Keys Storehouse

Keys to the Storehouse – Unto the Least

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“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” John 15:13

As humans, we think that if we put our very lives on the line for someone, we are fulfilling this scripture. For example, police officers, paramedics, and fire fighters who are the first to rush into a dangerous situation to save the lives of complete strangers at the risk of, and often the cost of, their own; doctors and nurses who expose themselves to potentially deadly diseases in order to care for the sick and the dying; parents who will sacrifice life or limb to protect the life of their child; or the person who will sacrifice their life for what is right, just because it is right.

So is it true that the above have fulfilled the intent of John 15:13? Yes, I believe so; however, there is more to laying down one’s life than just being willing to die for someone. While a noble act, what about giving, sacrificing in your life for someone? First John 3:16-18 tells us, “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? … let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.”

In order to become the sacrifice necessary to save mankind from eternal death, Jesus had to sacrifice everything. He chose to be a man, to bear not only his physical weaknesses, but the weaknesses of his human nature (albeit without sin). He gave up His heavenly home and while on the cross, He was separated from the Father because of the sin of the world He carried. He left the love and praise of the heavenly angels and came to earth to live in poverty, tempted, scorned and rejected by the very ones He came to save. He lived a life that would be the example that man should follow so that he could develop the character needed to reach heaven. He showed man how to love even those who did not love Him. And then, He died for them.

If we are truly to fulfill the intent of the scripture to lay down one’s life, we must be willing to sacrifice everything: our property, our possessions, our wealth, our plans, our time, and yes, perhaps even our lives. The world groans as it suffers the painful burden of sin’s effects and consequences and the people of the world groan in their hearts, even if they aren’t aware of it, for lack of the one thing that could relieve their cares, fears, sorrows, and burdens – Jesus Christ. And how can they know Him, if they are never told, never shown? We must sacrifice our lives to Him so that He then can give us the love that makes it possible for us to sacrifice our lives for them.

Dear Lord, let it not be said of us: “ ‘For I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me,’ ” but rather “ ‘inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these, … you did it to Me.’ ”

(Matthew 25:42, 43 last part, 40).

[All emphasis supplied.]

Keys – How Blind is Blind?

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“Marvelous beyond expression is the blindness of the people of this generation. Thousands reject the word of God as unworthy of belief and with eager confidence receive the deceptions of Satan.” Darkness Before Dawn, 23.

We have been given the greatest gift that heaven could give, and yet, so few realize it. Almost the whole world denies it, believing in it when they choose, expecting the goodness and mercy of God to be theirs when they want it. How many times have we heard or even said ourselves, I will live the way God wants me to live when this or that happens. But once we have this or that, we see not nor appreciate the God to whom we owe everything.

“That He might save the souls of perishing human beings, He made a gift of such magnitude that it can never be said that God could have made His gift, His donation to the human family, greater. His gift defies computation.” Our High Calling, 28.

“In this our day men choose to follow their own desires and their own will.

“Can we be surprised that there is so much spiritual blindness?” Manuscript 163, 1903.

“So great has been the spiritual blindness of men that they have sought to make of none effect the Word of God. They have declared by their traditions that the great plan of redemption was devised in order to abolish and make of none effect the law of God, when Calvary is the mighty argument that proves the immutability of the precepts of Jehovah. … There must be a searching out of the peculiar sins which have been offensive to God, which have dishonored His name and quenched the light of His Spirit and killed the first love from the soul. …

“Victory is assured through faith and obedience. … The work of overcoming is not restricted to the age of the martyrs. The conflict is for us, in these days of subtle temptation to worldliness, to self-security, to indulgence of pride, covetousness, false doctrines, and immorality of life.” That I May Know Him, 256.

Dear Lord, take away our blindness so that we are able to clearly see our true condition and that You are the remedy. Help us not to turn blindly away from You who loved us enough to give Your Son, nor from Him, who was willing to give His life to save ours.

Keys – The Secure Anchor

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Will your anchor hold in the storm of life?
Shining gates of pearl our harbor bright.
We shall anchor fast to the heavenly shore,
With the storms all past forevermore.
We have an anchor that keeps the soul,
Steadfast and sure while the billows roll.
Fastened to the Rock which cannot move,
Grounded firm and deep in the Saviour’s love.
“Will Your Anchor Hold?”
Priscilla J. Owens, 1882.

As Adventists, we have sung the above song many times, but how many of us have really considered the meaning of the words? Where are we anchored and to what should our anchor be fastened?

The world is fast becoming a very scary place. On the one hand, praise God, for we have the second coming of Christ looming on the near horizon, closer than it has ever been. And on the other, as this event draws nearer and nearer, the sustaining hand of God is being withdrawn more and more and Satan is all too willing to step in and fill the void. Evil multiplies and it seems daily, even hourly, we read or hear of some terrible occurrence. We see the increase in alcoholism, drug addiction, suicide, murder, theft, abuse of every kind, abortion, child trafficking, blame and accusations, perversion, adultery, anger, violence, cruelty and hatred.

We read in Evangelism, 362, “The fallacies of Satan are now being multiplied, and those who swerve from the path of truth will lose their bearings. Having nothing to which to anchor, they will drift from one delusion to another, blown about by the winds of strange doctrines.”

As we evaluate our own lives, the things we read, watch, listen to, wear, pursue, what we say, how we use our means, how we spend our time – in prayer, in study – are we able to clearly see where we are anchored? Is it on this earth or in heaven?

“Many know so little about their Bibles that they are unsettled in the faith. They remove the old landmarks, and fallacies and winds of doctrine blow them hither and thither. … and [they] divorce themselves from God, while still claiming to be His children.” The Review and Herald, December 29, 1896.

Continuing in Evangelism 362, Mrs. White says, “I entreat everyone to be clear and firm regarding the certain truths that we have heard and received and advocated. The statements of God’s word are plain. Plant your feet firmly on the platform of eternal truth. Reject every phase of error, even though it be covered with a semblance of reality.” [Emphasis supplied.]

Lord, help us to be solidly anchored in Your word, fastened to the Rock which cannot move and grounded firm and deep in Your love. May we be fully clothed in the whole armor of God, ready with an “It is written,” when confronted by the devil or those who serve him. Make us strong to turn from this world and to look to You, seeking only to do Your will. Keep us faithful until You come, is our prayer today and every day.

Keys to the Storehouse – Don’t Just Feel Ready, Be Ready!

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How many have started the week with, “Man, I can’t wait until Friday.” And as each day of the week passes, you become more passionate in the declaration that Friday can’t come soon enough, “I am sooo ready for this week to be over.”

What does it mean to be ready? What about the week’s activities, events or experiences has made you ready?

In American English, ready is used as either an adjective or verb.

An example of the word used as an adjective shows that something is all set, in a fit state. Used as a verb it indicates the action of becoming prepared or equipped.

Things may have been tough this week, some bad things happened or you were just overwhelmed and that has made you feel like you are ready for the week to be over. But when we think of spiritual readiness, just because we feel ready, are we ready?

Hebrew 13:21 tells us, “[May the God of peace] … make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ.”

And “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16, 17).

You won’t be ready if you don’t get ready. “Suppose that today Christ should appear in the clouds of heaven, who … would be ready to meet Him? Suppose we should be translated into the kingdom of heaven just as we are. Would we be prepared to unite with the saints of God, to live in harmony with the royal family, the children of the heavenly King? What preparation have you made for the judgment? Have you made your peace with God? Are you laboring together with God? Are you seeking to help those around you, those in your home, those in your neighborhood, those with whom you come in contact that are not keeping the commandments of God? … Are we getting ready to meet the King? …

“If it were possible for us to be admitted into heaven as we are, how many of us would be able to look upon God? How many of us have on the wedding-garment? How many of us are without spot or wrinkle or any such thing? How many of us are worthy to receive the crown of life? … Position does not make the man. It is Christ formed within that makes a man worthy of receiving the crown of life, that fadeth not away. …

“Get ready, get ready, get ready. Ye must have a greater preparation than ye now have. … Sacrifice all to God. Lay all upon His altar—self, property, and all, a living sacrifice. It will take all to enter glory.” Maranatha, 98.

Lord, give us the desire to get ready. Help us to seek to be a people without spot or wrinkle, worthy of the crown of life.

Keys – Like the Leaves of Autumn

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One day I had several errands to run in town. It was a sunny, warm day for early November. Because the weather had been consistently warmer than the normal average for that time of year, the trees still held most of their leaves and the grass was still green and required mowing from time to time.

As I left the house, I noticed that a few leaves had fallen from the big tree in the front yard. I wondered how soon they would all fall and I would have to do something to get them chopped up or raked up. I left at mid-morning and didn’t return until mid-afternoon.

When I arrived home and turned into the driveway, the sight that welcomed me was absolutely overwhelming. Like an instrument in an orchestra directed by the conductor, “all together now,” the big tree had dropped hundreds of leaves in the yard. In spots the leaves were deep enough to be over the tops of my shoes and it still had plenty of leaves yet to drop.

The phrase “like leaves of autumn” comes to mind when I think of this day. Jesus said that we are to “teach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). This is accomplished through Bible studies, witnessing, handing out literature, cooking schools, but mostly by how we live our lives.

But the Spirit of Prophecy also tells us of another way in which we can share the gospel. “This is a work that should be done. The end is near. Already much time has been lost, when these books should have been in circulation. Sell them far and near. Scatter them like the leaves of autumn. This work is to continue without the forbiddings of any one. Souls are perishing out of Christ. Let them be warned of His soon appearing in the clouds of heaven.” The Review and Herald, August 13, 1908. [Emphasis supplied.]

Imagine, Bibles, The Desire of Ages, Steps to Christ, The Great Controversy, The Ministry of Healing all blanketing the world like the leaves in my front yard.

Keys – Quality or Quantity – Heaven or the World

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Jeremy and Justin were two sweet boys, that I loved dearly. I was close friends with their aunt and was able to spend a lot of time with them.

Jeremy was close to five years old and he loved cars, so one Christmas I bought him a remote-control monster truck. Justin was still just a little boy and I thought he would enjoy something fun so got him two $2 plastic water pistols.

I don’t know who had greater anticipation come Christmas morning, Jeremy or me. He tore open his gift and was overjoyed to find the monster truck. In the meantime, Justin had opened his gift and was happily playing with each of the water pistols.

All was well until Jeremy realized that he had one gift, but Justin had two. Jeremey couldn’t understand the value of his one gift. He cried and cried and would not be consoled, while Justin blissfully and almost obliviously enjoyed his plastic water pistols.

The next day, the truck was returned to the store and exchanged for two water pistols just like his brother’s. Jeremy and Justin played happily together with those inexpensive plastic water pistols.

Years later, I wonder about the spiritual concept of quality vs. quantity – heavenly vs. earthly.

I thought Jeremy would have been completely happy with that monster truck, but it was only one and his brother had two things. The devil loves to surround us with things, and lots of them. Things that are loud and fast, bright and pleasing, but they don’t last. You see, like those two plastic water pistols and all the fun that Jeremy and Justin had playing with them, it wasn’t long before they were broken and useless. Neither of them understood the value of the rejected gift. The devil’s temptation is always to want more.

Jesus offers us one thing – salvation. That one gift involves many other things – love, peace, forgiveness, mercy, grace, power and ultimately heaven. Just one thing, but oh, the quality of it.

We can choose to be mesmerized by the quantity of things the devil offers and blissfully, almost obliviously, live day to day blinded to the lack of quality in these things. Or, we can choose the one gift, the gift that is ours simply for the taking; the greatest gift that heaven could give.

The devil’s way is easier, luring the unsuspecting with its hollow glitter and charm, while the path to heaven sometimes just seems too hard. However, the rewards are everlasting.

“All heaven appreciates the struggles of those who are fighting for the crown of everlasting life, that they may be partakers with Christ in the city of God. … God wants you there, Christ wants you there, the heavenly host wants you there.” Our High Calling, 368.

“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. … The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil; He shall preserve thy soul” (Psalm 121:1, 2, 7).

“The pure, heavenly graces are received and flourish in mind, heart, and character only as man becomes a partaker of the divine nature. … Heaven must begin on earth for every soul who will enter the heavenly mansions above.” Our High Calling, 368.

“Every provision has been made that we may attain a height of stature in Christ Jesus that will meet the divine standard.” The Review and Herald, December 16, 1884.

Dear Lord, there is nothing this world can offer of greater value or quality than what You have done for us and are preparing for those who love You. Help us to always look to You and not the world. Amen.

Keys to the Storehouse – Am I Willing or Willful?

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At the end of July 2020, my husband suddenly passed away. In a moment, everything in my life changed. No longer would I be able to physically or financially stay in our home. Things accumulated that had to be dealt with; debt to pay, where to live, packing, cleaning, moving – all alone. But then I discovered I wasn’t alone. Family and friends rallied to my side. I will never know how to thank them for their friendship and love during that time.

Best of all, God had not left me alone. He already had a plan for me and immediately began to take care of everything. The sale of the house. Funds to pay the debt, medical expenses and funeral costs were provided. I had longed to return home to Wichita, Kansas, and that had been our retirement intention. It must have also been God’s plan, for He provided work and sufficient income that made it possible for me to leave my job and move home. This briefly describes what God has done for me over the last five months.

In spite of God’s miraculous providence, there were still times I had the notion that I was totally alone accomplishing these things. Every step of the way God has provided for me. I am so unworthy of all He has done. I realize that He does not intervene in our lives because we are worthy, but because of our great need. We may be capable of doing many things, but still we often struggle to be willing to surrender our lives and let Jesus do the work that He has promised to do in us.

How easy it is to continue your own way while knowing it is contrary to God’s will. Yet, He still patiently nudges us to draw us back and fully trust Him.

“Says the true Witness, ‘Behold, I stand at the door, and knock’ (Revelation 3:20). … With every knock unheeded, your determination to open becomes weaker and weaker. If the voice of Jesus is not heeded at once, it becomes confused in the mind with a multitude of other voices, the world’s care and business engross the attention, and conviction dies away. The heart becomes less impressible, and lapses into a perilous unconsciousness of the shortness of time, and of the great eternity beyond.” The Review and Herald, November 2, 1886.

Talk about a painful reminder. Later in this same article Ellen White writes how those who profess His name fail to become what He designed them to be. “The Saviour says, ‘What more could I have done that I have not done?’ ” Ibid. Imagine, the God of heaven having to ask that question. Then it reminds us that we have no time to wait for convenience. Now is the time to repent. “Oh, it is peace that you need – Heaven’s forgiveness, peace and love in the soul. Money cannot buy it, intellect cannot procure it, wisdom cannot attain to it; but Jesus offers it as a gift. It is yours if you will but reach out your hand and grasp it.” Ibid.

Friends, the choice is ours to make. Will we be willing to become what God designed us to be or will we willfully hold on to self and the things of this world? Give it some thought.

Father: Thank You for Your love and patience toward this sinful world. Cleanse our hard hearts so that we can hear Your voice and be willing to follow You and become vessels of honor for Your sake. Amen.

Keys to the Storehouse – When One Is Too Many

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I am an avid stitcher. I love working counted cross-stitch patterns. I learned from my mother when I was in my early 20s, and it has since been a pleasing outlet for my creativity and also a way to relieve stress.

Many years ago, I was in Silver Dollar City and found a small, hole-in-the-wall shop that sold cross-stitch sampler patterns. Around the top over all four walls were old, completed samplers and as I gazed around the room at the delightful colors and intricacies of the different patterns, I noticed one sampler in particular. It began A B C D as you would expect, but then skipped to F G H and so on. Between the D and F there was a caret, an insertion mark that indicated something was being added at that spot, and above the caret was an E stitched at a crooked angle. I was intrigued. I thought why wouldn’t they recount, remove the incorrect stitching and just make the correction. I asked the storekeeper and he told me that a couple hundred years earlier people believed that only God was perfect, so they would deliberately make a mistake to prove that belief to be true.

Sometime after my visit to that shop, I began stitching a set of four patterns, seasonal flowers – winter, spring, summer and fall – in different baskets and pots. The first three I completed perfectly, but while I stitched the flowers of the fourth pattern perfectly, I incorrectly counted while stitching the flowerpot. I didn’t notice at first. It took a couple or three rows before I began to see the results of the error I had made. I didn’t have to deliberately make a mistake to prove that God is perfect and I am not. I thought I should take the stitching out and do it correctly, but then I thought about what I’d learned that day in that shop. One mistake could change everything in a picture. So, I left it and you can see that the error caused my flowerpot to have a crack in it.

That got me thinking about spiritual choices. The decisions we make regarding right and wrong, the choices we make that result in yielding to temptation and ultimately sin. One sin can lead to another and then another. We are often unaware of what we have done until the results can be seen, like the crack in the flowerpot. You might say, “I made a choice and I felt so bad when I realized what I had done, that I corrected the action and I’ve never done it again.” Praise God! I worked another, very elaborate cross-stitch pattern of a Japanese geisha. She had a flowing robe and in the fold of the robe, I made a mistake. I searched and searched to find that mistake, but I was never able to locate it so that I could correct it. As a result, while no one else can see the error and no matter how well I may have been able to get back on track, the results of that error in counting can still be seen, if only by me.

It is the same with sin. One sin can have consequences, unfortunately, that cannot be changed.  You might sin and realize what you’ve done and correct your course, but the consequences of that sin will remain; sometimes seen by all, like the flowerpot and sometimes, like the Japanese geisha, seen only by you and God.

“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12).

Keys to the Storehouse – Garments of Praise

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“Put on garments of praise for a spirit of heaviness.”

Isaiah 61:3

Part of Jesus’ mission on earth was “To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness” (Isaiah 61:3 NKJV).

With such instability in our world at present, many people struggle with a feeling of heaviness and sadness. Often our prayers begin with “I feel … .” Fill in the blank – it may be confused, lonely, discouraged!

Someone once suggested: “Don’t start with ‘I feel’; start with ‘You are.’ ”

Often the root of our tumultuous feelings is that we forget who God is and our choice of sin is usually anxiety – a failure to remember that God is sovereign and that He is good. If we pray and say, “You are a good and all-powerful Father,” we are simply reminded that He is just and that He does provide for our every need. So what then do we have to be anxious about?

In David’s much-loved Psalm he said, “The Lord is my shepherd; …” a declaration of who God is. “I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1). This should be our response to this character trait of God.

It is when we take our eyes off ourselves and take a deep look at the eternal, unchanging One that we find our problems and feelings will lose their significance in light of all He is.

Lord, You are great – David asked, “Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle” (Psalm 24:8).

Lord, you are gentle and humble – Jesus said, “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29 NKJV).
Lord, you are near the brokenhearted – David tells us, “The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit” (Psalm 34:18).

Lord, you are tender – “He will not cry out, nor raise His voice, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth” (Isaiah 42:2, 3 NIV).

The praise goes on and on. The Lord is our Provider, our Healer, our Righteous Judge, our Loving Bridegroom, our Creator.

So whatever trouble you are facing—look up! The great galaxy-creating God is merciful and gracious, He is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. Tell the great I AM who He is and remind your own fragile soul in the process.

Make this a constant discipline: whenever you feel overburdened and discouraged, set your heart to adore God. You will find that burdens lift. He has exchanged the spirit of heaviness for garments of praise. And we can be sure that one day, wearing those very garments, we will dance for joy in the presence of our Savior.

Father, You are our God. Without You we are nothing and nothing else matters, but with You we have hope, we have a purpose, and we have a future. Take control of everything in our lives that Your will be done because we trust You. Amen.

Keys to the Storehouse – Faith Triumphs Over Fear

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Life often deals out situations that seem so hard to navigate, and this past year surely has been no exception. On top of all the normal every-day struggles, we have had to survive the COVID-19 storm and for those living in the United States, the appalling lead-up to the Federal elections. It makes one wonder just how much they can endure. To cope, we can either choose faith or fear.

Think about the disciples on a boat when a life-threatening storm erupted on the lake. They were unprepared to face the danger, realizing that at any moment they might die. While they all panicked, Jesus, who was with them, slept peacefully through the storm. Instead of trusting His reaction to the storm, the disciples allowed the situation to dictate their reaction.

Jesus’ gentle rebuke, asking them why they were afraid, was intended for them to realize their lack of faith that He could see them through the storm. So how should we respond when passing through storms over which we have no control?

Trust in Him who does have control over the wind and waves of life. The situation may not change, but we can always choose to trust God. When storms come, do we focus on the size of the storm or on the One who already knows the outcome? Any situation can be navigated with His wisdom and peace.

It is so easy to be fearful when we are unable to control the outcome. We are called to live by faith and trust in the One who does know our future and is in the business of saving all who seek Him. There are always two choices when one is overwhelmed: either focus on the circumstances or on Jesus. He will walk by the side of those who depend on Him. No storm that anyone will ever face is more powerful than our Saviour. Remember, Jesus is always beside us and will guide us safely to the heavenly shore.

Father, thank You for the promise You have made to never leave us or forsake us. Give us the courage to always keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, who alone can overpower any situation we find ourselves in and walk with us through the storms of life until we triumph at last. Amen.