens by coming in conflict with doubt, and resisting unbelief through the strength of Jesus.” The Signs of the Times, June 15, 1876.

Please, contemplate this truth. Choose to appreciate God’s spelling of the word love. Appreciate REBUKE or DISCIPLINE for what they really are, God’s heart of yearning love for us, seeking to reach us in the only way that He can truly save us.

 Brenda Douay is a staff member at Steps to Life. She may be contacted by email at: brendadouay@stepstolife.org.

The Principles of Worship

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With the many different styles of worship in our society today, the question has arisen: What is acceptable worship to God and what is the best way to worship Him?

The word worship, derived from an old English word, means to give honor or respect to a personage, especially to God. The first part comes from the word worth; to give worth to something, worthiness and respect. On the Sabbath we attend church to give God honor and respect and spend the day in worship with Him.

Worship, when rendered to another god or a created being, is called idolatry. Such worship Peter refused (Acts 10:25, 26). In the book of Revelation we see that John bowed down to the angel who refused to be worshiped.

From ancient times all civilizations had some form of worship. They may not have worshiped the God of heaven, but they did have worship and worship ceremonies. In Egypt, the Pharaohs worshiped snakes, the Nile and many other objects of creation. Even as horrific as it was, some forms of worship involved human sacrifices.

Today, in modern worship there are different types of worship where people adore things or people, called adoration, and there is worship of saints, called veneration, and there are also contemporary worship services known as celebration services. It is believed that by bringing music and contemporary things into Christian worship, the young people will stay in the church. I have attended some contemporary services where the Bible was not opened throughout the whole service. In some cases the worship is very light and informal and the speakers crack jokes, resulting in much laughter. That type of church service is more like a social club designed to gather with people and have a good time. Leaving such a service as that leaves one devoid of any spiritual meat to contemplate through the following week and nothing to contemplate in making a closer relationship with God. Once I attended a service where the preacher talked about a recent football game, which provided no spiritual food.

There are many examples in the Bible of worship. God’s people worshiped in their own peculiar style as well as did the heathen. During the time of Ahab and Jezebel, God’s people fell into Baal worship. At the time Nebuchadnezzar ruled the Babylonian kingdom, he had a vision of an image describing all of the kingdoms that would come after him. He wanted his kingdom to last forever and wasn’t happy to be told that his kingdom would come to an end, so he made a golden image and demanded everybody to worship that image, representing his kingdom which he believed should endure forever.

Later Belshazzar, with his rulers, feasted and praised the gods of wood, stone, silver and gold in place of the God of heaven.

Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den because he refused to stop praying or worshiping his God for even a few days.

As you read through the Bible you can learn about the patriarchs and prophets, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who set up altars to God. Moses was told to take off his sandals, because the place on which he was standing, near the burning bush, was holy ground.

There were very specific and explicit instructions given to Moses in regard to the performance of the sanctuary services that were implemented in the wilderness. In the New Testament, it is recorded that Jesus worshiped on the Sabbath day and tells of Him standing up to read from Isaiah, the prophet (Luke 4:16, 17).

In the book of Acts, the apostle, Paul, whose many letters to the churches that he ministered to and make up most of the New Testament, met and worshiped with the believers on the Sabbath day.

Worship is the theme of the book of Daniel and also the book of Revelation where three angels were sent to give the last message of warning to the world to worship God who made heaven and the earth. Within those messages there is also warning against worshiping the beast and his image.

It is very important to understand the important principles of whom to worship, what to worship and how to worship.

Music

In Ephesians 5:19 it says, “Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” Music is mentioned over and over again in the book of Psalms as an act of worship. “Singing, as a part of religious service, is as much an act of worship as is prayer.” Christian Education, 63. Songs that praise and give devotion to God should be selected and never music that is devoid of beauty and power.

“Those who make singing a part of divine worship should select hymns with music appropriate to the occasion, not funeral notes, but cheerful yet solemn melodies. The voice can and should be modulated, softened, and subdued.” The Signs of the Times, June 22, 1882. In some churches music is selected that is so loud that it is impossible to hear that still quiet voice. Such does not show reverence toward God.

Prayer

“O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker. For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.” Psalm 95:6, 7. Part of worship is to kneel before God in prayer. There are other times to be in communication with heaven when it is inconvenient and even dangerous to kneel with eyes closed, e.g., while driving a car or going walking, but there are several examples in the New Testament written by Paul describing bowing down on our knees before God as part of public worship. Prayer and kneeling are principles of worship and to bow reverently with eyes closed is an act of submission, allowing the mind to concentrate on the prayer without being distracted. Public prayers need to be spoken clearly and plainly so all listening will benefit from the words, and when children are present prayer should be short so they are not wearied.

Listening and Reverence

“Let all the earth keep silence before Him.” Habakkuk 2:20. This brings in the aspect of listening and of reverence in the house of God. “When the benediction is pronounced, all should still be quiet, as if fearful of losing the peace of Christ. Let all pass out without jostling or loud talking, feeling that they are in the presence of God, that His eye is resting upon them, and that they must act as in His visible presence. Let there be no stopping in the aisles to visit or gossip, thus blocking them up so that others cannot pass out. The precincts of the church should be invested with a sacred reverence. It should not be made a place to meet old friends and visit and introduce common thoughts and worldly business transactions. These should be left outside the church. God and angels have been dishonored by the careless, noisy laughing and shuffling of feet heard in some places.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 493, 494.

When we enter into the presence of God, no matter where that is, an atmosphere of reverence should prevail.

Observing Personal Boundaries

In one church service I attended the pastor encouraged the congregation to go around and greet everyone and hug everyone and kiss the ladies if they could get away with it. That surely does not sound right for this culture. Some people read the verse that says to greet others with a holy kiss and in some countries men do greet each other with a kiss on each cheek (II Corinthians 13:12), but where did that come from? Some earlier commentaries say that this custom was usually men greeting men and the women greeting women in this manner, that being the culture. In our culture greetings should be in a different context which should also correlate with the whole Bible. If you read I Corinthians 7:1, it says, “It is good for a man not to touch a woman.” There needs to be balance here; the Bible does not contradict itself and the cultural context must be considered. Though it is not good that men kiss the ladies in church, they do not want to be so cold and formal that visitors feel unwelcome without being greeted with a smile or handshake. Paul tells us in Romans 12:10 that we are to be “kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.” There is always a balance in these things, showing friendship but also respecting personal boundaries.

No Idolatry

Christ should be the theme of our conversation. “And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” I Corinthians 2:1, 2. The theme of all the apostles preaching and discussion in the New Testament was Christ and so should it be the theme of our own worship.

“The science of salvation is to be the burden of every sermon, the theme of every song. Let it be poured forth in every supplication. Let nothing be brought into the preaching of the Word to supplement Christ, the Word and power of God.” The Voice in Speech and Song, 337.

Christ is the only name given by which we are saved; He is our salvation. Christ should be in every worship service. He should always be the theme of all worship.

Offering

“So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly, or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.” II Corinthians 9:7. When Abraham returned from the battle, rescuing Lot and the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah, he gave an offering and tithe to God for all that He had done. This instruction of giving tithes and offerings was also given to the children of Israel. There is also the example in the New Testament of Jesus commending the widow who gave her two mites, which was all that she had. Her contribution, because it was all her wealth, was far more than all the others who gave.

Hebrews chapter 10 tells us that we are not saved by the blood of bulls and goats, but we are saved through the blood of Christ. The Lamb of God has already paid that price by His sacrifice so today it is no longer necessary to offer these sacrifices.

Worship God in Truth

“But if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” I Timothy 3:15.

Where we worship God should be a place of truth. We are also told of the importance of worshiping God. The Bible talks about assembling together in Hebrews 10:25. It says, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some; but exhorting one another: and so much the more as ye see the Day approaching.” In Matthew 18:20 it says, “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” It is important to worship God in His house on His day. We need that fellowship and communion with one another to strengthen and encourage us in our spiritual walk. Those who go to church only on New Year’s Day, Christmas and Thanksgiving, or even less than that, miss the blessing promised that where people are gathered together in His name He will be among them (Matthew 18:20).

John Wesley once said, “Sir, if you wish to serve God, you can’t serve Him alone. You must find companions or make them. The Bible knows nothing of solitary religion.” We are meant to associate together and to help each other on the way to the kingdom of heaven.

Praise and Thanksgiving

Praise is a key component of worship. We need to remember to praise the Lord and thank Him for all of the things He has done for us. “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” Psalm 34:1. This does not say that I will bless the Lord when I feel good or when things are going good or bad. It does not say that I will bless the Lord when I am rich or poor. It does not say I will bless the Lord when I have everything or when I am in trouble. It says all of the time, no matter what condition you are in.

In Psalm 42:5 it says, “Why are you cast down, O my soul? and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance.” This praise is repeated several times.

There are many verses in the book of Psalms that praise the Lord. “Whoso offers praise glorifies Me: and to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God.” Psalm 50:23. God likes to be praised. We can join David when he said, “I will praise You; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvellous are Your works; and that my soul knows very well.” Psalm 139:14.

“Where the church is walking in the light, there will ever be cheerful, hearty responses and words of joyful praise.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 318. Ellen White also said, “Have we not reason to talk of God’s goodness and to tell of His power? When friends are kind to us we esteem it a privilege to thank them for their kindness. How much more should we count it a joy to return thanks to the Friend who has given us every good and perfect gift. Then let us, in every church, cultivate thanksgiving to God. Let us educate our lips to praise God in the family circle. … God’s goodness in hearing and answering prayer places us under heavy obligation to express our thanksgiving for the favors bestowed upon us. We should praise God much more than we do. The blessings received in answer to prayer should be promptly acknowledged.

“We grieve the Spirit of Christ by our complaints and murmurings and repinings. We should not dishonor God by the mournful relation of trials that appear grievous. All trials that are received as educators will produce joy. The whole religious life will be uplifting, elevating, ennobling, fragrant with good words and works.

“Let the peace of God reign in your soul. Then you will have strength to bear all suffering, and you will rejoice that you have grace to endure. Praise the Lord; talk of His goodness; tell of His power. Sweeten the atmosphere that surrounds your soul. … Praise with heart and soul and voice, Him who is the health of your countenance, your Saviour, and your God.” God’s Amazing Grace, 325.

We have many things to praise God and to thank Him for. One favorite quote comes from the book, The Ministry of Healing, 251. It says, “Nothing tends more to promote health of body and of soul than does a spirit of gratitude and praise. It is a positive duty to resist melancholy, discontented thoughts and feelings—as much a duty as it is to pray. If we are heaven-bound, how can we go as a band of mourners, groaning and complaining all along the way to our Father’s house?” This goes along with the text in Proverbs 17:22: “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.”

“Forgetting our own difficulties and troubles, let us praise God for an opportunity to live for the glory of His name. Let the fresh blessings of each new day awaken praise in our hearts for these tokens of His loving care. When you open your eyes in the morning, thank God that He has kept you through the night. Thank Him for His peace in your heart. Morning, noon, and night, let gratitude as a sweet perfume ascend to heaven.” Ibid., 253.

There are so many reasons for which to be thankful and to give praise to the Lord for what He has done for us. If nothing else, you can be thankful that there is a God in heaven who cares about you and listens to you—that is something to be really thankful for!

Whatever trial you may be going through you often do not have to look very far to find someone who is in a worse situation. Not too long ago I read about a lady journalist who was laid off from her job. She drew unemployment which soon ran out, along with her savings, causing her to lose her apartment. About that same time, her father died and she inherited a motor home which then provided her with a place to live. She parked her motor home in a business parking lot until she was asked to leave and then made a temporary arrangement with some people whom she knew to park her motor home in their back yard while searching for work, putting up notices in coffee shops and online.

Anyone who has a roof over their head, a job, clothes and shoes, has something to be thankful for. It may not be the best, but it is more than many other people have in this world.

When I visited the Philippines, I saw that there were some very wealthy people there and then there were the very poor. In the city, most of the poor have crude, corrugated iron shacks which become very muddy when it rains. If you have a place to live, be thankful. Be thankful if you have a family.

A story is told of a Christian lady and her friend who enjoyed bike riding. One day as they were riding on a bike trail she was about a minute ahead of her friend who heard a commotion up ahead. As her friend caught up she saw that a cougar had attacked her and had her by the face. She was struggling to free herself from the mountain lion without success. Eventually, others arrived and threw rocks at the cougar which finally ran off. Surprisingly, the woman survived the attack with minimal scarring. She relates now with Daniel who was thrown into the lion’s den and survived. She now praises God for her own deliverance from the cougar.

A private plane crashed in the desert in Arizona, bursting into flames upon impact. Surviving the crash and in flames, both the parents rolled on the ground to extinguish the flames. The woman had massive burns and it was uncertain for several weeks if she would come out of the coma and survive. Though her husband was also severely burned, he was not as badly burned as she was and a vigil was held by that mother’s bedside every day to talk to and encourage her. While lying there in the hospital, she resolved to survive and return home to her family. In time, she left the hospital still with bandages over her burns. Simple chores that normally took little time were now mammoth tasks, but she was thankful to be alive.

A young mother gave birth to her second daughter. Three days later she was running a high temperature and it was discovered that she had some sort of bacterial infection. As a result of this, she underwent many surgeries during which both of her hands and legs were amputated, because they had turned black. Her survival was uncertain, but she was determined to be there for her baby. With sheer determination, very soon she, with prosthetic arms and legs, was back home caring for her two daughters, remaining cheerful and thankful to be alive and an encouragement to others in far less difficult situations.

One lady came to grief when her chimpanzee got loose while attempting to get the 200-pound animal back into its cage. The chimp was a bit upset and started to fight with her, literally ripping off her face. Her fingers, her hand and her teeth, eyes, nose and mouth were all gone. When help arrived, the chimpanzee was shot and all were amazed to find the lady who was in such a terrible condition still breathing. Even with such horrific injuries and also blind, this poor lady hung on to life to be there for her daughter. She insisted that though she had been damaged physically, she was still the same person inside and wanted acceptance in spite of her appearance.

Considering what others have endured, most of us have nothing to complain about. Lord, forgive me for complaining about anything. I have all of my limbs, my face and my hands. No matter what situation you are going through, there is always something to be thankful for. Stories like these inspire me with God’s faithfulness, knowing that there is a better place where those horrible things will no longer happen. It also gives a proper perspective on life. Whatever problems or difficulties you face, there is still something to be thankful for, if you still have life. We all have troubles, disappointments and hard experiences to go through, but in spite of all of those things, if we look beyond to the big picture, there is always something for which to give praise and thanks.

Each of us has been blessed abundantly. The greatest thing we have to be thankful for is Jesus. We should be thankful that there is something beyond this fragile life of which there are no certainties and Someone who is going to make all things better. If we are ready for His kingdom, our bodies will be repaired and we will live for eternity. Jesus was willing to leave heaven and to sacrifice His life so that we may have eternal life. That is the number one thing that we can be thankful for every day. Heaven is a real place worth considering and something we do not often grasp.

Because of His great love for us and the hope He gives to all who choose to accept His invitation, God deserves all of our worship. Let us honor Him with reverence, praise and thanksgiving for He has blessed us above all things, way more than we are worthy.

A network engineer, Jana Grosboll lives in Derby, Kansas. 

The Room

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In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself in The Room. There were no distinguishing features except for the one wall covered with small index card files. They were like the ones in libraries that list titles by author and subject in alphabetical order, but these files, which stretched from floor to ceiling and seemingly endlessly in either direction, had very different headings. As I drew near the wall of files, the first to catch my attention was one that read, People I Have Liked. I opened it and began flipping through the cards. I quickly shut it, shocked to realize that I recognized the names written on each one.

And then, without being told, I knew exactly where I was. This lifeless room with its small files was a crude catalog system for my life. Here were written the actions of my every moment, big and small, in a detail my memory couldn’t match.

A sense of wonder and curiosity, coupled with horror, stirred within me as I began randomly opening files and exploring their content. Some brought joy and sweet memories; others a sense of shame and regret so intense that I would look over my shoulder to see if anyone was watching. A file named Friends was next to one marked Friends I Have Betrayed.

The titles ranged from the mundane to the outright weird: Books I Have Read, Lies I Have Told, Comfort I Have Given, Jokes I Have Laughed At. Some were almost hilarious in their exactness: Things I’ve Yelled at My Brothers. Others I could not laugh at: Things I Have Done In My Anger, Things I Have Muttered Under My Breath at My Parents.” I never ceased to be surprised by the contents. Often there were many more cards than I expected. Sometimes fewer than I hoped.

I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the life I had lived. Could it be possible that I had the time in my many years to write each of these thousand or even millions of cards? But each card confirmed this truth. Each was written in my own handwriting. Each signed with my signature.

When I pulled out the file marked Songs I Have Listened To, I realized that the files grew to contain their contents. The cards were packed tightly and yet after two or three yards, I hadn’t found the end of the file. I shut it, ashamed, not so much by the quality of music, but more by the vast amount of time I knew that file represented.

When I came to a file marked Lustful Thoughts, I felt a chill run through my body. I pulled the file out only an inch, not willing to test its size, and drew out a card. I shuddered at its detailed content. I felt sick to think that such a moment had been recorded.

An almost animal rage broke on me. One thought dominated my mind: “No one must ever see these cards! No one must ever see this room! I have to destroy them!” In an insane frenzy I yanked the file out. Its size didn’t matter now; I had to empty it and burn the cards. But as I took it at one end and began pounding it on the floor, I could not dislodge a single card. I became desperate and pulled out a card, only to find it as strong as steel when I tried to tear it.

Defeated and utterly helpless, I returned the file to its slot. Leaning my forehead against the wall, I let out a long, self-pitying sigh. And then I saw it. The title bore, People with whom I Have Shared the Gospel. The handle was brighter than those around it, newer, almost unused. I pulled on its handle and a small box not more than three inches long fell into my hands. I could count the cards it contained on one hand.

And then the tears came. I began to weep—sobs so deep that the hurt started in my stomach and shook through me. I fell on my knees and cried. I cried out of shame, from the overwhelming shame of it all. The rows of file shelves swirled in my tear-filled eyes. No one must ever, ever know of this room. I must lock it up and hide the key.

But then as I pushed away the tears, I saw Him. No, please not Him. Not here. Oh, anyone but Jesus! I watched helplessly as He began to open the files and read the cards. I couldn’t bear to watch His response. And in the moments I could bring myself to look at His face, I saw a sorrow deeper than my own. He seemed to intuitively go to the worse boxes. Why did He have to read every one?

Finally He turned and looked at me from across the room. He looked at me with pity in His eyes. But this was a pity that didn’t anger me. I dropped my head, covered my face with my hands and began to cry again. He walked over and put His arm around me. He could have said so many things, but He didn’t say a word. He just cried with me.

Then He got up and walked back to the wall of files. Starting at one end of the room, He took out a file and, one by one, began to sign His name over mine on each card.

“No!” I shouted rushing to Him. All I could find to say was “No, No,” as I pulled the card from Him. His name shouldn’t be on these cards. But there it was, written in red so bright, so dark, so alive! The name of Jesus covered mine. It was written with His blood.

He gently took the card back. He smiled a sad smile and began to sign the cards. I don’t think I’ll ever understand how He did it so quickly, but the next instant it seemed I heard Him close the last file and walk back to my side. He placed His hand on my shoulder and said, “It is finished.”

I stood up, and He led me out of the room. There was no lock on its door. There were still cards to be written.

What is on your cards—what cards are you writing?

It is Your Choice

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The warfare against self is the greatest battle that was ever fought.” Steps to Christ, 43.

The further I have advanced in my Christian experience, the truer those words have become. We each have a battle to fight to gain the victory over self, and everything necessary to come off victorious has been provided through our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Faith determines either victory or defeat in our Christian walk, whether we stumble or fall, succeed or fail. If our faith fails, then we are going to fail. “Every failure on the part of the children of God is due to their lack of faith.” Conflict and Courage, 166.

However, there is another deciding factor. “The will is the governing power in the nature of man, bringing all the other faculties under its sway. … It is the deciding power, which works in the children of men unto obedience to God, or unto disobedience.” Child Guidance, 209. The power of choice that God has given to everyone depends upon the right action of the will. Before the fall, man’s will was naturally in harmony with God’s will. Man was made upright with noble traits of character without any inclination towards evil. But everything changed after the fall when man’s will was given into the control of Satan who ever since has been working in man to do his good pleasure.

“In transgression Adam became a law to himself. By disobedience he was brought under bondage. Thus a discordant element, born of selfishness, entered man’s life. Man’s will and God’s will no longer harmonized. Adam had united with the disloyal forces, and self-will took the field.” The Signs of the Times, June 13, 1900.

What Adam forfeited by his disobedience, Christ reclaimed by His sacrifice on the cross of Calvary. Now we have the freedom to choose on which side of the great controversy we are going to be, to continue in slavery to sin or day by day make decisions to walk in God’s ways. Though our soul, our body, and our spirit belong to Him who both created and redeemed us, we are given the privilege of freedom to choose one of the two forces contending for each one of us, one from above, or the other from beneath.

“Each human being is given the freedom of choice. It is his to decide whether he will stand under the black banner of rebellion or under the blood-stained banner of Prince Emmanuel.” In Heavenly Places, 361.

Choosing that blood-stained banner gives us the assurance that God hears and also responds to the cries of our heart when we cannot find the words to speak. “Every man is free to choose what power he will have to rule over him. None have fallen so low, none are so vile, but that they can find deliverance in Christ. The demoniac, in place of prayer, could utter only the words of Satan; yet the heart’s unspoken appeal was heard. No cry from a soul in need, though it fail of utterance in words, will be unheeded.” The Desire of Ages, 258.

As there are two opposing forces seeking supremacy, let us look at some things that influence our wills and our decisions. An internet article entitled, Touching the Prospect’s Emotions in Your Sales Letter by Joe Farinaccio, written to explain how to write a sales letter that will generate responses demonstrates this concept that certain things must already be in place to get the expected response. It says, “Your prospect has emotions and you must touch these emotions in your sales letter. Your copy has to excite, stir curiosity, generate fear and create deep desire. If it does not, your copy will fail.”www.businessknowhow.com/marketing/emotions.htm. October, 2010. The reason for this is very simple, because by and large it is emotion that moves us. Even a person who appears to be completely unmoved by anything but cold logic will not act until he is motivated to do so by his feelings.

One of the most powerful things that influences decisions is feelings—our emotions. People are primarily moved by emotions. As Christians, we are to be controlled by reason and to move from principle. The higher powers of the mind are to be in control of the lower powers, but this does not happen without a struggle. Naturally, in our sinful condition, our emotions have a powerful sway over us, causing a constant battle. Often, faith and emotions are completely contradictory to one another. Emotions can cause people to do tremendous feats of strength, acts of heroism and also cause people to do some barbaric things in violent rage that they would not otherwise do. We call these things crimes of passion. Emotion can cause someone to be totally unreasonable. Other emotions can cause thoughts of suicide. Never underestimate the power of emotion!

This same article continues: “You must inject emotions into your sales letter for him to want to become a buyer. You can do this by studying three things. (1) Your prospect. You need to determine what kind of person he/she is and what he/she really wants from your product. (2) You need to know all the benefits your product will provide them. And (3) you have to match those up, the most important want of the customer, or the person; whether it is a desire to have something or a problem to be corrected within your prospect determines a primary emotion your sales letter will target. Your goal is to link the product benefits to these emotions. Find out what the person wants and then give it to them.” Ibid.

That concept determines what makes people successful. They find out what people want and then make a product to fill that need. Satan understands these principles well, and he is a master marketer.

One of the most powerful emotions that marketers use today and which, incidentally, is also the one that caused Satan to fall in the beginning is the desire for gain. Isaiah 14:12–14 says, “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.”

Lucifer’s fall was caused by a desire for gain. He wanted to be like God. Lucifer was a high and exalted angel next in honor to Christ, but he was not content and wanted more. He wanted to be in the position of Christ. A special light beamed in his countenance and shone around him brighter and more beautiful than all the other angels. Yet Christ, God’s dear Son, had preeminence over the entire angelic host. He was one with the Father before the angels were created. Lucifer was envious of Christ and gradually assumed command, which devolved on Christ alone. Satan wanted more than he had and that caused his fall.

The first successful sale that Satan made is found in Genesis 3:1–6. Here we see how powerful this emotion really is. Adam and Eve were created holy and happy with no inclination to sin, yet Satan was successful even though he was limited in his access to the holy pair. “Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.”

It was the desire for gain that caused the fall of Eve. She desired the knowledge that the serpent dangled in front of her. When Satan tempts us, he never gives us the whole picture. A good salesman always picks out the most positive benefits of whatever he is trying to sell.

“Satan desired to make it appear that this knowledge of good mingled with evil would be a blessing, and that in forbidding them to take of the fruit of the tree, God was withholding great good. He urged that it was because of its wonderful properties for imparting wisdom and power that God had forbidden them to taste it, that He was thus seeking to prevent them from reaching a nobler development and finding greater happiness. He declared that he himself had eaten of the forbidden fruit, and as a result had acquired the power of speech; and that if they also would eat of it, they would attain to a more exalted sphere of existence and enter a broader field of knowledge. …

“She coveted what God had forbidden; she distrusted His wisdom. She cast away faith, the key of knowledge.” Education, 24.

The desire for gain is a powerful emotion, and it is no different today. These same tactics work even more effectively today than they did then.

In Philippians 4:11, 12, it says, “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.” Paul learned this lesson. He said, “Whatsoever things I have, I am content.”

In I Timothy 6:6–9, it says, “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.” Contentment is a gift God can give to us. It is not in us naturally to be content, but God can give us that contentment if we ask for it. Without that contentment we are an open target for Satan’s temptations.

Hebrews 13:5 says, “Let your conversation be without covetousness: and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” In Matthew 6:19–21 we read, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

We must continually examine ourselves to know where our hearts are, because Satan knows our every weakness and is always ready to attack at every opportunity.

Another powerful emotion that moves people is the fear of loss. That is the fear that caused Adam to fall. Adam understood that his companion had transgressed the command of God and could not bear the thought of being without her. “Adam understood that his companion had transgressed the command of God, disregarded the only prohibition laid upon them as a test of their fidelity and love. There was a terrible struggle in his mind. He mourned that he had permitted Eve to wander from his side. But now the deed was done; he must be separated from her whose society had been his joy. How could he have it thus? …

“He resolved to share her fate; if she must die, he would die with her. After all, he reasoned, might not the words of the wise serpent be true? Eve was before him, as beautiful and apparently as innocent as before this act of disobedience. She expressed greater love for him than before. No sign of death appeared in her, and he decided to brave the consequences. He seized the fruit and quickly ate.” Daughters of God, 24, 25.

Christ had to face these temptations in the wilderness—the desire for gain where Satan offered Him the whole world and in the garden of Gethsemane, the temptation of the fear of loss. The fear of loss was most powerful, because it involved eternal loss and eternal separation from His Father, making His struggle in Gethsemane almost unbearable. These tactics are still successful today. Satan has been studying human nature and perfecting his craft for 6,000 years. In The Great Controversy, 555, it says, “Satan studies every indication of the frailty of human nature, he marks the sins which each individual is inclined to commit, and then he takes care that opportunities shall not be wanting to gratify the tendency to evil.” Satan understands how it works.

Writing to the Philippians Paul said, “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.” Philippians 3:7, 8. Though Paul suffered the loss of all things, he gained Christ and found contentment. Matthew 19:29 says, “And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.” It may appear in this world that we lose; but, in reality we gain everything. As well as gaining eternal life, God has promised to repay a hundred fold whatever is lost for His sake. This is just amazing!

The use of stimulants also affects the decision-making will. “Opium, tea, coffee, tobacco, and liquor are rapidly extinguishing the spark of vitality still left in the race. …

“When the appetite for spiritous liquor is indulged, the man voluntarily places to his lips the draught which debases below the level of the brute, him who was made in the image of God. Reason is paralyzed, the intellect is benumbed, the animal passions are excited, and then follows crime of the most debasing character. How can the user of rum or tobacco give to God an undivided heart? It is impossible. Neither can he love his neighbor as himself. The darling indulgence engrosses all his affections. To gratify his craving for strong drink, he sells reason and self-control.” Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, 36, 37.

Today, there are many more things that stimulate the emotions, the imagination, weaken the mind, affect the nerves, weaken the body, cloud the judgment, and bring the person into bondage, weakening the power to resist. We live day by day on a battlefield.

“By indulgence, the reading of sensational or demoralizing literature becomes a habit, like the use of opium or other baleful drugs, and as a result, the minds of thousands are enfeebled, debased, and even crazed. Satan is doing more through the productions of the press to weaken the minds and corrupt the morals of the youth than by any other means.” Counsels to Writers and Editors, 133, 134.

When I was a young man I used to read books containing mysteries and fiction. These have a similar affect on you as drugs, taking control of your imagination and becoming a way of escape from reality. They warp your mind until the fiction appears as truth and the Bible seems like fiction.

Lack of faith in God’s power has a tremendous affect on the mind and will. “Our entire life is God’s and must be used to His glory. His grace will consecrate and improve every faculty. Let no one say, I cannot remedy my defects of character; for if you come to this decision, you will certainly fail to obtain everlasting life. The impossibility lies in your own will. If you will not, then you can not overcome. The real difficulty arises from the corruption of unsanctified hearts, and an unwillingness to submit to the control of God.” Mind, Character, and Personality, vol. 2, 686. [Emphasis author’s.] If we do not believe that we can overcome and have victory, then we are not going to have it.

“Man does not build himself into a habitation for the Spirit, but unless there is a co-operation of man’s will with God’s will, the Lord can do nothing for him. The Lord is the great Master worker, and yet the human agent must co-operate with the divine worker, or the heavenly building cannot be completed. All the power is of God, and all the glory is to redound to God, and yet all the responsibility rests with the human agent; for God can do nothing without the co-operation of man.” The Review and Herald, October 25, 1892. Again, if we do not believe that we can do something, then we are not going to put forth an effort to do it. God can only operate when we cooperate with Him by submitting our will.

Overwork affects the ability to make good choices. “When the laborer has been under a pressure of work and care, and is overworked in mind and body, he should turn aside and rest awhile, not for selfish gratification, but that he may be better prepared for future duties. We have a vigilant foe, who is ever upon our track, to take advantage of every weakness that he may make his temptations effective for evil. When the mind is overstrained and the body enfeebled, he can take advantage, and press the soul with his fiercest temptations that he may cause the downfall of the child of God. Let the laborer for God carefully husband his strength, and when wearied with toil that must come upon him, let him turn aside and rest and commune with Jesus.” The Review and Herald, November 14, 1893.

We have an adversary. Satan is looking for every opportunity to ensnare us. He is ever upon our track and ready to take advantage of every weakness, of every opportunity that we give him, so we need to be diligent and make sure we do everything we can to not provide him with those opportunities. We must do everything we can to stand firm.

Intemperance weakens the faculties. “Satan has overcome his millions by tempting them to the indulgence of appetite. Through the gratification of the taste, the nervous system becomes excited and the brain power enfeebled, making it impossible to think calmly or rationally. The mind is unbalanced. Its higher, nobler faculties are perverted to serve animal lust, and the sacred, eternal interests are not regarded.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 151.

Though we have a tendency to categorize and put things in an order of importance and see some of these things as trivial, the Bible says that if we are faithful in that which is least we will be faithful in that which is much (Luke 16:10). How much time do we set aside for personal Bible study? “The reason why the youth, and even those of mature years, are so easily led into temptation and sin, is that they do not study the Word of God and meditate upon it as they should. The lack of firm, decided will-power, which is manifest in life and character, results from their neglect of the sacred instruction of God’s Word. They do not by earnest effort direct the mind to that which would inspire pure, holy thought and divert it from that which is impure and untrue.” The Signs of the Times, October 10, 1906.

Feelings of guilt have a deleterious affect on the will. “This feeling of guiltiness must be laid at the foot of the cross of Calvary. The sense of sinfulness has poisoned the springs of life and of true happiness. Now Jesus says, ‘Lay it all on Me. I will take your sins. I will give you peace. Banish no longer your self-respect, for I have bought you with the price of My own blood. You are mine. Your weakened will I will strengthen; your remorse for sin I will remove.’ ” Manuscript Releases, vol. 9, 305.

“Some things that look impossible to you now will certainly change in appearance when your heart is changed by the grace of God. Your heart has become sad at times as you know you are in an unsaved state and that you are grieving the Saviour by your wrong doings. When you come to yourself you are amazed at the distance you have placed between yourself and your Saviour. You have again and again resolved to reform, but you have as often failed because you made these resolutions in your own strength. Your moral power has become weak. Your will power is strong enough, but it is not strong on the Lord’s side. You are not able to fix your mind upon the Word of God. You have talked enough, but it has only sunk you lower. Your heart does not feel when you try to pray.” Testimonies on Sexual Behavior, Adultery, and Divorce, 66.

This is not an exhaustive list. Whatever we do that weakens the mind or the body affects our ability to exercise our will and it also creates an opening for Satan and temptation to enter in. God’s grace is sufficient to sustain us, but we have to do our part. We must do all to stand. Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5.

“Many have an idea that they must do some part of the work alone. They have trusted in Christ for the forgiveness of sin, but now they seek by their own efforts to live aright. But every such effort must fail. Jesus says, ‘Without me ye can do nothing.’ Our growth in grace, our joy, our usefulness—all depend upon our union with Christ.” God’s Amazing Grace, 293.

Without Christ, our willpower is nothing. It is a power of choice, but it has to be linked up with Christ and with His strength to give us the strength to overcome. Through Christ we have all power available to us, but we have to put our wills on the right side, trusting in Him, not in ourselves. We must choose whom we are going to obey. The choice is ours.

May the Lord help each one of us to make the right choices and strengthen those areas of vulnerability. If we pray and ask the Lord to show us those areas, He will do it and give us the grace needed to do it. “As the will of man co-operates with the will of God, it becomes omnipotent. Whatever is to be done at His command may be accomplished in His strength. All His biddings are enablings.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 333.

This is the true force of the will when we ally ourselves with Christ, exercising our will to be overcomers in harmony with the will of God. Only then can we accomplish the Divine plan He has for each of our lives.

Jim Stoeckert is a staff member of Steps to Life, working in Faith Haven Christian School. 

Testimony – Willie’s Story

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I was born in 1913 in Berlin. At the time, my father had a dairy that he sold to purchase a one hundred-acre farm in Silesia, East Germany. I completed the required eighth grade education and at the age of 18, after receiving Bible studies, I was baptized into the Seventh-day Adventist Church. My first job was in a glass factory and my wages were 18 marks for a 48-hour week. I also worked for a construction company on the highway.

In January 1933, Adolf Hitler took power in Germany, which forever changed our lives.

In 1935, I married, and four years later, at age 26, I was drafted into the German army as a medic located in Freistadt, Eastern Germany. When the war started, my regiment was sent from Poland to France to Luxembourg to Belgium and the Vogesen Mountains before returning to Germany. When the German army surprisingly attacked Russia and drove toward Stalingrad and Moscow in 1941, I was there where winter temperatures dropped to 40 degrees below zero. The following year, I was assigned to another infantry division and promoted to Sergeant. In January 1943, I was wounded in the town Ischium, Russia, and was assigned to a reserve medical corps in France. Because the bullet was stopped by my pocketknife, I only received a flesh wound that soon healed. Three months later, on returning to active duty in Russia, I found out what a blessing I had received in that flesh wound, as my whole division had been wiped out at Stalingrad. God works in such mysterious ways!

Once I was in a foxhole and shot at by a Russian tank. The round exploded under a pile of loose sand about three feet behind us but only threw a little sand on us. If the sand had not been there, we all would have been killed. My new company was being transferred to a new location by train boxcar. The soldiers were in the middle of the car with horses on either end separated by rope. One night the horses ate the bread I was to have for breakfast. Three times I requested a replacement but was refused each time. As I turned around in the dark I kicked something and as I reached down I found a bigger piece of bread than the horse had eaten.

I was wounded again in Russia while trying to patch up wounded soldiers and was taken by hospital train to Western Germany where I spent 103 days in hospital before returning back to active service in Russia. Again I was wounded, hit by two bullets in the upper right leg, missing the bone and veins, so I was able to patch myself up and used two broomsticks to walk to the doctor.

It was near the end of the war and it was survival time. Germany was in ruins and I had to find my wife and four children who had fled from the east to Western Germany. I wrote a letter to my wife’s aunt in Berlin and asked the whereabouts of my family and found out that the Germans who had lived in East Prussia had all fled. In an abandoned house I found a Bible; I took it in my hand and asked God, “What is going on?” I opened the Bible to Isaiah 24:1: “Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.” I was put on a civilian wagon and was driven over a frozen bay about three miles, because the Russians had captured the highways. Two days later thousands of people drowned when the ice broke. The hospital train took me to Rudolfstad in Eastern Germany and then with the Russians coming always closer, I was sent to Hanzing in Bavaria, Germany. One minute before I left, I received a letter that my wife and children had fled to Bavaria, Southern Germany. Several weeks later when the American Army arrived in Bavaria I had to go into prison camp, but I was only there for three days and nights. That last night it rained and was so cold that I walked around in the barbed wire enclosure all night in an effort to keep warm. That next morning I was released; the war was over, and I could walk without crutches.

From Bavaria we moved to Lower Saxony, Western Germany, where I worked the next seven years on a large farm. We barely had enough to eat and almost all of our clothes were hand-me-downs. Thus we decided to seek a sponsor from the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and immigrate to the United States of America. In 1952 we left Germany on an old United States Army troop ship, the General R.M. Blatchford, and arrived with six children, ranging in age from 14 years to 1 ½ years old, in the New York Harbor on April 21, 1952. It was Sunday, the first day of the week and the first day of our lives as Americans!

The Nazi Empire had lasted only 12 years even though Hitler had wanted to inaugurate a 1,000-year Reich or Empire. At the end of the war, I heard that of 13 local men who were drafted, only three had survived. Those three happened to be Seventh-day Adventist Christians—a neighborhood friend, my brother Rudi and me. Truly God’s angels had protected us in the worst war of the 20th Century. The inspired words of Moses in Psalm 91:7–12, 14–16 come to mind: “A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you make the Most High your dwelling—even the Lord, who is my refuge—then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. … ‘Because he loves me,’ says the Lord, ‘I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation.’ ” (NIV)

At the time of this writing, I am 90 years of age and I long for the coming of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. This will be when the gospel is preached in all the world (Matthew 24:14). Join me in looking for this new world without war or sin to ruin it. “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’ He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’ Then he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true’ ” (Revelation 21:1, 3–5, NIV). This Kingdom of Jesus Christ lasts forever and you are invited to join it. “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household” (Acts 16:31, NIV).

Submitted by Willie’s daughter, Heidi (Kowarsch) McFarland. She can be contacted by email at: heidihoho@charter.net.