Issue: 2018 August

Behold, I Come Quickly! — From Midnight Into Dawn

by

September 23 – 29, 2018

Key Text

“Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before Him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about Him” (Psalm 50:3).

Study Help

The Great Controversy, 618–622, 638–652.

Introduction

“Jesus rides forth as a mighty conqueror. Not now a ‘Man of Sorrows’ (Isaiah 53:3), to drink the bitter cup of shame and woe, He comes, victor in heaven and earth. … No human pen can portray the scene; no mortal mind is adequate to conceive its splendor.” The Great Controversy, 641.

Sunday

WHILE THE LAST MOMENTS LINGER …

  • Explain Christ’s plan for us in contrast to Satan’s. Luke 22:31; John 9:4.

 Note: “Satan … knows that with him everything depends on his diverting minds from Jesus and His truth.

“Those who would share the benefits of the Saviour’s mediation should permit nothing to interfere with their duty to perfect holiness in the fear of God.” The Great Controversy, 488.

“Zeal for God moved the disciples to bear witness to the truth with mighty power. Should not this zeal fire our hearts with a determination to tell the story of redeeming love, of Christ and Him crucified? Is not the Spirit of God to come today, in answer to earnest, persevering prayer, and fill men with power for service?” Testimonies, vol. 8, 22.

“Every power lent us of heaven is to be used in doing the work assigned us by the Lord for those who are perishing in ignorance. The warning message is to be sounded in all parts of the world. There must be no delay. The truth must be proclaimed in the dark places of the earth. Obstacles must be met and surmounted. A great work is to be done, and this work has been entrusted to those who know the truth for this time.” The Review and Herald, November 23, 1905.

Monday

THE INTENSITY ESCALATES …

  • What must we realize about the threefold confederacy aiming to tear down God’s law on a global level? Revelation 16:13, 14; 1 Thessalonians 5:3, 4.

Note: “As the controversy extends into new fields and the minds of the people are called to God’s downtrodden law, Satan is astir. The power attending the message will only madden those who oppose it. The clergy will put forth almost superhuman efforts to shut away the light lest it should shine upon their flocks. By every means at their command they will endeavor to suppress the discussion of these vital questions. The church appeals to the strong arm of civil power, and, in this work, papists and Protestants unite.” Maranatha, 172.

“Through the two great errors, the immortality of the soul and Sunday sacredness, Satan will bring the people under his deceptions. While the former lays the foundation of spiritualism, the latter creates a bond of sympathy with Rome. The Protestants of the United States will be foremost in stretching their hands across the gulf to grasp the hand of spiritualism; they will reach over the abyss to clasp hands with the Roman power; and under the influence of this threefold union, this country will follow in the steps of Rome in trampling on the rights of conscience. …

“Papists, Protestants, and worldlings will alike accept the form of godliness without the power, and they will see in this union a grand movement for the conversion of the world and the ushering in of the long-expected millennium.” Ibid., 190.

  • What sentiment of the psalmist can surely be echoed today? Psalm 119:126.

Note: “The time in which we live is one of marked depravity. Religious restraint is thrown off, and men reject the law of God as unworthy of their attention. A more than common contempt is placed upon this holy law. …

“Men are now passing the boundary line, and the Lord is permitting the enemy to do his will. … The tread of the Lord will be heard upon the land and upon the water. For His own honor’s sake, God is now about to repress iniquity. He will soon, very soon, vindicate the claims of His law.” The Review and Herald, November 23, 1905.

Tuesday

THE FINAL EXIT

  • Name one warning Christ gave that has a distinct application in our day—as a final sign that the mission is accomplished. Matthew 24:15–19. What factors should we consider at this late hour? Revelation 3:11.

Note: “It is no time now for God’s people to be fixing their affections or laying up their treasure in the world. The time is not far distant, when, like the early disciples, we shall be forced to seek a refuge in desolate and solitary places. As the siege of Jerusalem by the Roman armies was the signal for flight to the Judean Christians, so the assumption of power on the part of our nation in the decree enforcing the papal sabbath will be a warning to us. It will then be time to leave the large cities, preparatory to leaving the smaller ones for retired homes in secluded places among the mountains. And now, instead of seeking expensive dwellings here, we should be preparing to move to a better country, even a heavenly. Instead of spending our means in self-gratification, we should be studying to economize. Every talent lent of God should be used to His glory in giving the warning to the world. God has a work for His colaborers to do in the cities. Our missions must be sustained; new missions must be opened. To carry forward this work successfully will require no small outlay. Houses of worship are needed, where the people may be invited to hear the truths for this time. For this very purpose, God has entrusted a capital to His stewards. Let not your property be tied up in worldly enterprises, so that this work shall be hindered. Get your means where you can handle it for the benefit of the cause of God. Send your treasures before you into heaven.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 464, 465.

  • Amid the impending woe, where does God want us to focus? Isaiah 26:3, 4.

Note: “Think of Jesus. He is in His holy place, not in a state of solitude, but surrounded by ten thousand times ten thousand of heavenly angels who wait to do His bidding. And He bids them go and work for the weakest saint who puts his trust in God. High and low, rich and poor, have the same help provided.” The Faith I Live By, 205.

Wednesday

KEEPING OUR FOCUS

  • Explain the real issue at stake in the final test—and how, according to the apostle Peter, we are to be daily preparing to meet it. Revelation 13:11, 15–17; Acts 5:29.

Note: “The time will come when men will not only forbid Sunday work, but they will try to force men to labor on the Sabbath, and to subscribe to Sunday observance or forfeit their freedom and their lives.” The Review and Herald, April 6, 1911.

  • What gracious promises reveal the tender watchcare of our heavenly Father in that trying hour? Psalms 31:19, 20; 91:5–7; Isaiah 26:20, 21.

Note: “[Isaiah 26:20 quoted.] What are the chambers in which they [God’s people] are to hide? They are the protection of Christ and holy angels. The people of God are not at this time all in one place. They are in different companies, and in all parts of the earth.

“I saw the saints leaving the cities and villages, and associating together in companies, and living in the most solitary places. Angels provided them food and water, while the wicked were suffering from hunger and thirst.

“During the night a very impressive scene passed before me. There seemed to be great confusion and the conflict of armies. A messenger from the Lord stood before me, and said, ‘Call your household. I will lead you; follow me.’ He led me down a dark passage, through a forest, then through the clefts of mountains, and said, ‘Here you are safe.’ There were others who had been led to this retreat. The heavenly messenger said, ‘The time of trouble has come as a thief in the night, as the Lord warned you it would come.’

“In the time of trouble just before the coming of Christ, the righteous will be preserved through the ministration of heavenly angels; but there will be no security for the transgressor of God’s law. Angels cannot then protect those who are disregarding one of the divine precepts.

“In the closing period of earth’s history the Lord will work mightily in behalf of those who stand steadfastly for the right.” Maranatha, 270.

Thursday

A GLORIOUS DELIVERANCE!

  • With what sober thoughts should we be fortifying the mind right now? Mark 8:38; Revelation 22:7, 12.

Note: “We are anxiously awaiting His [the Lord’s] coming. We need to keep the armor on. We need to be all that the name Christian signifies. We need to live in habitual communion with God our Savior, abiding in Him.

“Christ has given us no assurance that to attain perfection of character is an easy matter. … Shall we then be timid and cowardly because of the trials we meet as we advance? Shall we not meet them without repining and complaints?” Manuscript Releases, vol. 10, 167.

  • What happens when Jesus returns? Psalm 50:3–6; 1 Thessalonians 4:16–18.

 Note: “Soon appeared the great white cloud. On it sat the Son of man. …

“No language can describe the glory of the scene. The living cloud of majesty and unsurpassed glory came still nearer, and we could clearly behold the lovely person of Jesus. He did not wear a crown of thorns but a crown of glory. …

“On either side of the cloudy chariot were wings, and beneath it were living wheels; and as the cloudy chariot rolled upward, the wheels cried, Holy, and the wings, as they moved, cried, Holy, and the retinue of holy angels around the cloud cried, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty. And the saints in the cloud cried, Glory, Alleluia. And the chariot rolled upward to the holy city.” Spiritual Gifts, vol. 1, 206–208.

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1     Today, as everyone is so busy, what plot does the enemy of souls have?

2    Explain the threefold union of Revelation 16 and its global deceptive power.

3    The serious message of country living has been taught since the 1880s, but at what point does it become irreversibly necessary for the believers’ safety?

4    Is the test looming on the horizon simply about resting on Sunday? Explain.

5    What should be foremost in our mind as we prepare for Jesus’ return?

 Copyright © 2017 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Behold, I Come Quickly! — Swelling to a Loud Cry

by

September 16 – 22, 2018

Key Text

“I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour My Spirit upon thy seed, and My blessing upon thine offspring” (Isaiah 44:3).

Study Help

Testimonies, vol. 1, 179–184; vol. 8, 14–23.

Introduction

“Why do we not hunger and thirst for the gift of the Spirit, since this is the means by which we are to receive power? Why do we not talk of it, pray for it, preach concerning it?” Testimonies, vol. 8, 22.

Sunday

RESTORATION TAUGHT WITH POWER

  • What prophecy carries special significance in the preparation to meet the Lord? Malachi 4:5.

Note: “In this age, just prior to the second coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven, God calls for men who will prepare a people to stand in the great day of the Lord.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 4, 1184.

  • How did Jesus explain to His disciples the first application of this prophecy, and how does this relate to our work now? Matthew 17:11–13.

Note: “Those who are to prepare the way for the second coming of Christ are represented by faithful Elijah, as John came in the spirit of Elijah to prepare the way for Christ’s first advent. The great subject of reform is to be agitated, and the public mind is to be stirred. Temperance in all things is to be connected with the message, to turn the people of God from their idolatry, their gluttony, and their extravagance in dress and other things.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 62.

Monday

REPAIRERS OF THE LORD’S WAY

  • What powerful message did John the Baptist proclaim, and why is it appropriate that we be doing likewise? Luke 1:16, 17; Matthew 3:2, 8.

Note: “He [John the Baptist] saw his people deceived, self-satisfied, and asleep in their sins. He longed to rouse them to a holier life. The message that God had given him to bear was designed to startle them from the lethargy, and cause them to tremble because of their great wickedness. Before the seed of the gospel could find lodgement, the soil of the heart must be broken up. Before they would seek healing from Jesus, they must be awakened to their danger from the wounds of sin.

“God does not send messengers to flatter the sinner. He delivers no message of peace to lull the unsanctified into fatal security. He lays heavy burdens upon the conscience of the wrongdoer, and pierces the soul with arrows of conviction.” The Desire of Ages, 103, 104.

  • Give examples of how the Elijah message is to restore family life—including how it was prefigured in John the Baptist’s work. Malachi 2:13–17; 4:6.

Note: “John was acquainted with the fact that he [Herod] was about to marry his brother’s wife, while her husband was yet living, and faithfully told Herod that this was not lawful.” Early Writings, 154.

  • What characterizes “the spirit and power of Elias,” and who is proclaiming this message today? 1 Kings 18:17, 18, 21; Revelation 12:17.

 Note: “Many dare not condemn iniquity, lest they shall thereby sacrifice position or popularity. And by some it is considered uncharitable to rebuke sin. The servant of God should never allow his own spirit to be mingled with the reproof which he is required to give; but he is under the most solemn obligation to present the word of God, without fear or favor. He must call sin by its right name. Those who by their carelessness or indifference permit God’s name to be dishonored by His professed people, are numbered with the transgressor—registered in the record of heaven as partakers in their evil deeds.” The Signs of the Times, April 21, 1881.

Tuesday

THE FINAL WORK

  • What summarizes the urgent call of the hour? Revelation 14:6–13; 18:1–4.

Note: “In the closing work of God in the earth, the standard of His law will be again exalted. False religion may prevail, iniquity may abound, the love of many may wax cold, the cross of Calvary may be lost sight of, and darkness, like the pall of death, may spread over the world; the whole force of the popular current may be turned against the truth; plot after plot may be formed to overthrow the people of God; but in the hour of greatest peril the God of Elijah will raise up human instrumentalities to bear a message that will not be silenced. In the populous cities of the land, and in the places where men have gone to the greatest lengths in speaking against the Most High, the voice of stern rebuke will be heard. Boldly will men of God’s appointment denounce the union of the church with the world. Earnestly will they call upon men and women to turn from the observance of a man-made institution to the observance of the true Sabbath.” Prophets and Kings, 186, 187.

  • What must always be evident in our speech and life? John 1:29; 14:12; 2 Corinthians 4:5–7.

 Note: “The last rays of merciful light, the last message of mercy to be given to the world, is a revelation of His character of love. The children of God are to manifest His glory. In their own life and character they are to reveal what the grace of God has done for them.

“The light of the Sun of Righteousness is to shine forth in good works—in words of truth and deeds of holiness.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 415, 416.

  • How will God’s work ultimately be finished? Zechariah 4:6; Isaiah 28:21.

Note: “The Lord will work in this last work in a manner very much out of the common order of things, and in a way that will be contrary to any human planning.” Evangelism, 118.

Wednesday

HOW TO RECEIVE THE REFRESHING

  • What must we continually realize about a key quality essential to experiencing the Holy Spirit in the fullness of latter-rain power? Isaiah 57:15.

Note: “There will be those among us who will always want to control the work of God, to dictate even what movements shall be made when the work goes forward under the direction of the angel who joins the third angel in the message to be given to the world. God will use ways and means by which it will be seen that He is taking the reins in His own hands.” Evangelism, 118.

“Men with one talent may reach a class that those with two or five talents cannot approach. Great and small alike are chosen vessels to bear the water of life to thirsting souls. Let not those who preach the word lay their hands upon the humblest worker and say: ‘You must labor in this channel or not work at all.’ Hands off, brethren. Let everyone work in his own sphere, with his own armor on, doing whatever he can do in his humble way. Strengthen his hands in the work. This is no time for pharisaism to control. Let God work through whom He will. The message must go.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 462.

  • Why is the latter rain given, and why should we be inspired by the motivation of the early disciples? Acts 1:8; 4:33; Jeremiah 30:5–7.

Note: “Notice that it was after the disciples had come into perfect unity, when they were no longer striving for the highest place, that the Spirit was poured out. They were of one accord. All differences had been put away. …

“The disciples did not ask for a blessing for themselves. They were weighted with the burden of souls. …

“Let Christians put away all dissension and give themselves to God for the saving of the lost. Let them ask in faith for the promised blessing, and it will come.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 20, 21.

“As the third message swells to a loud cry, and as great power and glory attend the closing work, the faithful people of God will partake of that glory. It is the latter rain which revives and strengthens them to pass through the time of trouble.” Ibid., vol. 1, 353.

Thursday

TREMENDOUSLY GRATIFYING!

  • What opportunity is before us right now? Titus 2:13; 2 Corinthians 6:1, 2.

 Note: “My brethren and sisters, study your plans; grasp every opportunity of speaking to your neighbors and associates or of reading something to them from books that contain present truth. Show that you regard as of first importance the salvation of the souls for whom Christ has made so great a sacrifice.

“In working for perishing souls, you have the companionship of angels. Thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand angels are waiting to cooperate with members of our churches in communicating the light that God has generously given, that a people may be prepared for the coming of Christ.” Testimonies, vol. 9, 129.

  • Describe the amazing results to occur when the Holy Spirit is poured out without measure. Zechariah 8:23; Isaiah 44:3, 4; 61:11.

Note: “The seed has been sown, and now it will spring up and bear fruit. The publications distributed by missionary workers have exerted their influence, yet many whose minds were impressed have been prevented from fully comprehending the truth or from yielding obedience. Now the rays of light penetrate everywhere, the truth is seen in its clearness, and the honest children of God sever the bands which have held them. Family connections, church relations, are powerless to stay them now. Truth is more precious than all besides.” The Great Controversy, 612.

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1     What parallels exist between our work and that of Elijah and John the Baptist?

2    How does the restoration needed today relate to the Ten Commandments?

3    Summarize the character qualities of those who will receive the latter rain.

4    On what basis might I be in danger of missing this amazing privilege?

5    Why are the results of the latter rain so incredibly gratifying to see?

Behold, I Come Quickly! — The Wisdom of God’s Timing

by

September 9 – 15, 2018

Key Text

“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

Study Help

Selected Messages, Book 1, 185–192; Early Writings, 56–58, 69–73, 111–114.

Introduction

“It is true that time has continued longer than we expected in the early days of this message. Our Saviour did not appear as soon as we hoped. But has the Word of the Lord failed? Never! It should be remembered that the promises and the threatenings of God are alike conditional.” Evangelism, 695.

Sunday

GOD’S COMPASSION

  • Explain God’s goal for every human He has created. 1 Timothy 2:3–6.

 Note: “God is long-suffering, not willing that any should perish; but His forbearance has a limit, and when the boundary is passed, there is no second probation. His wrath will go forth and He will destroy without remedy.” The Youth’s Instructor, March 28, 1905.

  • Why couldn’t the Lord permit the people of Israel to take direct possession of the promised land? Hebrews 3:7–11.

Note: “God did not design that His people, Israel, should wander forty years in the wilderness. He promised to lead them directly to the land of Canaan, and establish them there a holy, healthy, happy people. But those to whom it was first preached, went not in ‘because of unbelief’ (Hebrews 3:19).” Evangelism, 696.

Monday

REASONS FOR THE APPARENT DELAY

  • As believers, what danger do we face today? Hebrews 3:12, 13.

Note: “For forty years did unbelief, murmuring, and rebellion shut out ancient Israel from the land of Canaan. The same sins have delayed the entrance of modern Israel into the heavenly Canaan. In neither case were the promises of God at fault. It is the unbelief, the worldliness, unconsecration, and strife among the Lord’s professed people that have kept us in this world of sin and sorrow so many years.” Evangelism, 696.

  • Why does it seem that the Lord is delaying His coming? 2 Peter 3:9.

Note: “The long night of gloom is trying, but the morning is deferred in mercy, because if the Master should come, so many would be found unready. God’s unwillingness to have His people perish, has been the reason of so long delay.” Evangelism, 694.

“In mercy to the world, Jesus delays His coming, that sinners may have an opportunity to hear the warning and find in Him a shelter before the wrath of God shall be poured out.” The Great Controversy, 458.

  • Who is in a position to relieve much of the spiritual gloom that envelops our planet? 2 Peter 3:11, 12; 1 Corinthians 15:34.

Note: “The Lord in compassion is seeking to enlighten the understanding of those who are now groping in the darkness of error. He is delaying His judgments upon an impenitent world, in order that His light-bearers may seek and save that which is lost.” The Review and Herald, March 31, 1910.

  • How can we hasten Jesus’ coming? 2 Corinthians 5:20; Matthew 24:14.

Note: “By giving the gospel to the world it is in our power to hasten our Lord’s return. We are not only to look for but to hasten the coming of the day of God.” The Desire of Ages, 633.

Tuesday

EXTRA POWER TO SPEED THINGS ALONG

  • How will the sharing of the gospel reach its climax in the last days? Zechariah 10:1; Joel 2:23.

Note: “The great work of the gospel is not to close with less manifestation of the power of God than marked its opening. The prophecies which were fulfilled in the outpouring of the former rain at the opening of the gospel are again to be fulfilled in the latter rain at its close.” The Great Controversy, 611, 612.

  • What is needed to be entrusted with the latter rain—the outpouring of God’s Spirit without measure? Joel 2:17, 18; Acts 3:19, 20.

Note: “I saw that none could share the ‘refreshing’ unless they obtain the victory over every besetment, over pride, selfishness, love of the world, and over every wrong word and action. We should, therefore, be drawing nearer and nearer to the Lord and be earnestly seeking that preparation necessary to enable us to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord. Let all remember that God is holy and that none but holy beings can ever dwell in His presence.” Early Writings, 71.

“The heart must be emptied of every defilement and cleansed for the indwelling of the Spirit. It was by the confession and forsaking of sin, by earnest prayer and consecration of themselves to God, that the early disciples prepared for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. The same work, only in greater degree, must be done now.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 507.

“For the baptism of the Spirit every worker should be pleading with God. Companies should be gathered together to ask for special help, for heavenly wisdom, that they may know how to plan and execute wisely. Especially should men pray that God will baptize His missionaries with the Holy Spirit.

“The presence of the Spirit with God’s workers will give the presentation of the truth a power that not all the honor or glory of the world could give. The Spirit furnishes the strength that sustains striving, wrestling souls in every emergency, amidst the unfriendliness of relatives, the hatred of the world, and the realization of their own imperfections and mistakes.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 22.

Wednesday

THE OMNISCIENT KNOWS BEST

  • Even as we advance in the knowledge of God, what information does He still reserve the right to withhold from us, and why? Acts 1:6, 7.

Note: “God has not revealed to us the time when this message will close, or when probation will have an end. … Let us not seek to know that which has been kept secret in the councils of the Almighty.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 191.

“There will never again be a message for the people of God that will be based on time. We are not to know the definite time either for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit or for the coming of Christ. …

“ ‘The Lord showed me that the message must go, and that it must not be hung on time; for time will never be a test again. I saw that some were getting a false excitement, arising from preaching time, that the third angel’s message can stand on its own foundation, and that it needs not time to strengthen it, and that it will go with mighty power, and do its work, and will be cut short in righteousness.’ ” Ibid., 188.

  • Why should we be satisfied with God’s wisdom in this matter? Deuteronomy 29:29.

Note: “The preaching of a definite time for the judgment, in the giving of the first message, was ordered by God. The computation of the prophetic periods on which that message was based, placing the close of the 2300 days in the autumn of 1844, stands without impeachment. The repeated efforts to find new dates for the beginning and close of the prophetic periods, and the unsound reasoning necessary to sustain these positions, not only lead minds away from the present truth, but throw contempt upon all efforts to explain the prophecies. The more frequently a definite time is set for the second advent, and the more widely it is taught, the better it suits the purposes of Satan. After the time has passed, he excites ridicule and contempt of its advocates, and thus casts reproach upon the great advent movement of 1843 and 1844. Those who persist in this error will at last fix upon a date too far in the future for the coming of Christ. Thus they will be led to rest in a false security, and many will not be undeceived until it is too late.” The Great Controversy, 457.

Thursday

THE IMPENDING PROCLAMATION

  • What declaration is soon to be pronounced from Heaven, and why is this of such solemn importance to every mortal? Revelation 22:11.

Note: “Many do not realize what they must be in order to live in the sight of the Lord without a high priest in the sanctuary through the time of trouble. Those who receive the seal of the living God and are protected in the time of trouble must reflect the image of Jesus fully.

“I saw that many were neglecting the preparation so needful and were looking to the time of ‘refreshing’ and the ‘latter rain’ to fit them to stand in the day of the Lord and to live in His sight. Oh, how many I saw in the time of trouble without a shelter! They had neglected the needful preparation; therefore they could not receive the refreshing that all must have to fit them to live in the sight of a holy God. Those who refuse to be hewed by the prophets and fail to purify their souls in obeying the whole truth, and who are willing to believe that their condition is far better than it really is, will come up to the time of the falling of the plagues, and then see that they needed to be hewed and squared for the building. But there will be no time then to do it and no Mediator to plead their cause before the Father. … [Revelation 22:11 quoted.]” Early Writings, 71.

“Those who are living upon the earth when the intercession of Christ shall cease in the sanctuary above are to stand in the sight of a holy God without a mediator. Their robes must be spotless, their characters must be purified from sin by the blood of sprinkling. Through the grace of God and their own diligent efforts, they must be conquerors in the battle with evil.” The Review and Herald, January 17, 1907.

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1     What should we learn from the delay in Israel’s entrance into Canaan?

2    Who is the chief culprit in delaying today’s entrance into heavenly Canaan?

3    How is the latter rain related to this event, and what enables it to come?

4    Explain the main purpose of the latter rain and the timing of it.

5    What do I need for God to be able to trust me with this refreshing?

Behold, I Come Quickly! — Laboring for the Master

by

September 2 – 8, 2018

Key Text

“Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).

Study Help

Testimonies, vol. 2, 189–199; Ibid., vol. 6, 404–410.

Introduction

“Those who are watching for the Lord are purifying their souls by obedience to the truth. With vigilant watching they combine earnest working. Because they know that the Lord is at the door, their zeal is quickened to co-operate with the divine intelligences in working for the salvation of souls.” The Desire of Ages, 634.

Sunday

COWORKERS WITH THE LORD OF LORDS

  • On what basis is every Christian believer—whether male, female, married, single, rich, poor, and of any age or ethnic background whatsoever—officially authorized and commanded to witness for their Lord and Master Jesus Christ? John 15:16; Galatians 3:27, 28.

Note: “ ‘Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature’ (Mark 16:15), is Christ’s command to His followers. Not that all are called to be ministers or missionaries in the ordinary sense of the term; but all may be workers with Him in giving the ‘glad tidings’ to their fellow men. To all, great or small, learned or ignorant, old or young, the command is given.” Education, 264.

“When I think of the cities in which so little work has been done, in which there are so many thousands to be warned of the soon coming of the Saviour, I feel an intensity of desire to see men and women going forth to the work in the power of the Spirit filled with Christ’s love for perishing souls.” Evangelism, 69.

  • What group is definitely included also in having a special part in the closing work of the gospel? 1 John 2:14, second half.

Monday

DEDICATION TO THE MESSAGE FOR TODAY

  • What special significance does the “everlasting gospel” have in our time? Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14; Revelation 14:6, 7.

Note: “The proclamation of the judgment is an announcement of Christ’s second coming as at hand. And this proclamation is called the everlasting gospel. Thus the preaching of Christ’s second coming, the announcement of its nearness, is shown to be an essential part of the gospel message.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 227, 228.

  • Name one factor that is closely connected with the Advent message—and actually helps us to understand it better. Romans 12:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:23.

Note: “The health reform is one branch of the great work which is to fit a people for the coming of the Lord. It is as closely connected with the third angel’s message as the hand is with the body.” Counsels on Health, 20, 21.

“The gospel and the medical missionary work are to advance together. The gospel is to be bound up with the principles of true health reform. … We are to present the principles of health reform before the people, doing all in our power to lead men and women to see the necessity of these principles and to practice them.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 442.

  • What impels believers to spread the wonderful message of salvation? 2 Corinthians 5:14, 15.

Note: “Love to Jesus will be manifested in a desire to work as He worked for the blessing and uplifting of humanity. It will lead to love, tenderness, and sympathy toward all the creatures of our heavenly Father’s care. …

“No sooner does one come to Christ than there is born in his heart a desire to make known to others what a precious friend he has found in Jesus; the saving and sanctifying truth cannot be shut up in his heart.” Steps to Christ, 77, 78.

Tuesday

EMPTIED TO BE FILLED

  • What admonition carries a distinctive force for us who are living in the last days? 1 Thessalonians 5:1, 2, 6–8.

Note: “Let us not be found sleeping on guard. Let no one say in his heart or by his works, ‘My Lord delayeth his coming.’ Let the message of Christ’s soon return sound forth in earnest words of warning. Let us persuade men and women everywhere to repent, and flee from the wrath to come. Let us arouse them to immediate preparation; for we little know what is before us. Let ministers and lay members go forth into the ripening fields.” Maranatha, 106.

“Love is the basis of godliness. Whatever the profession, no man has pure love to God unless he has unselfish love for his brother. But we can never come into possession of this spirit by trying to love others. What is needed is the love of Christ in the heart. When self is merged in Christ, love springs forth spontaneously. The completeness of Christian character is attained when the impulse to help and bless others springs constantly from within.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 384. [Emphasis author’s.]

  • What should you do if you honestly don’t feel as enthusiastic about this message as you know you should? 1 John 4:20, 21; Revelation 2:2–5; 3:18, 19.

Note: “We need the message to the Laodicean church. You have left your first love, and there is hardness and coldness and want of sympathy—except for the favorite few. That will never answer in the world. We are to seek and save that which is lost.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 9, 61.

“Return to your first experience, when your soul was filled with love for Christ. Gather to your heart the obedience of a faith that works by love and purifies the soul. Obedience to the law of the Lord makes men pure, holy, undefiled. …

“O that there might be seen among our people a deep and thorough work of repentance and reformation! O that they would fall on the Rock, and be broken!” The Review and Herald, February 24, 1903.

“There is hope for all who will hear the truth and repent of their evil works.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 11, 216.

Wednesday

GOD’S GLORY MANIFESTED

  • What is the call of the hour, and how shall we respond to it? Isaiah 56:1–8.

Note: “He [the Lord] is now calling upon His church on the earth to awake from the lethargy that Satan has sought to bring upon them, and fulfill their heaven-appointed work of enlightening the world. …

“The world today is in crying need of a revelation of Christ Jesus in the person of His saints. God desires that His people shall stand before the world a holy people. Why?—because there is a world to be saved by the light of gospel truth; and as the message of truth that is to call men out of darkness into God’s marvelous light, is given by the church, the lives of its members, sanctified by the Spirit of truth, are to bear witness to the verity of the messages proclaimed.” The Review and Herald, March 31, 1910.

  • Describe Christ’s methods in working to save souls. Luke 14:23; John 4:27.

Note: “The Lord desires that His word of grace shall be brought home to every soul.

“To a great degree this must be accomplished by personal labor. This was Christ’s method. His work was largely made up of personal interviews. He had a faithful regard for the one-soul audience. Through that one soul the message was often extended to thousands.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 229.

  • What spirit is needed in laboring for God? Acts 10:38; 2 Corinthians 12:15.

Note: “Study Christ’s definition of a true missionary: ‘Whosoever will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me’ (Mark 8:34). Following Christ, as spoken of in these words, is not a pretense, a farce. Jesus expects His disciples to follow closely in His footsteps, enduring what He endured, suffering what He suffered, overcoming as He overcame. He is anxiously waiting to see His professed followers revealing the spirit of self-sacrifice.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 209.

Thursday

A TREMENDOUS PRIVILEGE

  • How can each one of us cooperate in soul-saving, and what should be our most fervent desire and prayer? Romans 10:13–17; Luke 11:13.

Note: “We need greater earnestness in the cause of Christ. The solemn message of truth should be given with an intensity that would impress unbelievers that God is working with our efforts, that the Most High is our living source of strength.” Evangelism, 697.

“Some minds are led away from present truth and a love of the Holy Bible by reading other exciting books; others are filled with perplexity and care for what they shall eat, drink, and wear. Some are looking too far off for the coming of the Lord. Time has continued a few years longer than they expected; therefore they think it may continue a few years more, and in this way their minds are being led from present truth, out after the world. In these things I saw great danger; for if the mind is filled with other things, present truth is shut out, and there is no place in our foreheads for the seal of the living God. I saw that the time for Jesus to be in the most holy place was nearly finished and that time can last but a very little longer. What leisure time we have should be spent in searching the Bible, which is to judge us in the last day.

“My dear brethren and sisters, let the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ be in your minds continually and let them crowd out worldly thoughts and cares. When you lie down and when you rise up, let them be your meditation. Live and act wholly in reference to the coming of the Son of man. The sealing time is very short, and will soon be over.” Early Writings, 58.

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1     Why is no one excused from sharing the present truth with others?

2    What are we to understand by “everlasting gospel”?

3    Why is the Laodicean message needed when proselytizing is out of fashion?

4    What has been causing the world to doubt the truthfulness of our message?

5    What thoughts can I cut out of my mind to make more space for the truth?

Behold, I Come Quickly! — Getting Ready

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August 26 – September 1, 2018

Key Text

“Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14).

Study Help

Testimonies, vol. 5, 217–228, 743–746.

Introduction

“Do we, by our lives and holy conversation, show to those around us that we are looking for the glorious appearing of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ?” Early Writings, 111.

Sunday

AVOIDING A COMMON SNARE

  • What dangerous lie is increasingly taught in the professedly religious world today, and how does Scripture refute it? James 2:14, 20–22, 24.

Note: “From the pulpits of today the words are uttered: ‘Believe, only believe. Have faith in Christ; you have nothing to do with the old law, only trust in Christ.’ How different is this from the words of the apostle who declares that faith without works is dead.” Faith and Works, 89.

“The desire for an easy religion that requires no striving, no self-denial, no divorce from the follies of the world, has made the doctrine of faith, and faith only, a popular doctrine; but what saith the word of God? … [James 2:14, 20–22, 24 quoted.]

“The testimony of the word of God is against this ensnaring doctrine of faith without works. It is not faith that claims the favor of Heaven without complying with the conditions upon which mercy is to be granted; it is presumption; for genuine faith has its foundation in the promises and provisions of the Scriptures.

“Let none deceive themselves with the belief that they can become holy while willfully violating one of God’s requirements. The commission of a known sin silences the witnessing voice of the Spirit and separates the soul from God. ‘Sin is the transgression of the law.’ And ‘whosoever sinneth [transgresseth the law] hath not seen Him, neither known Him’ (1 John 3:4, 6).” The Great Controversy, 472.

Monday

TRULY ACCEPTING THE PLAN OF SALVATION

  • What are the first steps toward real salvation? Acts 2:37, 38; Romans 5:1.

Note: “As we behold the Lamb of God upon the cross of Calvary, the mystery of redemption begins to unfold to our minds and the goodness of God leads us to repentance. In dying for sinners, Christ manifested a love that is incomprehensible; and as the sinner beholds this love, it softens the heart, impresses the mind, and inspires contrition in the soul.” Steps to Christ, 26, 27.

“Repentance includes sorrow for sin and a turning away from it. We shall not renounce sin unless we see its sinfulness; until we turn away from it in heart, there will be no real change in the life.” Ibid., 23.

  • For Christ’s followers, what important truth is of supreme importance? Hebrews 12:14; 1 Peter 1:13–16.

 Note: “Holiness is agreement with God.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 743.

“When in conversion the sinner finds peace with God through the blood of the atonement, the Christian life has but just begun. Now he is to ‘go unto perfection;’ to grow up ‘unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ’ (Hebrews 6:1; Ephesians 4:13).” The Great Controversy, 470.

“Through the merits of Christ, through His righteousness, which by faith is imputed unto us, we are to attain to the perfection of Christian character. Our daily and hourly work is set forth in the words of the apostle: ‘Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith’ (Hebrews 12:2). …

“The manifestation of God’s love, His mercy and His goodness, and the work of the Holy Spirit upon the heart to enlighten and renew it, place us, through faith, in so close connection with Christ that, having a clear conception of His character, we are able to discern the masterly deceptions of Satan. …

“Brethren and sisters, it is by beholding that we become changed. By dwelling upon the love of God and our Saviour, by contemplating the perfection of the divine character and claiming the righteousness of Christ as ours by faith, we are to be transformed into the same image.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 744.

Tuesday

AN ACHIEVABLE GOAL

  • What is God’s plan for us in our preparation to meet our Lord in peace? Matthew 5:48; Psalm 101:2.

Note: “While Christ is cleansing the sanctuary, the worshipers on earth should carefully review their life, and compare their character with the standard of righteousness. As they see their defects, they should seek the aid of the Spirit of God to enable them to have moral strength to resist the temptations of Satan, and to reach the perfection of the standard. They may be victors over the very temptations which seemed too strong for humanity to bear; for the divine power will be combined with their human effort.” Reflecting Christ, 296.

“Besetting sins must be battled with, and overcome. Objectionable traits of character, whether hereditary or cultivated, should be taken up separately, and compared with the great rule of righteousness; and in the light reflected from the word of God, they should be firmly resisted and overcome, through the strength of Christ.” Christian Education, 113.

  • Why should we strive for perfection by walking in the light of God’s revealed will? 1 Corinthians 9:24, 25; Philippians 3:12–14.

Note: “To walk in the light means to resolve, to exercise thought, to exert will-power, in an earnest endeavor to represent Christ in sweetness of character. It means to put away all gloom. You are not to rest satisfied simply in saying, ‘I am a child of God.’ Are you beholding Jesus, and, by beholding, becoming changed into His likeness? To walk in the light means advancement and progress in spiritual attainments.” Sons and Daughters of God, 200.

“Whatever the mistakes or failures of the past, we may, with the help of God, rise above them.” The Ministry of Healing, 516.

  • What is promised to those who yearn for genuine moral righteousness? Ephesians 3:16; Matthew 5:6.

Wednesday

SERIOUS STRENGTH FOR OUR URGENT NEED

  • How only can we be equipped to stand in the final conflict? Jeremiah 15:16.

Note: “None but those who have fortified the mind with the truths of the Bible will stand through the last great conflict.” The Great Controversy, 593, 594.

  • How can we benefit by increased dedication in our devotional habits to better know God’s will? 1 John 5:14; Psalm 119:129–131.

Note: “The testimonies are unread and unappreciated. God has spoken to you. Light has been shining from His word and from the testimonies, and both have been slighted and disregarded. The result is apparent in the lack of purity and devotion and earnest faith among us.

“Let each put the question to his own heart: ‘How have we fallen into this state of spiritual feebleness and dissension? Have we not brought upon ourselves the frown of God because our actions do not correspond with our faith?’ ” Testimonies, vol. 5, 217.

“Beware how you neglect secret prayer and a study of God’s word. These are your weapons against him who is striving to hinder your progress heavenward. The first neglect of prayer and Bible study makes easier the second neglect.” Messages to Young People, 96.

  • Why is it crucial to render wholehearted, 100 percent obedience to God’s will as plainly revealed in written form by Inspiration? James 1:21–25.

Note: “Satan leads many to believe that God will overlook their unfaithfulness in the minor affairs of life; but the Lord shows in His dealings … that He will in no wise sanction or tolerate evil. All who endeavor to excuse or conceal their sins, and permit them to remain upon the books of heaven, unconfessed and unforgiven, will be overcome by Satan.” The Great Controversy, 620.

“God works mightily for a faithful people who obey His word without questioning or doubt.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 164.

Thursday

SUBMITTING TO PURIFICATION

  • Explain the sanctification process. 1 John 3:1–3; Hebrews 5:12–14; 6:1.

Note: “Obedience can be made perfect only by the incense of Christ’s righteousness, which fills with divine fragrance every act of obedience. The part of the Christian is to persevere in overcoming every fault. …

“Day by day God labors for man’s sanctification, and man is to co-operate with Him, putting forth persevering efforts in the cultivation of right habits. … Our Saviour is always ready to hear and answer the prayer of the contrite heart, and grace and peace are multiplied to His faithful ones. Gladly He grants them the blessings they need in their struggle against the evils that beset them.” The Acts of the Apostles, 532.

  • Why is it crucial that we do not stubbornly resist this process? Ephesians 4:30.

Note: “The first resistance to the Spirit’s pleading prepares the way for the second resistance. Thus the heart is hardened, and the conscience seared.

“On the other hand, every resistance of temptation makes resistance more easy. Every denial of self makes self-denial easier. Every victory gained prepares the way for a fresh victory. Each resistance of temptation, each self-denial, each triumph over sin, is a seed sown unto eternal life.” Messages to Young People, 96, 97.

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1     What false idea leads many professed Christians into presumption?

2    How can I discern whether my level of repentance has been too shallow?

3    How can I be sure that God is really willing to help me overcome my faults?

4    How much time do I spend with the Testimonies compared to other books?

5    Explain the method by which God motivates us to sow seeds for eternal life.

Children’s Story – Send Me a Friend

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One morning, in a city of Switzerland, a rich man sat in his beautiful home.He was lonely and discouraged. There was no earthly friend to whom he cared to tell his troubles.  He knelt down alone and prayed that God would send him a friend.

That same morning in the same city there was a young lad who had learned about the soon coming of Jesus. His heart was filled with joy as he thought of soon seeing his Saviour. He longed to tell others this truth, that they too might be happy.

He had decided to canvass [share with others door to door] a book that told about the second coming of Christ. Before he left his room that morning, he prayed that God would guide him to those who needed help. He prayed that God would send an angel before him to get people ready to buy the book.

Up one city street and down another this lad walked, showing the people his book, telling them about Jesus, and here and there taking orders. So the morning passed until it was nearly noon. On the street where he was working there were still a few houses at which he had not called. He wanted to finish his work on that street before he stopped for lunch.

The next house was large and beautiful. He always dreaded to call at such rich homes, for often the people did not want to let him in. Still he must not pass any by. He stepped to the door. He wiped his feet on the big rug, and then wiped them again. He rang the doorbell. Then he waited.

Soon a servant opened the door, and the lad gave him his card. The servant carried the card to his master. In a few moments he returned.

“The master is at lunch,” he said. “He is sure you have nothing that will interest him, and he does not wish to be disturbed.”

“Thank you,” said the lad as he walked away.

A few moments later he heard someone hurrying after him. He looked around, and there was the servant whom he had just left.

“The master wishes you to return at once, if you will be so kind,” he said.

The lad hurried back to the rich home where he met a fine, rather elderly Swiss gentleman. The gentleman took the lad into the dining room, gave him a chair at the table, and told the servant to lay another plate. Soon they were left alone.

“My boy,” said the gentleman, “this morning I prayed God to send me a friend. I was lonely and discouraged, and I knew of no one to whom I cared to turn. Just now when I sent you away, a voice said to me distinctly, ‘There I sent you a friend, and you have sent him away!’ So I called you back. Now why did God send you to me? What have you brought me?”

The lad’s heart went out in love to this man. The man had all that money could buy, but he did not know the hope of Jesus’ soon coming. The lad looked at the man with eyes full of the hope and joy that he himself had found in obeying the commandments of God.

“I have brought you a book which contains a message of hope and courage and faith in the Friend of friends, who can give you all that you wish,” the lad answered.

The gentleman was deeply interested. Hope began to spring up in his heart. He believed God had sent this lad in answer to his prayer. He invited the lad to come to his home every week and study the Bible with him. It is in just this way that God is seeking out the earnest, praying ones and getting them ready for Jesus’ soon coming.

Cockleshells, True Education Series, Pacific Press Publishing Association, © 1976, 5–8.

Health – The Effect of Your Thinking

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How we think affects our actions and health. There is a spiritual battle raging over your mind. Your mind should always be in control of your body—your body should not be in control of your mind. We constantly have choices to make. God says, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat” (Matthew 7:13). The choice of which gate you enter is always yours. So guard the avenue to your mind in order to make wise decisions.

When you are thinking, you are building thoughts, building your brain. “As he thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7). Good thinking = good choices = healthy thoughts; toxic thinking = toxic choices = toxic thoughts. We are told in Deuteronomy 30:19: “I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life.”

“Eric R. Kandel, a Nobel Prize-winning neuro-psychiatrist for his work on memory, shows how our thoughts, even our imaginations, get ‘under the skin’ of our DNA and can turn certain genes on and certain genes off, changing the structure of the neurons in the brain. (In Search of Memory: The Emergence of a New Science of Mind, New York: Norton, 2006)

“So as we think and imagine, we change the structure and function of our brains. Even Freud speculated back in the 1800s that thought leads to changes in the brain. (Sigmund Freud, quoted in D. Church, The Genie in Your Genes, Fulton, CA: Energy Psychology Press, 2008)

“Our brain is changing moment by moment as we are thinking. By our thinking and choosing, we are redesigning the landscape of our brain.

“Our mind is designed to control the body, of which the brain is part, not the other way around. Matter does not control us; we control matter through our thinking and choosing. We cannot control the events and circumstances of life but we can control our reactions. In fact, we can control our reactions to anything, and in doing so, we change our brains. It’s not easy; it is hard work, but it can be done through our thoughts and choices. …

“Our thoughts produce words and behaviors, which in turn stimulate more thinking and choices that build more thoughts in an endless cycle. …

“According to Dr. Herbert Benson, M.D., president of Harvard Medical School’s Mind-Body Institute, negative thinking leads to stress, which affects our body’s natural healing capacities. Toxic thinking wears down the brain. …

“You cannot control the events or circumstances of your life, but you can control your reactions. And controlling those reactions is the difference between healthy minds and bodies and sick minds and bodies. Here are just a few statistics:

  • A study by the American Medical Association found that stress is a factor in 75% of all illnesses and diseases that people suffer from today. (Sheldon Cohen et al., ‘Psychological Stress and Disease,’ JAMA 14 (2007); 1685, …)
  • The International Agency for Research on Cancer and the World Health Organization have concluded that 80 percent of cancers are due to lifestyle and not genetics., and this is a conservative number. (Cancer Statistics and Views of Causes, Science News 115, no. 2 (January 13, 1979): 23.

“Negative thinking leads to stress.”  Excerpts from: Switch on Your Brain, by Dr. Caroline Leaf, published by Baker Books, 2013.

God tells us that “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine” (Proverbs 17:22). Do you believe God’s word? “Let praise and thanksgiving be expressed in song. When tempted, instead of giving utterance to our feelings, let us by faith lift up a song of thanksgiving to God.” The Ministry of Healing, 254.

“The relation that exists between the mind and the body is very intimate. When one is affected, the other sympathizes. The condition of the mind affects the health to a far greater degree than many realize. Many of the diseases from which men suffer are the result of mental depression. Grief, anxiety, discontent, remorse, guilt, distrust, all tend to break down the life forces and to invite decay and death. …

“Courage, hope, faith, sympathy, love, promote health and prolong life. A contented mind, a cheerful spirit, is health to the body and strength to the soul.” Ibid., 241.

We are all children of the Lord—make a joyful noise unto the Lord—serve Him with gladness (see Psalm 100) and you will be blessed, physically, mentally and spiritually!

Also remember: “If the thoughts are wrong the feelings will be wrong, and the thoughts and feelings combined make up the moral character.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 310.

We are given some fabulous counsel which, if followed, would save us from much physical, emotional and spiritual stress. It is found in 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18.

  • Rejoice evermore.
  • Pray without ceasing.
  • In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

If you truly believe “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), then you will rejoice, pray without ceasing and give thanks in everything.

Question & Answer – Who are the harlots in Revelation 17:5?

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And upon her forehead was a name written, “Mystery, Babylon, the Great, the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth.”
Revelation 17:5

“The churches, represented by Babylon, are represented as having fallen from their spiritual state to become a persecuting power against those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 117.

“Babylon is said to be ‘the mother of harlots.’ By her daughters must be symbolized churches that cling to her doctrines and traditions, and follow her example of sacrificing the truth and the approval of God, in order to form an unlawful alliance with the world. The message of Revelation 14, announcing the fall of Babylon must apply to religious bodies that were once pure and have become corrupt. Since this message follows the warning of the judgment, it must be given in the last days; therefore it cannot refer to the Roman Church alone, for that church has been in a fallen condition for many centuries. Furthermore, in the eighteenth chapter of the Revelation the people of God are called upon to come out of Babylon. According to this scripture, many of God’s people must still be in Babylon. And in what religious bodies are the greater part of the followers of Christ now to be found? Without doubt, in the various churches professing the Protestant faith. At the time of their rise these churches took a noble stand for God and the truth, and His blessing was with them. Even the unbelieving world was constrained to acknowledge the beneficent results that followed an acceptance of the principles of the gospel. In the words of the prophet to Israel: ‘Thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through My comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord God.’ But they fell by the same desire which was the curse and ruin of Israel—the desire of imitating the practices and courting the friendship of the ungodly. ‘Thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot because of thy renown’ (Ezekiel 16:14, 15).” The Great Controversy, 382, 383.

“In the seventeenth of Revelation is foretold the destruction of all the churches who corrupt themselves by idolatrous devotion to the service of the papacy, those who have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. [Revelation 17:1–4 quoted.]” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 983.

Keys to the Storehouse – Sly Change

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Inspiration – How Shall We Keep the Sabbath

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In order to keep the Sabbath holy, it is not necessary that we enclose ourselves in walls, shut away from the beautiful scenes of nature and from the free, invigorating air of heaven. We should in no case allow burdens and business transactions to divert our minds upon the Sabbath of the Lord, which He has sanctified. We should not allow our minds to dwell upon things of a worldly character even. But the mind cannot be refreshed, enlivened, and elevated by being confined nearly all the Sabbath hours within walls, listening to long sermons and tedious, formal prayers. The Sabbath of the Lord is put to a wrong use if thus celebrated. The object for which it was instituted is not attained. The Sabbath was made for man, to be a blessing to him by calling his mind from secular labor to contemplate the goodness and glory of God. It is necessary that the people of God assemble to talk of Him, to interchange thoughts and ideas in regard to the truths contained in His word, and to devote a portion of time to appropriate prayer. But these seasons, even upon the Sabbath, should not be made tedious by their length and lack of interest.

The Book of Nature

During a portion of the day, all should have an opportunity to be out of doors. How can children receive a more correct knowledge of God, and their minds be better impressed, than in spending a portion of their time out of doors, not in play, but in company with their parents? Let their young minds be associated with God in the beautiful scenery of nature, let their attention be called to the tokens of His love to man in His created works, and they will be attracted and interested. They will not be in danger of associating the character of God with everything that is stern and severe; but as they view the beautiful things which He has created for the happiness of man, they will be led to regard Him as a tender, loving Father. They will see that His prohibitions and injunctions are not made merely to show His power and authority, but that He has the happiness of His children in view. As the character of God puts on the aspect of love, benevolence, beauty, and attention, they are drawn to love Him. You can direct their minds to the lovely birds making the air musical with their happy songs, to the spires of grass, and the gloriously tinted flowers in their perfection perfuming the air. All these proclaim the love and skill of the heavenly Artist, and show forth the glory of God.

Parents, why not make use of the precious lessons which God has given us in the book of nature, to give our children a correct idea of His character? Those who sacrifice simplicity to fashion, and shut themselves away from the beauties of nature, cannot be spiritually minded. They cannot understand the skill and power of God as revealed in His created works; therefore their hearts do not quicken and throb with new love and interest, and they are not filled with awe and reverence as they see God in nature.

All who love God should do what they can to make the Sabbath a delight, holy and honorable. They cannot do this by seeking their own pleasure in sinful, forbidden amusements. Yet they can do much to exalt the Sabbath in their families and make it the most interesting day of the week. We should devote time to interesting our children. A change will have a happy influence on them. We can walk out with them in the open air; we can sit with them in the groves and in the bright sunshine, and give their restless minds something to feed upon by conversing with them upon the works of God, and can inspire them with love and reverence by calling their attention to the beautiful objects of nature.

The Sabbath should be made so interesting to our families that its weekly return will be hailed with joy… Parents, make the Sabbath a delight, that your children may look forward to it and have a welcome in their hearts for it.

Testimony Treasures, vol. 1, 279–281.