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Forbearance with Honest Doubters

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August 4 – 10, 2024

Key Text

“Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near.” Isaiah 55:6

Study Help: Patriarchs and Prophets, 101–104

Introduction

“God does not give us up because of our sins. We may make mistakes and grieve His Spirit; but when we repent and come to Him with contrite hearts, He will not turn us away.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 350

Sunday

1 THE MORAL CONDITION OF HUMAN NATURE

1.a. Into whose hands did Adam betray the government of this world? Luke 4:5-6; John 16:11; 1 John 5:18-19. Whose spirit controls those who live in sin? Ephesians 2:1–3

Note: “We must inevitably be under the control of the one or the other of the two great powers that are contending for the supremacy of the world. It is not necessary for us deliberately to choose the service of the kingdom of darkness in order to come under its dominion. We have only to neglect to ally ourselves with the kingdom of light. If we do not cooperate with the heavenly agencies, Satan will take possession of the heart and will make it his abiding place.” The Desire of Ages, 324

1.b. With what thought do willful sinners deceive themselves? Malachi 3:14-15; Ecclesiastes 8:11

Note: “Satan does not enter with his array of temptations at once. He disguises these temptations with a semblance of good. He mingles with amusements and folly some little improvements, and deceived souls make it an excuse that great good is to be derived by engaging in them. This is only the deceptive part. It is Satan’s hellish arts masked. Beguiled souls take one step, then are prepared for the next.” Messages to Young People, 83

Monday

2 A COMMON TEMPTATION

2.a. How was the psalmist tempted when he saw the temporal prosperity of the wicked? Psalm 73:2–13. What struggle takes place in the mind of everyone who looks away (or is tempted to turn away) from God?

Note: “There are times when, under adversity and sorrow, the servants of God become discouraged and despondent. They brood over their circumstances, and, contrasting their condition with the prosperity of those who have no thought or care for eternal things, they feel aggrieved. They manifest a spirit of reproach and murmur and repine at their lot. They seem to consider that God is under special obligation to bless them and prosper their undertakings, and therefore, as they are placed in situations of trial, they grow rebellious and look with envy on the wicked who flourish in their iniquity. They seem to regard the condition of the transgressor as preferable to their own. These bitter thoughts are suggested to the mind by the deceiver of mankind. It is his delight to stir up rebellion in the breasts of the children of God. He knows it causes them weakness and is a source of dishonor to their God. He desires us to think that it is a vain thing to serve God, and that those who are unmindful of the claims of heaven are more favored than those who strive to obey the commandments of God.

“The psalmist David had this experience. When he looked upon the flourishing condition of the wicked he was envious of their success. … ‘Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. For all the day long have I been plagued.’ ” The Signs of the Times, February 3, 1888

2.b.  When, where, and how did the king see the final end of those who fear God contrasted with those who fear Him not? Psalm 73:16-17

Note: “When he [David] went into the sanctuary and communed with the Lord, he no longer desired the portion of the wicked; for then he understood their end. He saw that their way led to destruction at last, and their pleasure was but for a season. Envy had no more a place in his heart. His rebellious spirit bowed in humble submission to his God.” The Signs of the Times, February 3, 1888

2.c. In the sanctuary service, how did he contemplate the end of the wicked? Psalms 73:18-19,27; Psalms 75:8; Psalms 76:12. How did he also see the merciful hand of God extended to repentant sinners? Psalm 77:7–9,15

Tuesday

3 THE PSALMIST’S CONFESSION

3.a. What confession did David make after his eyes were opened? Psalm 73:21–26,28

Note: “He [David] saw that the guidance of the Lord was of infinitely more value than all the temporal prosperity of the world; for the way of the Lord kept the feet in the paths of righteousness that lead to eternal glory.” The Signs of the Times, February 3, 1888

3.b.  After the psalmist’s repentance and confession, what appeal came forth from his heart in the sanctuary? Psalm 74:3-4,7–10

3.c. What must we realize in order to escape the common temptation to envy the temporal prosperity of ungodly people? Psalm 77:1–3

Note: “Yielding to temptation begins in permitting the mind to waver, to be inconstant in your trust in God. If we do not choose to give ourselves fully to God then we are in darkness. When we make any reserve we are leaving open a door through which Satan can enter to lead us astray by his temptations. He knows that if he can obscure our vision, so that the eye of faith cannot see God, there will be no barrier against sin.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 92

“The warfare between good and evil has not grown less fierce than it was in the days of the Saviour. The path to heaven is no smoother now than it was then. All our sins must be put away. Every darling indulgence that hinders our spiritual progress must be cut off. The right eye or the right hand must be sacrificed if it causes us to offend. Are we willing to renounce our own wisdom and to receive the kingdom of heaven as a little child? Are we willing to part with our self-righteousness? Are we willing to sacrifice the approbation of men? The prize of eternal life is of infinite value. Are we willing to welcome the Holy Spirit’s aid, and cooperate with it, putting forth efforts and making sacrifices proportionate to the value of the object to be obtained?” Messages to Young People, 56

“Against every evildoer God’s law utters condemnation. He may disregard that voice, he may seek to drown its warning, but in vain. It follows him. It makes itself heard. It destroys his peace. … A quenchless fire, it consumes at last soul and body.” Education, 144, 145

Wednesday

4 THE PREDOMINANT CONCERN

4.a. After returning to God with repentance and confession, what was the psalmist’s main concern? Psalms 74:18–23; Psalms 79:1. What reveals the loving nature of God’s justice in behalf of His children?

Note: “God cannot be excluded from any transaction in which the rights of His children are concerned. Over every one that is serving Him in sincerity, His hand is spread as a buckler. None can wound the humblest disciple of Jesus without smiting that hand which holds the sword of justice.” The Signs of the Times, December 20, 1883

4.b.  By looking to the sanctuary (in Psalms 76:2 and Psalms 77:13), how did the psalmist plead for mercy and help—and why ought we to echo these sentiments? Psalms 79:8–10; Psalms 80:1, 3

Note: “When I think how strong we might be if we would take hold of the strength of the Mighty One, and then see how weak we are because we do not claim the promises of God, my soul cries out in anguish, ‘Spare Thy people, O Lord, and give not Thine heritage to reproach;’ ‘wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?’

“There are among us many who profess the truth but who refuse to be crucified with Christ. The Author of our salvation labored and suffered for us. His whole life was one long scene of toil and privation. He could have done as many of His professed followers choose to do; He could have passed His days on earth in ease and plenty, and appropriated to Himself all the pleasures and enjoyments of this life. But He sought not His own comfort or gratification; He lived to do good, to save others from shame, suffering, and ruin.” The Signs of the Times, September 27, 1883

“We want to be sure that we are the children of light; that we are following in the footsteps of our Redeemer and Example. The cross lies in our pathway, but shall we not take it up and bear it for His sake who bore the cross for us? All who are seeking to serve God will have trials; but shall we say, What does it profit to come out from the world and be separate? …

“There must be a coming up, lest Satan divert the mind from the contemplation of the spiritual and eternal, to the earthly and temporal. God is willing to give you grace and strength for every time of need, if you seek for it with a sincere heart.” Ibid., February 3, 1888

Thursday

5 THE ONLY HOPE FOR FALLEN HUMANITY

5.a. Why should we share the concern of the psalmist who was perplexed by doubt? Psalm 119:53, 126; Ecclesiastes 12:14

Note: “For certain things, fasting and prayer are recommended and appropriate. In the hand of God they are a means of cleansing the heart and promoting a receptive frame of mind. We obtain answers to our prayers because we humble our souls before God.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 187, 188

5.b. What should we do when we send our petitions to the One who is looking down from His throne in the sanctuary as described in Psalm 102:1-20? Revelation 3:20; Hebrews 12:25. What happens when we harden our hearts against the influence of the Holy Spirit?

Note: “Every time you refuse to listen to the message of mercy, you strengthen yourself in unbelief. Every time you fail to open the door of your heart to Christ, you become more and more unwilling to listen to the voice of Him that speaketh.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 237

5.c. What lesson should we learn from the apostle Paul’s struggling against evil? 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1     What are the only two possibilities between which every person must choose his or her destiny?

2     What thoughts almost led the psalmist into perdition?

3     When and where did he wake up to his error? What confession did he make?

4     What was the psalmist’s main concern after his repentance? Why should we share his concern?

5     How did the apostle Paul describe his struggle against sin? What is the only hope for fallen humanity?

Copyright 2010, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.

The Symbol of God’s Presence Returns to Israel

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Light For Today From the Sanctuary Service

July 28 – August 3, 2024

Key Text

“And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, ‘What shall we do with the ark of the Lord?’ ” 1 Samuel 6:2, first part

Study Help: Patriarchs and Prophets, 586–591

Introduction

“For seven long months the ark remained in Philistia. During all this time the Israelites made no attempt to recover the symbol of Jehovah’s presence. But the Philistines were now as anxious to free themselves from its power as they had been to obtain it.” The Signs of the Times, January 12, 1882

Sunday

1 THE ARK SENT BACK

1.a. When the Philistines realized they had offended the God of Israel by taking the ark of the covenant—the symbol of the divine presence—what did they decide to do? 1 Samuel 6:1–3

 Note: “It was in accordance with the prevailing superstition that the Philistine lords directed the people to make representations of the plagues by which they had been afflicted.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 587

1.b.  How was the ark returned to the land and the people of Israel? Summarize the event described in 1 Samuel 6:7–9, 14, 15.

1.c. For lack of due respect for the emblem of God’s presence, why was the punishment harder on the Israelites than on the Philistines? 1 Samuel 6:19, 20; James 4:17

Note: “The Philistines, who had not a knowledge of God’s law, had placed the ark upon a cart when they returned it to Israel, and the Lord accepted the effort which they made. But the Israelites had in their hands a plain statement of the will of God in all these matters, and their neglect of these instructions was dishonoring to God.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 706

Monday

2 THE ARK MOVED TO KIRJATH-JEARIM

2.a. As the survivors in Beth-shemesh were afraid to have the ark of God in their midst, to what other place did they send it? How long did it stay there? In the meantime, what were the people of Israel led to do and why? 1 Samuel 6:21; 7:1, 2

2.b.  What did Samuel—the high priest, prophet, and judge—instruct the people to do as a first step out of the difficult situation caused by apostasy? 1 Samuel 7:3. How is this a lesson for us today?

Note: “As God’s purchased possession, we are under contract to work as Christ worked in His divine service, not in accordance with our natural inclinations, but in harmony with the Spirit of God. But the lives of men, as the gospel finds them, are full of sin. By yielding to temptation, they have weakened their power to obey. Their hearts are ‘deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.’ They are dead in trespasses and sins, and in their own strength they can do no good.

“In order to serve God acceptably, we must be ‘born again.’ Our natural dispositions, which are in opposition to the Spirit of God, must be put away. We must be made new men and women in Christ Jesus. Our old, unrenewed lives must give place to a new life—a life full of love, of trust, of willing obedience. … Unless the change takes place, we cannot serve God aright. Our work will be defective; earthly plans will be brought in; strange fire, dishonoring to God, will be offered. Our lives will be unholy and unhappy, full of unrest and trouble.

“The change of heart represented by the new birth can be brought about only by the effectual working of the Holy Spirit. It alone can cleanse us from all impurity. If it is allowed to mold and fashion our hearts, we shall be able to discern the character of the kingdom of God, and realize the necessity of the change which must be made before we can obtain entrance to this kingdom. Pride and self-love resist the Spirit of God; every natural inclination of the soul opposes the change from self-importance and pride to the meekness and lowliness of Christ. But if we would travel in the pathway to eternal life, we must not listen to the whispering of self.” The Youth’s Instructor, September 9, 1897

Tuesday

3 THE ARK ON ITS WAY TO JERUSALEM

3.a. When David was established on the throne of Israel, what did he decide to do about the ark of God? 1 Chronicles 13:1–6

Note: “David summoned thirty thousand of the leading men of Israel, for it was his purpose to make the occasion a scene of great rejoicing and imposing display. The people responded gladly to the call. The high priest, with his brethren in sacred office and the princes and leading men of the tribes, assembled at Kirjath-jearim. David was aglow with holy zeal. The ark was brought out from the house of Abinadab and placed upon a new cart drawn by oxen, while two of the sons of Abinadab attended it.

“The men of Israel followed with exultant shouts and songs of rejoicing, a multitude of voices joining in melody with the sound of musical instruments; ‘David and all the house of Israel played before the Lord … on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals.’ It had been long since Israel had witnessed such a scene of triumph. With solemn gladness the vast procession wound its way along the hills and valleys toward the Holy City.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 704, 705

3.b.  What happened on the way as David and the people were transporting the ark of God? 2 Samuel 6:5–10

Note: “A sudden terror fell upon the rejoicing throng. David was astonished and greatly alarmed, and in his heart he questioned the justice of God. He had been seeking to honor the ark as the symbol of the divine presence. Why, then, had that fearful judgment been sent to turn the season of gladness into an occasion of grief and mourning? …

“The fate of Uzzah was a divine judgment upon the violation of a most explicit command. Through Moses the Lord had given special instruction concerning the transportation of the ark. None but the priests, the descendants of Aaron, were to touch it, or even to look upon it uncovered. … Thus in the bringing of the ark from Kirjath-jearim there had been a direct and inexcusable disregard of the Lord’s directions.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 705

Wednesday

4 THE ARK IN THE HOUSE OF OBED-EDOM

4.a. While the ark rested in the house of Obed-edom, and while David had time to examine his own heart, why was the attention of all Israel directed to Obed-edom and his household? 2 Samuel 6:11

Note: “Feeling that his own heart was not wholly right with God, David, seeing the stroke upon Uzzah, had feared the ark, lest some sin on his part should bring judgments upon him. …

“Upon David the divine rebuke accomplished its work. He was led to realize as he had never realized before the sacredness of the law of God and the necessity of strict obedience. The favor shown to the house of Obed-edom led David again to hope that the ark might bring a blessing to him and to his people.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 706

4.b.  What should we learn from the blessing that came upon Obed-edom? Psalm 89:13–17

Note: “Let us pray for the blessing of Christ’s abiding presence in our homes. Let us take time to teach our children lessons of faith and trust in Him. We may think that by so doing we are neglecting our business, but are we? We never lose by taking time to seek God for His blessing.” The Signs of the Times, March 3, 1909

4.c. What was done with the ark after a period of three months? 2 Samuel 6:12, 17; 1 Chronicles 15:1–3

Note: “At the end of three months he [David] resolved to make another attempt to remove the ark, and he now gave earnest heed to carry out in every particular the directions of the Lord. Again the chief men of the nation were summoned, and a vast assemblage gathered about the dwelling place of the Gittite. With reverent care the ark was now placed upon the shoulders of men of divine appointment, the multitude fell into line, and with trembling hearts the vast procession again set forth. After advancing six paces the trumpet sounded a halt. By David’s direction sacrifices of ‘oxen and fatlings’ were to be offered. Rejoicing now took the place of trembling and terror.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 706

Thursday

5 THE ARK BROUGHT TO JERUSALEM

5.a. As the procession following the ark approached the capital city, what song was heard from hundreds of voices? Psalm 24:7–10

Note: “The triumphal procession approached the capital, following the sacred symbol of their invisible King. Then a burst of song demanded of the watchers upon the walls that the gates of the Holy City should be thrown open: ‘Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.’ A band of singers and players answered: ‘Who is this King of glory?’ From another company came the response: ‘The Lord strong and mighty, The Lord mighty in battle.’ Then hundreds of voices, uniting, swelled the triumphal chorus: ‘Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.’ Again the joyful interrogation was heard, ‘Who is this King of glory?’ And the voice of the great multitude, like ‘the sound of many waters,’ was heard in the rapturous reply: ‘The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory.’ Psalm 24:7–10.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 707

5.b.  What effect did the bringing of the ark of God have upon the people? 1 Chronicles 16:7, 30–36

Note: “The solemn ceremonies attending the removal of the ark had made a lasting impression upon the people of Israel, arousing a deeper interest in the sanctuary service and kindling anew their zeal for Jehovah. David endeavored by every means in his power to deepen these impressions. The service of song was made a regular part of religious worship, and David composed psalms, not only for the use of the priests in the sanctuary service, but also to be sung by the people in their journeys to the national altar at the annual feasts. The influence thus exerted was far-reaching, and it resulted in freeing the nation from idolatry.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 711

5.c. In the plan of God, what kind of “weapons” should Israel have employed to conquer the neighboring nations? Deuteronomy 1:30; 3:21, 22; 2 Chronicles 20:21, 22

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1     Why did the Philistines decide to return the ark of God to Israel?

2     What difference did God make between Jews and Gentiles when punishing those who tampered with the ark? Why such a difference?

3     On what condition would God protect Israel from their enemies?

4     What reception was made for the arrival of the ark in Jerusalem?

5     What was the main “weapon” Israel needed in order to dominate other nations? What has always been more important than the sword?

Copyright 2010, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.

Recipe – Pow Wow Potatoes

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Potato – Oh, We Love It

The potato. Oh, how we love it. Season it with herbs, fry it, bake it, roast it, or mash it. Make it into fries, hash browns, tater tots, or potato chips. I can’t imagine any other food item that is more versatile. The potato is a starchy root vegetable of the nightshade family, native to the Americas. The English word potato comes from the Spanish word patata, which is used in Spain.

The origin of the potato has been traced back to the region of modern-day Peru and northwest Bolivia, with the earliest archaeological evidence dating back to 2,500 BC. The potato made its way to Europe on the ships of returning Spaniards after the conquest of the Inca Empire. After 1750 it became an important food staple and field crop, and played a major role in Europe’s 19th century population boom.

Then, there were not as many varieties of potato as there are today, leaving the potato vulnerable to disease. From 1845–1852, the Great Irish Famine was caused by a plant disease known as late or potato blight, spreading rapidly throughout western Ireland and parts of the Scottish Highlands. Crops were devastated and resulted in starvation and disease. Roughly one million people died and, ultimately, 2.1 million people left Ireland.

Today there are 5,000 cultivated potato varieties around the world—3,000 are found in the Andes, mainly in Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Chile, and Colombia—and 200 wild species and subspecies. Whichever is your favorite, the potato certainly holds a top spot on the dining room table.

Source: wikipedia.org/wiki/Potato; Wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Famine_(Ireland)

Recipe – Pow Wow Potatoes

Ingredients

5 or 6 potatoes

1-2 Tbs. olive oil

Garlic & herbal seasoning

Nutritional yeast

Braggs Liquid Aminos

Process

Cut the potatoes into large French fries, or a desired size, leaving the skin on. Place in a mixing bowl, mix lightly with olive oil, and sprinkle with garlic & herbal seasoning to taste. Then sprinkle with a light coating of nutritional yeast flakes.

Stir to coat evenly. Dribble sparingly with Braggs Liquid Aminos. Do not salt the mix. Spread the potatoes evenly over parchment paper or on a non-stick baking sheet.

Preheat the oven to 400°F, and bake for about 20 minutes—a little longer if the potatoes were cut into larger pieces. Remove from oven when golden, light brown.

Tempted Like We Are

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“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

Hebrews 4:15

This study will be on a very sacred, very emotional subject. Religion has an emotional aspect that is unavoidable. So we will study this emotional aspect as well as the spiritual and intellectual aspects of religion.

Hebrews 4:15 is a familiar and favorite text for many Christians. It tells us some wonderful things about the nature of our great High Priest in heaven. Mrs. White says that Jesus’ work as our great High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary is just as necessary to our salvation as His death on the cross. Today, the majority of the Christian world knows that Jesus died for our sins, but they do not understand that He is now ministering in heaven, and that without His ministration we would be lost even though He died on the cross.

The Baker Letter

Mrs. White addressed this text in a letter she wrote to Elder W. L. H. Baker and his wife in 1895. In Adventist circles, it is simply referred to as the Baker letter. One sentence from this letter reads: “It is a mystery that is left unexplained to mortals that Christ could be tempted in all points like as we are, and yet be without sin.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 13, 19

Mrs. White is very clear that how Christ can be tempted like we are and yet be without sin is a mystery, intentionally left unexplained to mortals. There are things in the Bible that we don’t understand all the time. We may understand a small amount of it, but there remains much that we do not understand.

Since it is this statement from the Baker letter that has led me in the past not to preach on Hebrews 4:15, perhaps it is most appropriate that I provide some background regarding Elder Baker. Elder Baker was a mid-westerner and a Seventh-day Adventist minister. He was a missionary, along with his wife, to Australia evangelizing throughout Australia and Tasmania and while there, he became president of a number of conferences in Australia. Later in life, he returned to the U.S. until his death in 1933. However, at the time Mrs. White’s letter was written, the Bakers had become discouraged in their evangelistic work. Mrs. White wrote the Baker letter, in part, to encourage them. God knows every detail about every discouragement that we may be going through, and at just the right time He sends encouragement to His children. But along with the encouragement, He may also send correction.

The Baker letter has become so well-known and equally controversial because it contains plain, explicit, and strong statements regarding the nature of Christ, and these statements completely contradict and destroy the theological position of many conservative Seventh-day Adventist ministers and teachers.

When I first read the Baker letter, the statements on the nature of Christ were no problem for me. I had already read the following in Testimonies, Vol. 2, 201, 202:

“In Christ were united the human and the divine. His mission was to reconcile God and man, to unite the finite with the infinite. This was the only way in which fallen men could be exalted through the merits of the blood of Christ to be partakers of the divine nature. Taking human nature fitted Christ to understand man’s trials and sorrows, and all the temptations wherewith he is beset. … Christ condescended to take man’s nature and was tempted in all points like as we, that He might know how to succor all who should be tempted. …

“Our Saviour identifies Himself with our needs and weaknesses, in that He became a suppliant, a nightly petitioner, seeking from His Father fresh supplies of strength, to come forth invigorated and refreshed, braced for duty and trial. He is our example in all things. He is a brother in our infirmities, but not in possessing like passions. As the sinless One, His nature recoiled from evil. He endured struggles and torture of soul in a world of sin. His humanity made prayer a necessity and privilege. He required all the stronger divine support and comfort which His Father was ready to impart to Him, to Him who had, for the benefit of man, left the joys of heaven and chosen His home in a cold and thankless world.”

However, that is not the case for almost everyone around me. Through the years I have listened and read and watched many times as Seventh-day Adventist ministers and theologians have attempted to explain away the Baker letter. To accept it would destroy their theology regarding the nature of Christ. All manner of methods have been devised to try to explain it away.

One explanation for why Mrs. White wrote the Baker letter was that Elder Baker might have believed in Adoptionism—an early Christian nontrinitarian theological doctrine most popular in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd centuries, which holds that Jesus was adopted as the Son of God at His baptism, His resurrection, or His ascension, denying the eternal pre-existence of Christ—and the letter was Mrs. White’s attempt at correcting this misconception. And that could easily be true. However, if that is all we get from the Baker letter, then we have completely missed other significant points.

My brother Marshall learned of the Baker letter at the Seventh-day Adventist seminary from certain conservative professors. In brief, they taught that we should not use just one private letter to establish doctrine. But that is a most interesting explanation since these very same ministers have used and would use a single private letter written to a prominent Seventh-day Adventist minister if it supported something that they agreed on, accepting the letter without question.

If you accept the Baker letter at face value, you will realize immediately that it completely destroys the positions on the nature of Christ held by a host of conservative Adventist ministers, theologians, and teachers, many of whom are and have been friends of mine for many years.

When I was young, the Baker letter was not available in its entirety. Excerpts could be found back then, but today, the entire letter is printed in Manuscript Releases, Vol. 13, 14–30, prefaced by an explanation about the letter.

Tempted in All Points as We Are, yet Without Sin

Let’s now go back to Hebrews 4:15, the text that no human being can understand, and see if there is any element of the verse that we can understand. “We do not have a High Priest who cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” This Bible text is used by many today as proof that Jesus had all the same natural tendencies and propensities to sin that fallen men have, which is what the Baker letter strongly and repeatedly contradicts.

Inspiration teaches that our tendency to wrong doing is an imperfection of character and that imperfection of character is sin, but Paul says that even though Jesus was tempted just like as we are, He was without sin. So, if we cannot fully understand this text—remember, Mrs. White said, “It is a mystery that is left unexplained to mortals”—is there anything in the text that we can understand?

I believe there is.

“The Elder Brother of our race is by the eternal throne. He looks upon every soul who is turning his face toward Him as the Saviour. He knows by experience what are the weaknesses of humanity, what are our wants, and where lies the strength of our temptations … .” The Desire of Ages, 329. He knows why my temptations are so difficult for me to overcome, and why I feel like I just can’t overcome them. He understands, and that should give all of us confidence in Him because He promised that He would deliver us and make us victors over all sinful temptations.

Jesus knows our wants, He knows by experience the weaknesses of humanity, and He knows and understands just how strong our temptations are. How? Because He was tempted just like we are, though without sin.

The dictionary defines a want as “something that is desired, but not possessed.” Why do I want it? I desire something either because I need it, or because I derive pleasure from it. So a want is something that is desired, whether it be a desire for something needed or a desire for pleasure. So the weaknesses of humanity lie in the desire for life’s necessities and pleasures. David wrote about the wants of man in Psalm 23, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want … .”

Touched with Our Infirmities

What does it mean for Jesus to be touched with our infirmities and feelings?

A little background on how the Baker letter became so well known. For 88 years, it was just a letter among many that Mrs. White wrote during her lifetime, though unavailable in her published works. But in the early 1980s, the letter was released and published.

We as individuals do not always think the same way. Our experiences in life, our culture, even our gender can be filters through which we process, see, and understand things, but in different ways. That doesn’t mean that one person’s mind is inferior to another’s; it is simply that we think differently, but with the ability to arrive at the truth of an issue from different directions.

Christ was tempted in a way that we cannot imagine. For years I’ve wanted to know how He could be tempted as I am.

Touched means that He feels sympathy. It is comforting to know that we have someone in heaven, who has all power, and who is touched with our feelings standing at the throne of God. Jesus is able to sympathize with our problems so we can feel free to come to Him and talk to Him about any problem that befalls us. We need not go through life trying to bear our problems and burdens alone. So Paul says we need to come with confidence to the throne of grace because we will find there the mercy and grace to help in time of need.

How does Jesus know by experience what the weaknesses and wants of humanity are? Manuscript Releases, Vol. 16, 182, states “A man of our flesh, He was compassed with the weakness of humanity. The circumstances of His life were of that character that He was exposed to all the inconveniences that belong to men, not in wealth, not in ease, but in poverty and want and humiliation.” It says He was surrounded by these things. He personally experienced poverty, want, humiliation. “We know that the Lord Jesus was tempted in all points like as we are, and He knows how to succor [help] all who shall be tempted.” Ibid., Vol. 14, 334. We need to understand that when we are tempted, no matter what the temptation is, that Jesus knows how to help us. When we’re tempted and it seems like there is no way out—we’re never going to win—it is time, of all times, that we need to cry out to the Lord for the deliverance He has promised.

As human beings, our minds seem to think that helping us means that the temptation is taken away. Lord, we say, just deliver me from this temptation. Sadly, very often it just doesn’t work that way. Sometimes the Lord says that He will take a temptation away. I have known people who have smoked for many years, many packs of cigarettes per day. They have tried to quit smoking many times, but they just can’t do it. They cry out to the Lord for help, and help is supplied and they are freed from the addiction of cigarettes and no longer have any desire to smoke. It is true that sometimes the Lord takes the temptation away, but more often the Lord does not take it away. It is His will for you and for me not to yield to temptation, calling upon Him for the help needed to resist it.

Let’s take a short look at the three Hebrew worthies. They had this exact experience. They said our God is able to deliver us from you, King Nebuchadnezzar, but if He does not, then let it be known that we will not worship your image. The king was so angry that he had the furnace stoked until it was seven times hotter than it was before, and into the fire Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego were tossed. It was so hot that the soldiers who threw them into the furnace died instantly. Imagine it: their hands and feet are bound, and they are thrown into the flames like bundles of dried grass, but these young men were willing to die rather than to disobey God’s commandment not to worship idols.

It’s one thing to be able to walk around with the Lord. We likely think that He will prevent all the bad things from happening. But then, there you are, standing in front of a fiery furnace stoked seven times hotter than before and God doesn’t keep you from being thrown into the fire. Instead He joins you in the flames.

As we draw closer to the end of the world, it will appear that all of God’s children will be killed while standing firm in their faith. The Bible says it will happen. But if I am to be one of God’s children at the end of time, I must be His child right now—believing in Him, obeying His law, and worshiping no other god or idol. Then God will send the help I need to remain firm in my faith in Him.

We may be weak, hungry, and thirsty. We may experience sorrow and grief, pain and suffering. Jesus, our Creator, is the source of all strength and power. He holds up the universe and all the heavenly bodies it contains. So, friend, you can be sure that He can sustain you. He left all of it behind to become a man so that he could suffer as we suffer, and thereby be able to offer aid. Jesus experienced physical suffering, poverty, and humiliation so that He could understand us.

“In His humanity, He suffered physical weariness and weakness, hunger, thirst, and sadness.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 14, 334

“By experiencing in Himself the strength of Satan’s temptation, and of human sufferings and infirmities, He would know how to succor [aid] those who should put forth efforts to help themselves.” The Review and Herald, March 18, 1875

In our human nature alone, the power of temptation is too great for us to bear. “Feeling the terrible power of temptation, the drawing of desire that leads to indulgence, many a man cries in despair, ‘I cannot resist evil.’ ” The Ministry of Healing, 174

Sadly, a person with this mindset is fertile territory for a preacher preaching that you don’t need to overcome sin. This type of theology is so popular because that is man’s experience. A man may try a hundred, a thousand times, and still be unable to resist the temptation that his natural, sinful self drives him to desire, until he finally yields.

Desire is a power of the mind. The terrible power of temptation lies in the wants, the desires of man (James 1:13–15). Keep in mind that infirmities are related to either a weakness of the body or a weakness of the mind. There is an intimate relationship between the weaknesses of humanity and the power of temptation. The greater the desire the more powerful is the temptation.

“God requires every soul to be pure and holy. We have hereditary tendencies to wrong. This is a part of self that no one need carry about. It is a weakness of humanity to pet selfishness, because it is a natural trait of character. But unless all selfishness is put away, unless self is crucified, we can never be holy as God is holy.” The Faith I Live By, 140

Paul writes in Romans 6 about crucifying the old man. The crucifixion of the old man is the putting to death of our natural selfishness. Selfishness is a natural trait of character, and we desire, by nature, to hold it close, but the Bible says that we must crucify the old man and be reborn as a new man if we are to be one of God’s children.

A superficial reading of these passages by people who have permitted their minds to become clouded regarding what constitutes sin can lead to the gross error of attributing to the humanity of Christ the same tendencies to wrong that we inherited from Adam. “The sowing of seeds of selfishness in the human heart was the first result of the entrance of sin into the world.” The Workers’ Bulletin, September 9, 1902. On the very day that Adam and Eve sinned, the seeds of selfishness were sown in their hearts, and have been passed down in the hearts of all of Adam’s posterity since. It is crucial that we understand that our natural, sinful humanity is selfish, but the humanity of Christ had not one thread of selfishness.

What is selfishness? “All selfishness is covetousness, and is, therefore, idolatry.” The Review and Herald, May 23, 1907. Idolatry is the breaking of the second commandment and covetousness is the breaking of the tenth commandment. If all selfishness is covetousness and idolatry, then all selfishness is sin and sin is the transgression of the law in whatever form or fashion it is found. “The law requires righteousness—a righteous life, a perfect character; and this man has not to give.” The Desire of Ages, 762

By nature, we are not righteous, and we cannot be made righteous by anything that we do. It is only by the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit and our complete surrender to this transforming power in our hearts that we are able to be made righteous.

How does Jesus know what the weakness of humanity is like?

“For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.” Hebrews 2:18

“For we have not a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Hebrews 4:15

“Thank God we have a High Priest who is touched with the feelings of our infirmities, for He was in all points tempted as we are.” Christ Triumphant, 218. In that sentence, the word for means “because.” Jesus was touched with the feeling of our infirmities because He was tempted and suffered in all points like as we are.

What caused Jesus to suffer?

“The human nature of Christ was like unto ours, and suffering was more keenly felt by Him; for His spiritual nature was free from every taint of sin. Therefore, His desire for the removal of suffering was stronger than human beings can experience.” The Signs of the Times, December 9, 1897

“Christ hates sin. From Him evil met with stern rebuke. But while He hates sin, He loves the sinner. Laying aside His riches and glory, He came to this earth to seek for us, sinful, erring, unhappy, that He might lead us to heaven. He humbled Himself, and took upon Him our nature, that He might make us like Himself, pure and upright, free from defilement. He suffered more than any of you will ever be called to suffer. He gave His all for you. What have you given for Him?” Ibid., July 9, 1902

“Christ made His soul an offering for sin. Thus He made it possible for man to hate sin—that which requires such an offering, such a sacrifice, to rescue the sinner from its terrible influence.” Pacific Union Recorder, July 3, 1902

Why did Jesus have to experience suffering to such a degree? All I know is that He had to go through it to save us. Because His spiritual nature hated sin, His desire for the removal of the suffering of His human body and mind was so much stronger than what you or I will ever experience that it made His temptation all the greater.

“Jesus was not insensible to ignominy [deep humiliation and disgrace]. He felt the disgrace of sin as much more keenly than it is possible for man to feel it, as His divine and sinless nature was exalted above the nature of man. We should never entertain the thought that the Majesty of Heaven, so holy and undefiled, was not acutely sensitive to scorn and mockery, abuse and pain.” The Signs of the Times, January 6, 1881

He came to endure temptation as we do so that He would know how we feel. He lived His human life so that we could know that there is no temptation so great that it cannot be rejected when we look to Jesus for help. His life was a perfect combination of divinity and humanity. “He … took upon Him our nature, that He might make us like Himself, pure and upright, free from defilement.” Ibid., July 9, 1902

“He is a brother in our infirmities, ‘in all points tempted like as we are’; but as the sinless one His nature recoiled from evil; He endured struggles and torture of soul in a world of sin.” A Call to Stand Apart, 26

Jesus endured struggles and torture of soul because His sinless nature was acutely sensitive to scorn, mockery, abuse, and pain. He went through all of this because He wanted to save you.

Do you understand how serious God is about saving you? It doesn’t matter what your past is. It doesn’t matter what other people think about you. Do you understand that if you surrender your life to Him, He will save you, not in, but from your sin?

“We say we do believe that Jesus Christ died, but is He your personal Saviour? Here is the faith part of it. … Do you grasp Him by the living hand of faith? Do you reach out your hand to Him and say, as did Peter, ‘Save, Lord, or I perish’? He will save you.” Reflecting Christ, 356

Pastor John J. Grosboll is Director of Steps to Life and pastors the Prairie Meadows Church in Wichita, Kansas. He may be contacted by email at historic@stepstolife.org, or by telephone at 316-788-5559.

The Rose

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Orange RoseRosaceae is a family of medium-sized, flowering plants. These plants can be woody trees, climbers, or herbaceous plants. Many familiar, edible fruits are a part of this family: pears, apricots, plums, cherries, peaches, raspberries, blackberries and strawberries, to name a few, and almonds, too. Also included are trees and shrubs such as meadowsweets, firethorns, and roses.

The rose family comes from the genus Rosa. There are 100 species of this perennial shrub found mostly in the Northern Hemisphere. Roses come in many colors—white, yellow, pink, crimson, maroon, purple—with a delightful fragrance, depending on the variety of rose and the climate. The flower consists of multiple sets of petals, stems covered in prickly thorns (unless the thorns have been bred out), and oval leaflets that are sharply toothed on the edges.

The rose industry is divided into three main areas: fragrance, fresh flower/florist, and garden.

The Fragrance Industry

The Damask rose (R. Damascena) and several other species are specifically grown for the creation of attar of roses which is used in the production of perfumes. The industry is concentrated in the Mediterranean basin where the climate is the most ideal.

Different colors of roses have been assigned to communicate the feelings of the giver for or to the receiver of a bouquet of roses:

Red – love and desire

White – purity and innocence

Yellow – friendship and care

Peach – sympathy and genuineness

Pink – admiration and joy

Black – death

Red roses are most often given to express romantic love toward a girlfriend, fiancé, or wife. Giving three red roses conveys “I love you” to that special someone.

The Florist Industry

More than one billion stems per year are produced from more than 30,000 acres of greenhouses worldwide. The industry started in Europe and the U.S. in the late 19th century. However, the industry was later moved to Columbia, Ecuador, Kenya, and Ethiopia because of their climates. China and India are also major producing areas.

The Garden Industry

The garden industry has been popular since the Middle Ages, although the roses then were grown for their medicinal properties.

Most rose species are native to Asia, with a smaller number found in North America, Europe, and Northwest Africa. They hybridize readily resulting in the many different types of garden roses. Hybridization began in the 18th century in Western Europe. Today, there are more than 11,000 varieties of hybrid roses, and more are bred every year. An estimated 35 million units are sold annually in the U.S. alone.

Did You Know? The majority of the most popular, modern hybrids are protected by U.S. plant patents and cannot be propagated without prior consent from the breeders.

The roses most commonly sold in the U.S. are:

  • Hybrid Tea Roses – the classic, long-stemmed varieties
  • Grandiflora Roses – similar to the Hybrid Tea Roses, but with multiple blooms per stem
  • Floribunda Roses – compact and multi-flowered
  • Miniature Roses – often grown in containers as gifts
  • Climbing Roses
  • Landscape or Shrub Roses – the main component of today’s North American rose industry

Sources: Britannica.com/plant/rose-plant; Wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosaceae; ngb.org/year-of-the-rose; proflowers.com/blog/rose-color-meanings

The rose is a beautiful, intricately-designed flower whose fragrance is sweet and often intoxicating. But there is a rose that surpasses even this beautiful flower. Mrs. White calls Him the Rose of Sharon.

“We need Jesus, the Rose of Sharon, to beautify the character and make our lives fragrant with good works, so that we shall be a savor of Christ unto God.” The Review and Herald, August 14, 1894

That Frog in Your Throat

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“I just can’t seem to get rid of this frog in my throat.” Probably just about everyone, everywhere can admit to having said this or some variety of it at some point in time. For some, this frogginess follows along with a cold or the flu or seasonal allergies. Others may experience it regularly as a result of reflux, a side effect of medication or an autoimmune disorder, hypothyroidism, diabetes, aging, intubation, tracheal stenosis, trauma, post-nasal drip, or cancers/tumor/radiation therapy.

Reflux is a common cause. Acidic and nonacidic matter backwashes from the stomach and hits the bottom part of the throat. This causes irritation to the voice box. Reflux is provoked by triggers like spicy foods, alcohol, caffeine, carbonated drinks, and smoking. As a defense against reflux, the throat lines itself with a mucus coating. However, the more backwash, the more mucus, and this results in excessive throat clearing, persistent cough, or that frog-in-the-throat feeling.

Other symptoms that often follow this mucus build-up are difficulty swallowing, noisy breathing, or even neurological warning signs such as weakness, numbness, slurred speech, or facial paralysis.

The best defense against reflux and the other potential causes of that a froggy throat is to avoid the dietary and lifestyle habits that trigger it. But keep in mind that that frog can also be a warning sign of enlarged tonsils, dehydration, environmental irritants, excessive talking, shouting, or singing in a way that strains the vocal chords.

Keep your voice healthy—the rest of your body, too—by staying hydrated, taking time to rest your voice during times when you must use it a lot, don’t smoke and don’t breathe in other irritants as much as possible. Use a humidifier and avoid medication that causes dryness unless needed. Eliminate caffeine and alcohol from your diet. Avoid eating or drinking within three hours of lying down, lose weight, reduce stress, and remove spicy, fatty and acidic foods, and instead follow a more Mediterranean-like diet, excluding meat.

Most cases resolve themselves over time, but if this frogginess persists for more than four weeks, or if it is not a result of allergies or a virus or diet, it is recommended that a physician be consulted as soon as possible. Chronic throat clearing, regardless of the cause, can damage your vocal chords over time.

Here are some home remedies that might help:

  • Sip water
  • Suck on sugar-free lozenges
  • Swallow twice
  • Yawn
  • Cough

Sources: nbcnews.com/healthmain/ahem-what-frog-throat-anyway; bing.com/copilot/what+causes+the+frog+in+my+throat; wexnermedical.osu.edu/blog/is-that-frog-in-your-throat-a-sign-of-a-serious-illness; healthline.com/health/clearing-throat

If You Can Believe

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“Then one of the crowd answered and said, ‘Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not.’

“He answered him and said, ‘O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him [the child] to Me.’ Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth.

“So He asked his father, ‘How long has this been happening to him?’ And he said, ‘From childhood. And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.’

“Jesus said to him, ‘If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.’ Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, ‘Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!’ ” Mark 9:17–24

“Every human being can come to Christ. ‘Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us.’ Titus 3:5. Do you feel that because you are a sinner you cannot hope to receive blessing from God? Remember that Christ came into the world to save sinners. We have nothing to recommend us to God; the plea that we may urge now and ever is our utterly helpless condition, which makes His redeeming power a necessity. Renouncing all self-dependence, we may look to the cross of Calvary and say:

‘In my hand no price I bring;

‘Simply to Thy cross I cling.’

“ ‘If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.’ Mark 9:23. It is faith that connects us with heaven and brings us strength for coping with the powers of darkness. In Christ, God has provided means for subduing every evil trait and resisting every temptation, however strong. But many feel that they lack faith, and therefore they remain away from Christ. Let these souls, in their helpless unworthiness, cast themselves upon the mercy of their compassionate Saviour. Look not to self, but to Christ. He who healed the sick and cast out demons when He walked among men is still the same mighty Redeemer. Then grasp His promises as leaves from the tree of life: ‘Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.’ John 6:37. As you come to Him, believe that He accepts you, because He has promised. You can never perish while you do this—never.” The Ministry of Healing, 65, 66

Lord, we cling to you. Help our unbelief.

Mother – Queen of the Household

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The king upon his throne has no higher work than has the mother. The mother is queen of her household. She has in her power the molding of her children’s characters, that they may be fitted for the higher, immortal life. An angel could not ask for a higher mission; for in doing this work she is doing service for God. Let her only realize the high character of her task, and it will inspire her with courage. Let her realize the worth of her work and put on the whole armor of God, that she may resist the temptation to conform to the world’s standard. Her work is for time and for eternity. …

There are opportunities of inestimable worth, interests infinitely precious, committed to every mother. The humble round of duties which women have come to regard as a wearisome task should be looked upon as a grand and noble work. It is the mother’s privilege to bless the world by her influence, and in doing this she will bring joy to her own heart. She may make straight paths for the feet of her children through sunshine and shadow to the glorious heights above. But it is only when she seeks, in her own life, to follow the teachings of Christ that the mother can hope to form the character of her children after the divine pattern. …

There is a God above, and the light and glory from His throne rests upon the faithful mother as she tries to educate her children to resist the influence of evil. No other work can equal hers in importance. She has not, like the artist, to paint a form of beauty upon canvas; nor, like the sculptor, to chisel it from marble. She has not, like the author, to embody a noble thought in words of power; nor, like the musician, to express a beautiful sentiment in melody. It is hers, with the help of God, to develop in a human soul the likeness of the divine.

The mother who appreciates this will regard her opportunities as priceless. Earnestly will she seek, in her own character and by her methods of training, to present before her children the highest ideal. Earnestly, patiently, courageously, she will endeavor to improve her own abilities, that she may use aright the highest powers of the mind in the training of her children. Earnestly will she inquire at every step, “What hath God spoken?” Diligently she will study His word. She will keep her eyes fixed upon Christ, that her own daily experience, in the lowly round of care and duty, may be a true reflection of the one true Life. …

Let every mother feel that her moments are priceless; her work will be tested in the solemn day of accounts. Then it will be found that many of the failures and crimes of men and women have resulted from the ignorance and neglect of those whose duty it was to guide their childish feet in the right way. Then it will be found that many who have blessed the world with the light of genius and truth and holiness owe the principles that were the mainspring of their influence and success to a praying, Christian mother.

The Adventist Home, 231–239

Story – Ask in Faith, Nothing Wavering

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“Welcome” was the simple message read by friend or stranger when he climbed the stone steps that led to the trim cottage on Evans Lane. Everyone who knew those who lived within was aware that it wasn’t just an empty word used to grace the doormat, for many a tired, hungry wayfarer had found the hospitality of this friendly home awaiting them.

It was the bright smile of Myra Davis that most adorned the place. But the mere adornment was not its intent, for she found real joy in sharing her happiness with others. Perhaps the constant care her mother required in her illness had intensified her willingness to brighten life’s drabness in ways that only Myra could.

She it was who washed and starched the fluffy yellow curtains at the kitchen window and baked the flaky apple pies that filled the house with their aroma, which drifted down the lane each Friday morning.

She too had trimmed the shrubbery that lined the walk and trained the scarlet rambler to bend its beauty over the porch near Mother’s window.

Poor Mother, Myra thought, and she sighed as she bent to cut the grass choking the pansies. Her mother’s heart condition had been critically worse of late, but she was extremely patient when her bad spells came. If only she didn’t suffer so! Myra prayed constantly that the Lord would spare Mother pain and not take her suddenly when Myra wasn’t near to bring the relief that Dr. Thomas had provided. With good care Mother would live for years, he had told them; it was only these sudden attacks that were dangerous.

She glanced through the open window to where Mother lay, her ashen face turned toward the light. Her lips were moving, “Myra,” she was whispering, “hurry!”

Dropping the grass shears, Myra ran quickly up the steps, through the kitchen and into the adjoining room. Despite the fact that her mother’s calls had been frequent of late, she felt alarmed as she saw how unusually pale she looked now.

Without hesitation Myra began the routine to which she had become accustomed. She wheeled the oxygen tank from the closet to the bedside, and she carefully adjusted the valve after hurriedly placing the tent over the pale, gasping patient.

In a few moments she sighed in relief, for her mother’s white face had flushed slightly and she was breathing normally. Within an hour Mother had fallen asleep. The tent was removed and the tank returned to the closet.

Later, at sundown, Myra sat by the open window watching the twilight steal across the valley and listening to the woodland concert in the nearby grove of evergreens. A nightingale’s lusty notes all but drowned out the call of a whippoorwill and a brown thrush. From the distance, a great horned owl called gloomily. When the moon rose behind the hill she was still sitting there, watching its silvery beams until they found the brook below the house.

Myra’s reverie was broken by a sudden choking sound. Turning, she switched on the light. Mother was breathing with difficulty again. Quickly, Myra prepared to administer the oxygen again. Turning the handle, she waited for the familiar sound. The silence was ominous. There was no more oxygen!

Myra was terrified. What could she do? The tank had scarcely been used since it had been delivered. Surely it couldn’t have been emptied already.

She tried again. Could it be possible that by mistake the hospital had sent out a tank that was almost empty? The sufferer’s eyes sought hers.

“Just a minute, Mother,” Myra said quietly and then she turned and fled from the bedside.

“Oh heavenly Father,” Myra prayed from the corner of her room, “please help me to know what to do. Send help, Lord, for I cannot leave Mother while she is this way.”

“Mother,” she began, scarcely knowing just what she would say, and surprising herself when she finished the sentence, “you must try to manage without the oxygen for a few minutes. Try to breathe as normally as you can for a while to see if you can strengthen your respiratory system. Will you try?”

Her mother’s eyes closed, and she attempted to nod in reply.

At that moment there was a knock on the door. When Myra opened it, she found their nearest neighbor, Mrs. Parker, standing there. She was attempting to apologize for her late call when the girl all but swept her off her feet in welcome.

“Oh, Mrs. Parker, I am so glad you came. I’ve been praying that someone would! Surely you are the answer to that prayer,” and she dabbed the corner of her eye with the hem of her apron while she told the older woman what had happened.

Mrs. Parker suggested she call the police emergency squad at once, because the hospital ambulance was usually out on call. The telephone operator supplied the number, and the police promised to send immediate aid.

Myra returned to her mother’s room and knelt by the bed. The gasps were coming more quickly now. The suffering eyes looked imploringly into her own.

“Now,” the woman choked, looking at the gauge.

Calmly, Myra placed the tent in its proper position and turned on the valve. There was no sound.

“Father, all things are in Thy hands,” she prayed silently as she bowed by her mother’s side.

Suddenly a radiant glow seemed to fill the room. Was there a heavenly hand upon her shoulder? A voice whispered, “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee.”

The girl was trembling. Surely she was in the very presence of a divine being. She had done all that she could; now heaven had sent aid that no human being could give. All fear vanished, and she raised her head in grateful adoration.

The light was gone, but her mother lay resting quietly. The oxygen was flowing freely into the tent!

It was nearly half an hour later when the new supply of oxygen was brought from the local hospital and replaced the empty tank that had so miraculously provided life for Mrs. Davis.

Myra stood at the window watching Mrs. Parker disappear down the moonlit lane until she was lost in the shadows of the night.

“Surely,” she said softly, “God does work in mysterious ways His wonders to perform!”

My Favorite Prayer Stories, Joe L. Wheeler, ©2015, 160–163

Disinterested Benevolence

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There is a phrase one encounters in reading the Spirit of Prophecy that might fall somewhat curiously on the ears when first encountered. Continued reading and study will help you to gain a fairly good understanding of the concept expressed in the phrase, and the more one comes to understand it, the more you may realize that you don’t practice it as much as you should.

It was one of several concepts presented in the Spirit of Prophecy that, although perhaps understood in a shallow way by the world, has a depth of meaning that the inspired writings of Ellen G. White make unmistakably clear.

One such concept is “presumption.” You could probably ask a dozen strangers to explain presumption for you and not one would state that it is Satan’s counterfeit of faith. Yet that aspect of the word is explored and explained in great detail in inspired writings.

The phrase that might initially provoke a bit of puzzlement is “disinterested benevolence.” If you are a long-term Seventh-day Adventist, the phrase is undoubtedly familiar to you and probably well understood. However, when initially encountered, its full meaning might be a bit of an enigma. It isn’t too hard to understand either “disinterested” or “benevolence,” but, putting the two together might cause a bit of puzzlement.

However, its relative frequent appearance in the Spirit of Prophecy and the significance placed on it in inspired writings, should provoke deep study to ferret out its broader meaning and help determine why such emphasis is placed on it in divine counsel.

Let’s start our study by reading a few quotes that contain the phrase.

Speaking of Christ, it reads, “His life was without selfish interest, but ever marked with disinterested benevolence.” Early Writings, 268

If Christ is to be our example in all things, it seems self-evident that disinterested benevolence is a character trait that all of His followers need to possess. And this passage also makes it clear that disinterested benevolence is the opposite of selfish interest, and thus we begin to understand the phrase: selfish interest on one hand … disinterested benevolence on the other.

“I saw that it is in the providence of God that widows and orphans, the blind, the deaf, the lame, and persons afflicted in a variety of ways, have been placed in close Christian relationship to His church; it is to prove His people and develop their true character.” Testimonies, Vol. 3, 511

This is why the poor will always be with us—to prove God’s people and develop their true character.

“Angels of God are watching to see how we treat these persons who need our sympathy, love, and disinterested benevolence. This is God’s test of our character. If we have the true religion of the Bible we shall feel that a debt of love, kindness, and interest is due to Christ in behalf of His brethren; and we can do no less than to show our gratitude for His immeasurable love to us while we were sinners unworthy of His grace, by having a deep interest and unselfish love for those who are our brethren and who are less fortunate than ourselves.” Ibid.

This passage places disinterested benevolence on an equal standing with sympathy and love, thereby indicating how important it is as an aspect of Christian character. It should also give us a little more depth to our understanding by revealing that it involves a “deep interest and unselfish love” for those who are less fortunate than ourselves.

In continuing to search for the phrase in inspired writings, it is interesting to note that, although the exact phrase occurs only once in The Desire of Ages, the concept is a recurring theme and is described as a character trait that served as one of the reasons for Christ’s rejection by the established church in His day.

“Jesus had now given three years of public labor to the world. His example of self-denial and disinterested benevolence was before them. His life of purity, of suffering and devotion, was known to all. Yet this short period of three years was as long as the world could endure the presence of its Redeemer.” Op. Cit., 541. He was simply too good for the world to tolerate!

We see in this passage, however, that disinterested benevolence involves self-denial. That is confirmed in another passage in inspired writings. Written to an Elder Hull in 1863, he initially acknowledged that it was just counsel, but he later protested against it and eventually left the faith.

“God’s people will be sifted, even as corn is sifted in a sieve, until all the chaff is separated from the pure kernels of grain. We are to look to Christ for an example and imitate the humble pattern. You do not feel reconciled to the discipline you need and do not exercise and practice that self-denial which Christ requires of those who are truly heirs of salvation. Those who are engaged in the work of saving souls are coworkers with Christ. His was a work of disinterested benevolence, of constant self-sacrifice. Those who have had so great a sacrifice made for them that they might become partakers of His heavenly grace should in their turn sacrifice and deny self to aid in the great work of bringing others to the knowledge of the truth. Self-interest should be laid aside; selfish desires and self-comfort should not now stand in the way of God’s work in saving souls.” Testimonies, Vol. 1, 431

Self-interest, selfish desires, and self-comfort—avoiding these character traits is directly contrary to the human heart, which is naturally motivated by selfish, self-serving interests. To state it differently, these three traits are common to the natural heart—and are so from birth!

In addressing this aspect of human nature, Inspiration states this:

“There exists in the hearts of many an element of selfishness which clings to them like the leprosy. They have so long consulted their own wishes, their own pleasure and convenience, that they do not feel that others have claims upon them. Their thoughts, plans, and efforts are for themselves. They live for self, and do not cultivate disinterested benevolence, which if exercised, would increase and strengthen until it would be their delight to live for others’ good. This selfishness must be seen and overcome, for it is a grievous sin in the sight of God. They need to exercise a more special interest for humanity; and in thus doing, they would bring their souls into closer connection with Christ, and would be imbued with His Spirit, so that they would cleave to Him with so firm a tenacity that nothing could separate them from His love.” In Heavenly Places, 232

The prime example of disinterested benevolence in Scripture is the classic story of the Good Samaritan. In an in-depth analysis of this event, there is a two-part series in The Signs of the Times, July 16 and 23, 1894, in which Mrs. White explores the many lessons to be learned from this story.

“After Christ had shown up the cruelty and selfishness manifested by the representatives of the nation [the priest and the Levite who had passed by on the other side], he brought forward the Samaritan, who was despised, hated, and cursed by the Jews, and set him before them as one who possessed attributes of character far superior to those possessed by those who claimed exalted righteousness. The Samaritan manifested the pity and love that the priest and Levite gave no evidence of possessing. He gave a demonstration that he had a heart that could feel for suffering humanity, that he had nobility of soul to show mercy to one whom he knew not, that his love was of the right quality, flowing out in disinterested benevolence, and making him treat the wounded stranger as he would desire to be treated were he placed in similar circumstances.”

And then she adds, “Everyone who claims to be a child of God should note every detail of this lesson.” Ibid., July 23, 1894

If there is ever a time when our interests should be outwardly directed and when every detail of this lesson should be understood and practiced, it is now as we see ever more clearly, that the Lord’s coming is drawing nearer each day. We must commit to utilizing every opportunity to practice a bit of disinterested benevolence and to spread abroad the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

John R. Pearson is the office manager and a board member of Steps to Life. He may be contacted by email at johnpearson@stepstolife.org