Question

Question & Answer – What does Jesus’ blood and water represent?

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“But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.” John 19:34

 

“While Jesus hung upon the cross, as the soldier pierced His side with a spear, there came out blood and water, in two distinct streams, one of blood, the other of clear water. The blood was to wash away the sins of those who should believe in His name. The water represents that living water which is obtained from Jesus to give life to the believer.” Spiritual Gifts, vol. 1, 102, 103.

“But it was not the spear thrust, it was not the pain of the cross, that caused the death of Jesus. That cry, uttered “with a loud voice” (Matthew 27:50; Luke 23:46), at the moment of death, the stream of blood and water that flowed from His side, declared that He died of a broken heart. His heart was broken by mental anguish. He was slain by the sin of the world.” The Desire of Ages, 772.

“After the resurrection, the priests and rulers caused the report to be circulated that Jesus did not die upon the cross, that He merely fainted and was afterward resuscitated. Another lying report affirmed that it was not a real body of flesh and bone but the likeness of a body that was laid in the tomb. But the testimony of John concerning the pierced side of the Saviour, and the blood and water that flowed from the wound, refutes these falsehoods that were brought into existence by the unscrupulous Jews.” The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 3, 172.

“When the spear was thrust into His side, there flowed forth blood and water. His heart was broken by His mental agony. And the hearts of all who seek the Lord and find Him will be broken as they see the result of sin.” The Signs of the Times, April 14, 1898.

Question – Are Pictures Idols?

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Question

Are pictures or photographs the same as graven images?

Answer

Pictures may surely become idols. However, just because some people may overdo on picture taking does not make it all a sin. Pictures are often an asset to the work of God. They can also be a great influence for evil. Therefore, let us see what inspiration has to say about pictures and also about idols.

Ellen White wrote: “It is a difficult matter for men and women to draw the line in the matter of picture-making. Some have made a raid against pictures, daguerreo-types [an early photograph produced on a silver or a silver-covered copper plate], and pictures of every kind. Everything must be burned up, they say, urging that the making of all pictures is prohibited by the second commandment; that they are an idol.

“An idol is anything that human beings love and trust in instead of loving and trusting in the Lord their Maker. Whatever earthly thing men desire and trust in as having power to help them and do them good, leads them away from God, and is to them an idol. Whatever divides the affections, or takes away from the soul the supreme love of God, or interposes to prevent unlimited confidence and entire trust in God, assumes the character and takes the form of an idol in the soul temple.” Selected Messages, Book 3, 330.

“A few condemned pictures, urging that they are prohibited by the second commandment, and that everything of this kind should be destroyed.

“These one-idea men can see nothing except to press the one thing that presents itself to their minds. Years ago we had to meet this same spirit and work. Men arose claiming to have been sent with a message condemning pictures, and urging that every likeness of anything should be destroyed. They went to such lengths as even to condemn clocks which had figures, or ‘pictures,’ upon them. …

“A few in _____ had gone so far as to burn all the pictures in their possession, destroying even the likenesses of their friends. While we had no sympathy with these fanatical movements, we advised that those who had burned their pictures should not incur the expense of replacing them. If they had acted conscientiously, they should be satisfied to let the matter rest where it was. But they ought not to require others to do as they had done. They should not endeavor to be conscience for their brethren and sisters.” Evangelism, 216.

Positive counsel is also given regarding the use of object lessons, blackboards, maps, and pictures to aid in explaining lessons to students. (Education, 186.) And warning is given to parents to guard their children against “the lovesick pen pictures presented in newspapers.” (The Adventist Home, 415, 416.)

We are told that we should have no other gods before the God of heaven, so we must put God first and last in everything we do or see. We must be sure that our photos are not a source of pride or have caused a great expenditure of funds that could have been used in furthering God’s work. “Those who claim to believe in Christ need to realize that they are to reflect His image. It is His likeness that is to be kept before the mind.” Messages to Young People, 316, 317.

Question – Who am I, and what am I worth to the world anyway?

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Question:

Who am I, and what am I worth to the world anyway?

Answer:

This question has been asked by several individuals, and I have put it in my own words. It may not be exactly the way originally written, but it is a credible question to ask, and I will seek to give a credible answer.

In the first place, man was created in the image of God; man was perfect in every way and greatly loved by his heavenly Father. Satan had been cast out of heaven because of his animosity against God and especially against His Son Jesus. It became Satan’s determination to gain all the followers he could and to do all that it was possible to do to hurt God and His Son. So he tempted man to disobey God.

When man disobeyed God, which is sin, he cut himself off from God, which meant that he no longer had a source of life, because life comes from God. But God loves man with a supreme love, and the thought of not having him for a friend was a very great sorrow which filled all heaven, for they knew that apart from God there is no life. That meant that when the life man had was used up, the human race would become extinct.

In their great love for mankind, God and Jesus created a plan of redemption whereby man could be saved.

“The soul that has given himself to Christ is more precious in His sight than the whole world.” The Desire of Ages (1898), 483.

“The wealth of earth dwindles into insignificance when compared with the worth of a single soul for whom our Lord and Master died. He who weigheth the hills in scales and the mountains in a balance regards a human soul as of infinite value.” God’s Amazing Grace, 173.

“The value of a soul, who can estimate? Would you know its worth, go to Gethsemane, and there watch with Christ through those hours of anguish, when He sweat as it were great drops of blood. Look upon the Saviour uplifted on the cross. Hear that despairing cry, ‘My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?’ Mark 15:34. Look upon the wounded head, the pierced side, the marred feet. Remember that Christ risked all. For our redemption, heaven itself was imperiled. At the foot of the cross, remembering that for one sinner Christ would have laid down His life, you may estimate the value of a soul.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 196.

You, dear reader, are the one soul for whom Christ went through all the agony of the farce of a trial and the cross. He did it to save you for eternity that you might escape eternal death. After all, there are only two choices. We are all going to one place or the other.

You may be apparently alone and you may feel like nobody cares; your life may seem worthless in this wicked and troublesome world, but you are not alone. Jesus through the gift of the Holy Spirit and His angels are with you. His love for you is stronger than death. You may talk to Him about your loneliness and all your troubles. He will listen and answer.

Sometimes we cannot seem to see through the maze of the events that are happening to us—death of our loved ones, rejection by those we love the most—and it seems that no one cares. But God has His hand over it all: “Higher than the highest human thought can reach is God’s ideal for His children. Godliness—godlikeness—is the goal to be reached.” Education, 18. God is working out for you a far more wondrous future than you can even imagine. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28. Have faith in God.

Question – Do the principles contained in the testimonies Ellen White wrote…

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Question:

Do the principles contained in the testimonies Ellen White wrote to specific people about specific incidences still apply to us today?

Answer:

Looking at this from a biblical standpoint, Paul said to Timothy, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” II Timothy 2:15. [Emphasis added.] The Spirit of Prophecy is part of “the word of truth.”

There are testimonies and prophecies in Ellen White’s writings that may not directly apply to you or to me personally, such as the testimony where Ellen White said that ladies as well as men should learn how to harness a horse. (Education, 216, 217.) She was stating the practical truth for her time. Statements she made about bicycles and horses may well apply to automobiles and tractors today. From a practical standpoint, we can see that our religion needs to be applied in all our everyday activities.

“Great truths must be brought into little things. Practical religion is to be carried into the lowly duties of daily life. The greatest qualification for any man is to obey implicitly the word of the Lord.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 359.

We are blessed in having the instruction from the Spirit of Prophecy as a guide in our daily living. We may follow the principles given in these inspired writings in our business transactions, our health questions, our family discipline, our worship, our preparation for eternal life, and our social life. God has been very gracious to give us divine instruction on many things. These instructions are not rigid rules, but helpful guidelines to give us happiness while we are occupying this earth.

The following quotations from Ellen White’s writings are cautions we do well to heed:

“It is Satan’s plan to weaken the faith of God’s people in the Testimonies. Next follows skepticism in regard to the vital points of our faith, the pillars of our position, then doubt as to the Holy Scriptures, and then the downward march to perdition. When the Testimonies, which were once believed, are doubted and given up, Satan knows the deceived ones will not stop at this; and he redoubles his efforts till he launches them into open rebellion, which becomes incurable and ends in destruction.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 211.

“When the testing time shall come, those who have made God’s word their rule of life will be revealed. In summer there is no noticeable difference between evergreens and other trees; but when the blasts of winter come, the evergreens remain unchanged, while other trees are stripped of their foliage. So the falsehearted professor may not now be distinguished from the real Christian, but the time is just upon us when the difference will be apparent. Let opposition arise, let bigotry and intolerance again bear sway, let persecution be kindled, and the halfhearted and hypocritical will waver and yield the faith; but the true Christian will stand firm as a rock, his faith stronger, his hope brighter, than in days of prosperity.” The Great Controversy, 602.

Jesus is coming to take us home. May God bless you as you make your calling and election sure.

If you have a Bible question you wish to have answered, please e-mail it to: ruthgrosboll@stepstolife.org.

Question: How do we know that the seventh day of the week today…

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Question:

How do we know that the seventh day of the week today is the same seventh day as when God created this planet?

Answer:

Who is the Author of the weekly cycle? It is certain that if some man figured it out and established it as a way to keep time and days straight, it would be recorded in the history books. But, then, if man did it, how did the weekly cycle become known in every country and tribe in the world? We know about the history of the sundial, about the calendar, and about Augustus Caesar changing the calendar. But the weekly cycle stayed the same through it all.

Considering the development of and changes to the calendar; the addition of months; the addition or subtraction of days due to calendar errors; the addition of “leap years”; the complete change from one calendar to another; changes to the beginning of the year; and many other changes noted in the historical record lead to one inescapable discovery: There is no historical record suggesting that the steady, seven-day week has ever been broken! When Julius Caesar added his 90 days to correct for errors in the Babylonian/Roman calendar, the date changed, not the day of the week. When the Gregorian calendar came into effect in 1582, the date changed, not the day of the week. Considering the supreme power emperors, kings, and rulers have had over the millennia, none have changed the day of the week.

Our best resource is the Bible—even though there are many other evidences. If we believe the Bible, we accept the creation story as it is written. “And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.” Genesis 2:2.

The fourth commandment says: “For [in] six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them [is], and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.” Exodus 20:11. Here the Lord Himself acknowledges the seven-day weekly cycle and the creation of the world in six days.

When Jesus was here on earth, He kept the commandments, including the fourth: “And, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read.” Luke 4:16. Then, in Revelation we read: “Blessed [are] they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” Revelation 22:14. Therefore, we may come to the conclusion that the best and real source to believe that the seventh day is still the same day as the one at creation is the Bible. If we believe that the Bible is God’s Word, we should have no trouble believing that the Sabbath is still God’s holy day, and it is the same day of the week as when our world was created.

The seventh day was the last day of the cycle, and was the Sabbath set aside for God. Despite a long history since the resurrection of the Messiah where the “Christian Church” has foolishly attempted to change the day of rest to the first day, Sunday, the seven-day cycle still has not been broken. Those who wish to obey God and observe the Sabbath and keep it holy may be comforted to know that if you can determine the number of years which have passed since Adam, and divide the total number of days since then by seven, you will know exactly the number of weeks that have passed and know that the Sabbath you are observing is the same Sabbath observed since the beginning! The fact is that since the dawn of man, by the hand of God, the seven-day period was established, the seventh day declared “set aside” and “holy,” a day of rest, and despite the many opportunities by man to alter it (even still today), it has never been altered!

Question & Answer – Why did God put enmity between the serpent and humanity?

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The true deceptive character of Satan had to be fully revealed before evil could be eradicated. The first example of his enmity was between Cain and Abel recorded in Genesis 3:15.

“The murder of Abel was the first example of the enmity that God had declared would exist between the serpent and the seed of the woman—between Satan and his subjects and Christ and His followers. Through man’s sin, Satan had gained control of the human race, but Christ would enable them to cast off his yoke. Whenever, through faith in the Lamb of God, a soul renounces the service of sin, Satan’s wrath is kindled. The holy life of Abel testified against Satan’s claim that it is impossible for man to keep God’s law. When Cain, moved by the spirit of the wicked one, saw that he could not control Abel, he was so enraged that he destroyed his life. And wherever there are any who will stand in vindication of the righteousness of the law of God, the same spirit will be manifested against them. It is the spirit that through all the ages has set up the stake and kindled the burning pile for the disciples of Christ. But the cruelties heaped upon the follower of Jesus are instigated by Satan and his hosts because they cannot force him to submit to their control. It is the rage of a vanquished foe. Every martyr of Jesus has died a conqueror. Says the prophet, ‘They overcame him [“that old serpent, called the devil, and Satan”] by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death’ (Revelation 12:11, 9).” Patriarchs and Prophets, 77.

“Notwithstanding that Cain had by his crimes merited the sentence of death, a merciful Creator still spared his life, and granted him opportunity for repentance. But Cain lived only to harden his heart, to encourage rebellion against the divine authority, and to become the head of a line of bold, abandoned sinners. This one apostate, led on by Satan, became a tempter to others; and his example and influence exerted their demoralizing power, until the earth became so corrupt and filled with violence as to call for its destruction.” Ibid., 78.

“In sparing the life of the first murderer, God presented before the whole universe a lesson bearing upon the great controversy. … Fifteen centuries after the sentence pronounced upon Cain, the universe witnessed the fruition of his influence and example, in the crime and pollution that flooded the earth. It was made manifest that the sentence of death pronounced upon the fallen race for the transgression of God’s law was both just and merciful. The longer men lived in sin, the more abandoned they became. The divine sentence cutting short a career of unbridled iniquity, and freeing the world from the influence of those who had become hardened in rebellion, was a blessing rather than a curse.” Ibid., 78.

Questions – Fun and Happiness

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Question:

How can a person be a Christian and obey all the commandments and have any fun and happiness?

Answer:

There is a certain amount of pleasure in sin. Moses had to choose which he would rather have—the pleasures of sin for a season or suffer with the children of Israel. Paul tells us about that in Hebrews 11:24, 25. Notice that in this passage it indicates that “there are pleasures of sin for a season.”

Moses made a good choice when he chose to suffer affliction with the children of Israel rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. Although his choice cost him many sleepless nights and much heartache, the end results were glorious, and his joys will last forever.

There are many sins that give emotional satisfaction for a short period of time. There are also many sins that give thrills, excitement, and even a certain amount of good exercise. And then there are sins that will make you rich with this world’s goods, such as money or other possessions. But there are no sins that will give you lasting pleasure and a sense of real joy and security.

The pleasures of sin are just the opposite of joy or security. They usually end up in unhappiness, misery, ill health, and a sense of fear and emptiness. When it is all over, there is no hope for the future even if you are rich. The fun and emotional excitement soon pass away, and you are left with no security, but God has an entirely different program.

God’s promises are sure and have results that last throughout eternity. While on this earth, Jesus said, just before He left to return to heaven, these words which were dear to the disciples: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27. Is that what we all want? Yes, it is peace and it brings happiness.

From the Bible, we also read: “Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence [is] fullness of joy; at thy right hand [there are] pleasures for evermore.” “but let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.” “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” Psalms 16:11; 5:11; Galatians 5:22,23.

Then we have this wonderful promise: “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive [and] remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” I Thessalonians 4:14-18.

“Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.” Psalm 119:165.

Question – Is it Sabbath-breaking for me…

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Question:

Is it Sabbath-breaking for me, who keeps Saturday as the Sabbath holy unto the Lord, to sell patterns to a lady who does her sewing on Saturday?

Answer:

The Bible has much to say about buying and selling and about how to keep the Sabbath.

The children of Israel bought and sold to idolaters. There are several examples of this. In Genesis 23, the record is given of Abraham buying a gravesite from the children of Heth. When the children of Israel were passing through the desert, Moses offered to buy water from the Edomites (Numbers 20.), and when Solomon built the temple, he bought and sold to the heathen. (II Chronicles 4, 5.)

Jesus said, in Mark 2:27, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.” The Sabbath has been given to us as a gift from God. The Sabbath is also a sign to the people of God that they belong to Him and that He is their God. (Exodus 31:13; Ezekiel 20:20.)

If we are God’s people and He is our God, we will keep the Sabbath according to the Ten Commandments. Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” John 14:15. If we do not love the Lord, we will not be blessed by keeping His commandments. He also stated this another way: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second [is] like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Matthew 22:37–40.

Jesus also said, “That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” Matthew 5:45. In other words, God does not discriminate between those who serve Him and those who do not. He blesses them all with the natural resources.

We find in the Bible that man was made to be a free moral being, and he has the right to choose to serve whomever he wishes. As Joshua said, “If it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that [were] on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15.

Elijah said, to the people of Israel, “How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord [be] God, follow Him: but if Baal, [then] follow him.” 1 Kings 18:21.

In the fourth commandment, God recognizes the rights of property ownership, as He specifically states, “thy stranger within thy gates”: “The seventh day [is] the sabbath of the Lord thy God: [in it] thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that [is] within thy gates.” Exodus 20:10. He does not say that you are responsible for the stranger outside thy gates. We should recognize ownership as well.

Once you sell a pattern, you are not responsible for what the buyer does with it, because it belongs to them. Thus we may conclude that it is not wrong to sell to non-Sabbathkeepers. It is the buyer’s choice as to how and when the product will be used.

Question – What do my eating habits have to do with my religion?

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Question:

What do my eating habits have to do with my religion?

Answer:

We all have certain eating habits. Some are very neat and dainty; some are course and rough, but we all eat, or we would not have life. What we eat and how we eat are an individual matter.

Health is one of the most important possessions we human beings can have. We may have wealth or intelligence, but if we do not have the health to use them properly, we cannot be the blessing God intends us to be.

God Himself instructed our first parents as to what they should and should not eat. (Geneses 1, 2, and 3.) Since sin entered this world when Adam and Eve ate what God told them not to eat, getting out of this sinful world may have something to do with what we eat. Regarding this, Ellen White wrote: “The reason why many of us will fall in the time of trouble is because of laxity in temperance and indulgence of appetite.

“Moses preached a great deal on this subject, and the reason the people did not go through to the promised land was because of repeated indulgence of appetite. Nine-tenths of the wickedness among the children of today is caused by intemperance in eating and drinking. Adam and Eve lost Eden through the indulgence of appetite, and we can only regain it by the denial of the same.” Review and Herald, October 21, 1884.

The Bible is the very best guide for our religious principles, so we should consider what it says about health. John, the beloved disciple of Jesus, wrote: “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” III John 2.

God is love, and every instruction that He gives us is for our best good and happiness. (See Deuteronomy 6:24.) Since He tells us that He wants us to prosper in health as well as in our spiritual lives, it would be well for us to study how we can have good health. Good health depends on good health habits, which includes our diet. Therefore, it is well for us to study what our bodies need in the way of nutrition that we may fulfill the desire of the Lord in having good health as well as a good religious experience.

Paul wrote: “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and [that] the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which [temple] ye are.” I Corinthians 10:31; 3:16, 17.

One way that many people destroy their bodies is by poor choices of food. Many people are suffering from obesity, heart attacks, strokes, and many other maladies that could be prevented by proper diet.

The psalmist says, “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully [and] wonderfully made: marvelous [are] thy works; and [that] my soul knoweth right well.” Psalm 139:14. God gave us a wonderful body, and He also gave us intelligence. It is up to us to use our intelligence in choosing healthful food to eat.

“There is work for us to do—stern, earnest work. All our habits, tastes, and inclinations must be educated in harmony with the laws of life and health. By this means we may secure the very best physical conditions, and have mental clearness to discern between the evil and the good.” Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, 25.

Questions and Answers – Love Not the World

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Question

“Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world.” I John 2:15. I have read this, but I live in this world. How can I do this?

Answer

Thank you for this question. That is a big problem not only for you, but for all of us. We do live here in this world, and we are in constant contact with the things of this world.

Many of the commodities of this world are necessary for our existence, and besides that, Satan is constantly alluring us to the things that would keep us from giving our attention to Christ. He hates Christ and has for six thousand years been studying how to defeat God in the plan of redemption. No human being is a match for Satan, and it is useless for us to try to devise a plan where we can defeat him. We must depend upon God for help.

Satan is trying to win our attention through the temptations of things that appeal and please the body. Therefore, he tries to control our mind through the desires of the body. In other words, sensual pleasures are given priority over intelligent choices. We learn to love the things of this world because they are temporarily pleasing to the eye, to the taste, to the feelings, and to the body in general. In this way he controls our mind through satisfying our body desires. Christ teaches us that our mind should be in control of our body, which is a totally different concept than that of Satan.

How to accomplish this is the problem. Remember, all of God’s biddings are our enablings, so let us see what the Bible has to say.

The first text that comes to mind is, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 2:5. In order to have the mind of Jesus we must study His life. Another suggestion is: “It would be well for us to spend a thoughtful hour each day in contemplation of the life of Christ. We should take it point by point, and let the imagination grasp each scene, especially the closing ones. As we thus dwell upon His great sacrifice for us, our confidence in Him will be more constant, our love will be quickened, and we shall be more deeply imbued with His spirit. If we would be saved at last, we must learn the lesson of penitence and humiliation at the foot of the cross.” The Desire of Ages, 83.

It is easy to float down the stream and end up in the ocean, but to swim up-stream and end up in the country takes effort. So it is with the Christian life; it takes thought and effort.

No one lives in a vacuum; everyone loves something because this is the way we were created. Either we are going to love the world and the things that are in the world, or we will learn to love God.

The Lord is the giver of every perfect gift, and it is not wrong to love the gifts He has given us as long as our love for the Giver is more than our love for the gift.

In heaven the Lord is going to give us far more than anything we have in this world, but first we must learn to love Him supremely before He can trust us with the gifts.

Man was created for joy and happiness, and Jesus promised that those who are faithful would have the privilege of entering into the joy of the Lord, for He said to the faithful servant, “Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” Matthew 25:23.