Keys Storehouse

Keys to the Storehouse – Know Him and Shine

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Have you noticed how dark it is getting on this little world of ours? The darker the night, the brighter your little light will shine, telling the world that you know the Saviour, and lighting up the pathway for another to follow.

Consider these elements that we are told knew Jesus.

  • “At His birth the star had known Christ, and had guided the wise men to the manger where He lay.
  • The heavenly hosts had known Him, and had sung His praise over the plains of Bethlehem.
  • The sea had known His voice, and had obeyed His command.
  • Disease and death had recognized His authority, and had yielded to Him their prey.
  • The sun had known Him, and at the sight of His dying anguish, had hidden its face of light.
  • The rocks had known Him, and had shivered into fragments at His cry.
  • Inanimate nature had known Christ, and had borne witness to His divinity.
  • But the priests and rulers of Israel knew not the Son of God.” The Desire of Ages, 770, 771.

Everything created knows Jesus except, tragically, His professed followers.

It is our privilege to know Him who died for us and to be a light in this world that is shining brightly and not being hid under a bushel. Give yourself to God right now and stand strong upon His Word and become channels of light.

Join the list above. Let not your mind and heart be enveloped in the darkness of this world, crucifying the Saviour afresh. Let your light so shine that all around the light will be a reflection of the love of Jesus.

“And while Christ opens heaven to man, the life which He imparts opens the heart of man to heaven. Sin not only shuts us away from God, but destroys in the human soul both the desire and the capacity for knowing Him.” Reflecting Christ, 106.

Know Him and live in the light of God’s word that all may receive those heavenly rays and shine those rays onto another.

Heavenly Father: We need Your light to shine into our hearts right at this moment that we may reflect it to all around that all may know that we stand in heavenly places with You, abiding in Your word. Amen.

Keys to the Storehouse – The Menace of Mingling

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It is interesting to note that the meaning of mingling is to become mixed, blended or united. On this note, the following paragraph is full of meaning.

“During the sojourn of the Israelites in Egyptian bondage, they largely lost sight of the knowledge of God and of His law; in their constant mingling with heathenism and idolatry they lost almost all the knowledge of the true God and of His laws, which had been entrusted to them.” Practical Lessons, F.C. Gilbert, page 157. [Emphasis supplied.]

Constant mingling with heathenism and idolatry caused the Israelites to lose almost all of their knowledge of the true God and His laws. Today we face the same danger.

Let us put our own name in place of the Israelites. Are we not sojourning here while we wait for our Lord’s return? Have we not also lost the knowledge of the true God and His laws by mingling with the world? Is it not time to take the advice of Paul to “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. … that Jesus Christ is in you? – unless indeed you are disqualified” (2 Corinthians 13:5 NKJV)? The devil’s plan is to lure Christians away from Godly paths until they have blended with the world.

Egypt is a symbol for sin. Living a life of worldliness today is akin to living in Egypt. The more we mingle and blend with the world’s habits in eating, drinking, dressing and entertainment, we trade the knowledge of God with the knowledge of the world until the danger is unrecognized.

God says in Exodus 20:1–3, “And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.”

God has brought us out of the world—out of the house of bondage into the freedom of His glorious light. Why hunger for those things that we have left behind, as the Israelites did for the leeks of Egypt, when God has eternal realities in mind?

“We might expect the Israelites to harden their hearts against the reproofs of the prophet. We listen to hear them respond, ‘We do not wish to be continually reminded of our sins. Speak to us words of peace, encouragement, and hope, but do not keep ever before us the dismal relation of our backslidings.’ How often do the professed people of God at the present day turn away from instruction, and neglect oft-repeated warnings. They dislike to be reminded of their defects of character. They are unwilling to be reproved for their pride and idolatry in turning from the requirements of God to seek the gains, friendship, or pleasures of the world.” The Signs of the Times, June 23, 1881. What a heartbreaking parallel!

Are we mingling and becoming blended with this world? Pray to God for help and guidance.

Heavenly Father: Our sojourn here has been long and we need Your help. We are beginning to wear down and are tempted to seek the momentary pleasures of this world by constant mingling with those who would draw us astray. Oh Lord, give us strength and grace to stand in Thy ways bringing honor to Your name as true representatives of Jesus in this world. Thank You for hearing our cry. Amen.

Keys to the Storehouse – Cute But Deadly!

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I saw a chipmunk in our back yard. How cute—I thought! We put a birdfeeder out and many birds started appearing in our yard for meals. It was entertaining to see this cute little chipmunk out under the feeder, along with little birds, gathering the seeds that had fallen. The birds adjusted to the chipmunk being there without fear.

Then one afternoon I witnessed that little chipmunk carrying off a little bird to his den. What a shock! About an hour later I watched him mingle among the birds before he again attacked another little bird and carried it off! Again I was shocked! I didn’t know chipmunks ate birds! Sadly, the chipmunk mingled with the birds that felt safe around him not knowing he was their enemy. Needless to say, we trapped the chipmunk and relocated him.

Many things, like the cute little chipmunk, seem so harmless that we find ourselves mixing with them until one day we realize we are hooked! That is how the devil works—he eases himself in pretending to be friendly, then watch out!

“He [Satan] bade his angels go and lay their snares especially for those who were looking for Christ’s second appearing, and who were keeping all God’s commandments. …

“If you can make them place their affections upon these things, we have them yet. They may profess what they please, only make them care more for money than the success of Christ’s kingdom, or the spread of the truths we hate. Present the world before them in the most attractive light, that they may love and idolize it. We must keep all the means in our ranks we can. The more means they have, the more will they injure our kingdom by getting our subjects. … Cause all the distraction you can. Destroy love for each other. … Make covetousness and love of earthly treasures the ruling traits of their character. As long as these traits rule, salvation and grace stand back. Crowd all you can around them to attract them, and they will be surely ours. Not only are we sure of them, but their hateful influence will not be exercised toward others to lead them to heaven.” Spiritual Gifts, vol. 1, 179, 180.

Does this sound familiar? Anything that causes you to give your precious hours of probation over to them may be “cute” but “deadly” and be the cause of losing eternal life unless some life choices are changed.

The innocent birds had no idea their lives would end so suddenly. Be careful to avoid the clutches of the enemy that seem so harmless.

 

Heavenly Father:  Help me to be faithful that I may be part of the earth made new where there will be no death in Your creation at all. Remove this world from my heart that I may be ready for Your kingdom. Grant me spiritual discernment that I may see where Satan has redirected my feet and/or my thoughts.  Help me to keep my thoughts on heavenly and not the temporary pleasures of this earth. Save me from the cute but deadly. Amen.

Keys to the Storehouse – Springing Forth

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As I was sitting for my morning study I began reading Isaiah 61:11, “For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth …” I paused. My mind was drawn out to my own garden. My heart was awed at the thought that God was causing my little seeds to spring forth into beautiful plants providing vegetables. All I could do was lift up my heart heavenward to praise and thank Him for the miracle He has brought forth in my backyard!

I then read a little further, “… so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.” That righteousness and praise is going to spring forth through you and through me! We are plants in the Lord’s vineyard and the thought that the Lord is causing righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations, before our neighbors, our family, our workplace is so awesome!

  • Wow, what a miracle the Lord hath wrought within each one of us.
  • What a miracle that the world is removed from our hearts and our lives.
  • What a miracle that we can walk in heavenly places right in our own little circle of life.
  • We are walking miracles! Praise the Lord!

My dear brother and sister, “God can breathe new life into every soul that sincerely desires to serve Him, and can touch the lips with a live coal from off the altar, and cause them to become eloquent with His praise. Thousands of voices will be imbued with the power to speak forth the wonderful truths of God’s word. The stammering tongue will be unloosed, and the timid will be made strong to bear courageous testimony to the truth.” The Review and Herald, July 20, 1886.

God will breathe new life into you just as He causes new life to sprout from a seed in your garden. Read again Isaiah 61:11 and ask God to “cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all” through you today. He has promised—He will never fail you if you truly believe and follow Him.

“May the Lord help His people to cleanse the soul temple from every defilement, and to maintain such a close connection with Him that they may be partakers of the latter rain when it shall be poured out.” Ibid.

 

Father:
Breathe new life into my soul and cause praise to flow forth. I desire to serve Thee. Touch my lips with a live coal from off the altar and cause them to become eloquent with Thy praise. I want my stammering tongue to be unloosed, and be made strong to bear courageous testimony to Your truths. Cause new life to spring forth through me to Thy glory. Amen.

Keys to the Storehouse – Undimmed Flame

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An undimmed flame is not dull, faint, gloomy or blurred; it is bright! “Their light burned with undimmed flame through the night of watching. It helped to swell the illumination for the bridegroom’s honor. Shining out in the darkness, it helped to illuminate the way to the home of the bridegroom, to the marriage feast.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 414.

We are in that night of watching! What is that light burning with undimmed flame? What is that light that is shining on the path of many people, directing their eyes heavenward? It is God’s character shining forth through us! This is that “undimmed flame … shining out in the darkness.” This is God’s character, His thoughts and feelings, shining through us. We are told that the “thoughts and feelings combined make up the moral character.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 310. This is that undimmed flame!

“So the followers of Christ are to shed light into the darkness of the world. Through the Holy Spirit,

  • God’s word is a light
  • as it becomes a transforming power in the life of the receiver.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 414.

As God’s word becomes a transforming power in our lives, it becomes that light shining forth into the darkness! “By implanting in their hearts the principles of His word, the Holy Spirit develops in men the attributes of God.

  • The light of His glory—His character—is to shine forth in His followers.
  • Thus they are to glorify God,
  • to lighten the path to the Bridegroom’s home,
  • to the city of God,
  • to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” Ibid.

Is your light burning with undimmed flame, lighting the path to the city of God? Has the light of God’s word become a transforming power in your life?  Remember: “Through the Holy Spirit, God’s word is a light as it becomes a transforming power in the life of the receiver.” Ibid. [Emphasis supplied.] Are you transformed?

The foolish virgins had light from God’s word, but had not the transforming power in their life. “We cannot keep Christ apart from our lives here, and yet be fitted for His companionship in heaven.” Ibid. Do you belong to Christ or the world? Do you shine or are you beclouded?

To His people God says, “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee” (Isaiah 60:1, 2).

 

Father: Let the Holy Spirit transform my life that I may shine forth. May the Holy Spirit, through Your Word, develop in me Your attributes. I do not want to end up a foolish virgin. Let the light of Thy character shine through me. Amen.

 

Keys to the Storehouse – Don’t Shirk

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A shirker is somebody who gets out of responsibility. Do you shirk? Do you allow others to bear the responsibility while you sit back and watch or maybe even murmur? Or do you bear and strengthen the team?

“Caleb was faithful and steadfast. He was not boastful, he made no parade of his merits and good deeds; but his influence was always on the side of right. And what was his reward? When the Lord denounced judgments against the men who refused to hearken to His voice, He said: ‘But My servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed Me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.’ ” Testimonies, vol. 5, 303.

Which class do you occupy: cowards and murmurers or are you classed with the faithful Caleb? While the cowards and murmurers perished in the wilderness, faithful Caleb had a home in the promised Canaan. The Lord God of Israel saith, “… for them that honor Me I will honor, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed” (1 Samuel 2:30).

“Hannah prayed and trusted; and in her son Samuel she gave to the Israel of God a most precious treasure—a useful man, with a well-formed character, one who was as firm as a rock where principle was concerned.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 304.

What treasure do you offer to our Lord—a  well-formed heavenly character or a well-formed earthly character?

“In Joppa there was a Dorcas, whose skillful fingers were more active than her tongue. She knew who needed comfortable clothing and who needed sympathy, and she freely ministered to the wants of both classes. And when Dorcas died, the church in Joppa realized their loss. It is no wonder that they mourned and lamented, nor that warm teardrops fell upon the inanimate clay. She was of so great value that by the power of God she was brought back from the land of the enemy, that her skill and energy might still be a blessing to others.” Ibid.

Are your fingers more active than your tongue? Do you offer sympathy and comfort when needed?

“Such patient, prayerful, and persevering fidelity as was possessed by these saints of God is rare; yet the church cannot prosper without it. It is needed in the church, in the Sabbath school, and in society. Many come together in church relationship with their natural traits of character unsubdued; and in a crisis, when strong, hopeful spirits are needed, they give up to discouragement and bring burdens on the church; and they do not see that this is wrong. The cause does not need such persons, for they are unreliable; but there is always a call for steadfast, God-fearing workers, who will not faint in the day of adversity.” Ibid.

Heavenly Father: Keep me from becoming a coward or a murmurer. Make me like faithful Caleb. Use me as an instrument of Thy righteousness. I offer you my heart to fill with Your love and mercy and sympathy and comfort so that others around me may be blessed. Don’t ever allow me to shirk, but to strengthen all around me through Thy grace, which is truly sufficient. Amen.

 

Keys to the Storehouse – Personalizing God’s Word

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What do I say to the Lord? How do I talk to Him? Would you like to sit in His presence where you will find fullness of joy? Come, let us “talk” with our Lord. Let us transform the word of God into personalized prayers which will draw our hearts heavenward and which will cause us to sit in heavenly places.

Do you really want to know what God’s will is for you so that you may walk worthy of Him? Then let’s look at one of the many “keys” in God’s word that will cause your heart to plead for such a knowledge with such heart yearning, that the Holy Spirit will carry it heavenward and you will receive the thing you ask for if it truly is your heart’s desire and your heart is in unison with the Father’s will. This key is very appropriate to use when you come to spend time with Him in His word.

Open the word of God to Colossians 1:9–11. Read these three verses as they are in your Bible. My KJV reads: “For this cause we also, since the day we heard [it], do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.”

Beginning at the word desire, add I and personalize these verses:

Father in heaven, I desire to be filled with the knowledge of Thy will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding that I may walk worthy of Thee unto all pleasing; being fruitful in every good work and increasing in a knowledge of Thee. It is my desire to be strengthened with all might according to Thy glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.

“How complete this prayer is! There is no limit to the blessings that it is our privilege to receive. We may be ‘filled with the knowledge of his will.’ The Holy Ghost would never have inspired Paul to offer this prayer in behalf of his brethren, if it had not been possible for them to receive an answer from God in accordance with the request. Since this is so, we know that God’s will is manifested to His people as they need a clearer understanding of His will.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 906.

What did you just pray for? Is this the desire of your heart? Do you delight yourself in the Lord? If this is so, turn to Psalm 37:4 and claim that most wonderful promise. My KJV version reads: “Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” What a promise! Send up a prayer right now claiming that promise:

Oh Lord, I do delight myself in Thee and You have promised to give me the desires of my heart if I delight myself in Thee. I know that it is Thy will that I be filled with a knowledge of Thy will that I may walk worthy of Thee unto all pleasing and be fruitful in every good work. Lord, I want to be strengthened with all might unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness. I claim this promise right now that you will give me the desires of my heart because I delight myself in Thee and this is my heart’s desire.

Turn the words of God into your prayer, your “key to the storehouse,” and then claim the promise found in Psalm 37:4. Just remember that if you truly delight thyself in the Lord, He will give you the desires of your heart because your heart is pleading to be one with His. May God bless you tremendously as you use this “key.”

Keys to the Storehouse – Lord, Give Me Strength

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We have no strength except what comes from God. We need to ask Him for that strength daily. I have a hard time finding just the right words to speak to God. I know what is in my heart, but I cannot find the right words. Yes, I know He knows my heart, but I want to talk to my Father in heaven, as I am sure you do also. I want to commune with Him personally, and I want Him to commune with me. Sometimes as I sit searching for words, He inspires me with exactly what I need to say because He already knows what is in my heart.

In the morning hours, especially when I see everything that needs to be done, I tend to feel overwhelmed. My Lord shared this prayer with me one day while I was reading and the words were just what my heart yearned for, but had been unable to verbalize. Now I can speak what my heart wants to say and I know that He hears me. He will hear you also as you lift up your heart to Him.

O Lord, give me strength to fulfill the duties of this day and to meet its temptations and trials. Help me to bring into my work Christ’s sweetness of character. Help me to speak words that will draw those around me nearer to Christ.

You will see the answers to this heartfelt prayer throughout the day. Lift your heart heavenward and plead with your Father to give you strength. Plead for the sweetness of Christ’s character to flow through you and touch others that their hearts also may be lifted to Him. If Christ’s sweetness of character is working in and through you, other hearts will be lifted up because you first reached for the Lord’s inspiration.

We are told that “character is the great harvest of life. And every word or deed that through the grace of Christ shall kindle in one soul an impulse that reaches heavenward, every effort that tends to the formation of a Christlike character, is laying up treasure in heaven.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessings, 90.

It is my desire to lay up treasure in heaven. Is it yours? Is it the desire of your heart that the words you speak may cause another person’s heart to be lifted heavenward? Then ask for it. He will give you words to speak that will draw those around you to Him. He will give you strength to fulfill your duties today, if you ask Him.

God has promised you that if you delight yourself in Him, He will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4.) Tell Him that this is the desire of your heart for today.

May God bless you and those hearts you touch as you use this Key to the Storehouse.

Keys to the Storehouse – Crossing the Boundary

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Not too long ago, I was reading and relaxing on a Sabbath afternoon. After a short while I realized that my attention had been removed from what I was reading and focused on the clock. After several times of being redirected to the clock, I realized that the devil had found an area where he was hooking my attention and directing it to the cares of the world. He was drawing my mind to things that I had planned to do after sunset! He knew what I had planned and so now here I was watching the clock, counting down until sunset. What a shock to catch myself like that!

My mind was then directed to something I had read. “Truth that is not lived … loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue.” The Ministry of Healing, 149.

I believe in keeping the Sabbath holy and thinking upon heavenly things and here I was thinking about and looking forward to this event after the Sabbath—I was clock watching! I was drifting away from doing right. Do you understand the meaning of iniquity? It is deviating from right!  There was iniquity in my heart at that moment—I was deviating from the right! What a shock for me.

I caught myself transgressing the 4th commandment by crossing over the bounds of the Sabbath—not keeping it holy! Oh, my heart broke, knowing that I had broken over the bounds of the law—knowing that I had transgressed the law. Do you see how sneaky that devil can be? I am so thankful that I had read about how the truth can lose its life-giving power if not lived. I am so thankful that the Holy Spirit brought that to my mind as a warning! I want to always live the truth!

We need to always fill our minds with Bible and Spirit of Prophecy so that the Holy Spirit can alert us to the danger we may be in. I bowed my knees and asked for forgiveness and I am thankful that God has promised, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

Remember:

  • Iniquity = deviation from right—even if it is just a little thing, a wrongful act
  • Transgression = to break over the bounds of the law, even a little over the boundary
  • Sin = transgress, neglect or disregard the divine law or any requirement of right or duty

God loves us and sends all heaven to alert us of our danger! Praise God for His unrelenting love.

O Heavenly Father: I am so thankful for Your mercies to each one of us—to alerting us to the dangers on our pathway and redirecting us away from those so-called little sins and little distractions. Each of us continue to pray, “Hold up my goings in Thy paths, that my footsteps slip not” (Psalm 17:5). Amen.

Keys to the Storehouse – Sly Change

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Satan does not like it when you reflect the character of Jesus. He is out to corrupt your character without you realizing what he is doing—on the sly. Why do you think you have all of those little temptations? That is part of the brainwashing of the devil. Those temptations may seem “little” to you, but look at the damage they cause when you fall.

“Every act of transgression reacts upon the sinner, works in him a change of character, and makes it more easy for him to transgress again.” The Faith I Live By, 84.

Understand that is just what the devil wants—he wants you to change your Christlike character to reflect his character. Look around and see how many are reflecting the devil by representing his character!

1 Corinthians 2:16 tells us that we have the mind of Christ. The devil does not like that. He did not like it when Jesus walked this earth and he could not turn Him from right. Are you an easy prey? Can he turn our minds, little by little, from doing well and to thinking like he does? He sure can!

Wow, watch out! Satan is sneaky—he has caught me off my guard several times! We are God’s by creation and redemption.

“God would have us realize that He has a right to mind, soul, body, and spirit—to all that we possess. We are His by creation and by redemption. As our Creator, He claims our entire service. As our Redeemer, He has a claim of love as well as of right—of love without a parallel. This claim we should realize every moment of our existence.” The Review and Herald, November 24, 1896.

Remember, the devil has done nothing for us but cause heartache and trouble. We want the heavenly universe to rejoice over us. “The inhabitants of unfallen worlds and of the heavenly universe are watching with an intense interest the conflict between good and evil. They rejoice as Satan’s subtleties, one after another, are discerned and met with ‘It is written,’ as Christ met them in His conflict with the wily foe. Every victory gained is a gem in the crown of life. In the day of victory all the universe of heaven triumphs. The harps of the angels send forth the most precious music, accompanying the melody of the voice.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, 1088.

I want evidence of many victories in my crown—how about you?

Father: I want the unfallen worlds to rejoice as they see me gain the victory over these little temptations with a “thus saith the Lord.” I want to join them when Jesus returns. I choose to give to You my entire service and not to serve the devil—even in the little things. I do not want that sneaky devil to catch me off guard. Bless me Father that I may be faithful to You. Amen.