Issue: 2009 December

Bible Study Guides – That Preserving Influence

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January 24, 2010 – January 30, 2010

Key Text:

“For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. Salt is good; but if the salt have lost its saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.” Mark 9:49, 50.

Study Help: Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 36–38.

Introduction

“A profession of godliness without the living principle is as utterly valueless as salt without its saving properties.” Testimonies, vol. 2, 443.

1 Knowing that “salt” means to protect, to shield and to maintain, what is Matthew 5:13 saying to us?

Note: “In many different ways his grace is also acting as the salt of the earth: whithersoever this salt finds its way, to homes or communities, it becomes a preserving power to save all that is good, and to destroy all that is evil.” The Review and Herald, August 22, 1899.

2 There are two kingdoms in this world, the kingdom of Christ and the kingdom of Satan. What was Jesus’ prayer to His Father for us? John 17:15–18.

Note: “There are two kingdoms in this world, the kingdom of Christ and the kingdom of Satan. To one of these kingdoms each one of us belongs. …

“It is not God’s will that we should seclude ourselves from the world. But while in the world we should sanctify ourselves to God. We should not pattern after the world. We are to be in the world as a corrective influence, as salt that retains its savor. Among an unholy, impure, idolatrous generation, we are to be pure and holy, showing that the grace of Christ has power to restore in man the divine likeness. We are to exert a saving influence upon the world.” Counsels on Health, 591, 592.

3 We are not to withdraw ourselves from the world in order to escape persecution. What is it that preserves the world from corruption? Luke 14:34, 35.

Note: “ ‘Ye are the salt of the earth’ [Matthew 5:13, first part], Jesus said. Do not withdraw yourselves from the world in order to escape persecution. You are to abide among men, that the savor of the divine love may be as salt to preserve the world from corruption.

“Hearts that respond to the influence of the Holy Spirit are the channels through which God’s blessing flows. Were those who serve God removed from the earth, and His Spirit withdrawn from among men, this world would be left to desolation and destruction, the fruit of Satan’s dominion. Though the wicked know it not, they owe even the blessings of this life to the presence, in the world, of God’s people whom they despise and oppress. But if Christians are such in name only, they are like the salt that has lost its savor. They have no influence for good in the world. Through their misrepresentation of God they are worse than unbelievers.” The Desire of Ages, 306.

4 What may be an indication that the salt has lost its savor? What influence does that have on others? Luke 14:34, 35.

Note: “The savor of the salt represents the vital power of the Christian—the love of Jesus in the heart, the righteousness of Christ pervading the life. The love of Christ is diffusive and aggressive. If it is dwelling in us, it will flow out to others. We shall come close to them till their hearts are warmed by our unselfish interest and love. The sincere believers diffuse vital energy, which is penetrating and imparts new moral power to the souls for whom they labor. It is not the power of the man himself, but the power of the Holy Spirit that does the transforming work.

“Jesus added the solemn warning: ‘If the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden underfoot of men’ [Matthew 5:13].” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 36.

5 Name some of the characteristics that come forth from a person whose salt has lost its savor? I Corinthians 13:4–8.

Note: “ ‘Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up’ [I Corinthians 13:4]. The purest joy springs from the deepest humiliation. The strongest and noblest characters are built on the foundation of patience, love, and submission to God’s will.

“Charity ‘doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil’ [Verse 5]. Christ-like love places the most favorable construction on the motives and acts of others. It does not needlessly expose their faults; it does not listen eagerly to unfavorable reports, but seeks rather to bring to mind the good qualities of others.

“Love ‘rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.’ This love ‘never faileth’ [Verses 6-8]. It can never lose its value; it is a heavenly attribute. As a precious treasure, it will be carried by its possessor through the portals of the city of God.” The Acts of the Apostles, 319.

6 To present ourselves a “living sacrifice,” what must be added? Romans 12:1; Mark 9:49.

Note: “In the ritual service, salt was added to every sacrifice. This, like the offering of incense, signified that only the righteousness of Christ could make the service acceptable to God. Referring to this practice, Jesus said, ‘Every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.’ ‘Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another’ [Mark 9:49, 50]. All who would present themselves ‘a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God’ (Romans 12:1), must receive the saving salt, the righteousness of our Saviour. Then they become ‘the salt of the earth,’ restraining evil among men, as salt preserves from corruption. Matthew 5:13. But if the salt has lost its savor; if there is only a profession of godliness, without the love of Christ, there is no power for good. The life can exert no saving influence upon the world. Your energy and efficiency in the upbuilding of My kingdom, Jesus says, depend upon your receiving of My Spirit. You must be partakers of My grace, in order to be a savor of life unto life.” The Desire of Ages, 439.

7 Read Titus 2:11–14. Explain how that grace becomes visible to all men and preserves.

Note: “Salt is valued for its preservative properties; and when God calls His children salt, He would teach them that His purpose in making them the subjects of His grace is that they may become agents in saving others. The object of God in choosing a people before all the world was not only that He might adopt them as His sons and daughters, but that through them the world might receive the grace that bringeth salvation. Titus 2:11. When the Lord chose Abraham, it was not simply to be the special friend of God, but to be a medium of the peculiar privileges the Lord desired to bestow upon the nations. Jesus, in that last prayer with His disciples before His crucifixion, said, ‘For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.’ John 17:19. In like manner Christians who are purified through the truth will possess saving qualities that preserve the world from utter moral corruption.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 35, 36.

8 What is the condition of a person whose salt has lost its savor? II Peter 2:20–21.

9 If a “garnished house” represents a “self-righteous soul,” what kind of righteousness comes and garnishes our hearts which causes the salt to lose its savor? Matthew 12:43–45.

Note: “The garnished house represents the self-righteous soul. Satan is driven out by Christ. But he returned, in the hope of finding entrance. He finds the house empty, swept, and garnished. Only self-righteousness is abiding there. ‘Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first’ [Luke 11:26].” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5, 1093.

10 Whose character are we reflecting when in a self-righteous state and there is no savor in the salt?

Note: “Self-righteousness is a curse, a human embellishment, which Satan uses for his glory. Those who garnish the soul with self-praise and flattery prepare the way for the seven other spirits more wicked than the first. In their very reception of the truth these souls deceive themselves. They are building upon a foundation of self-righteousness.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5, 1093.

“God calls His people to elevate the standard. The church must show their zeal for God in dealing with those who have, while professing great faith, been putting Christ to open shame. They have imperiled the truth. They have been unfaithful sentinels. They have brought reproach and dishonor upon the cause of God.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 450.

11 Knowing now the characteristics of a person whose salt has lost its savor, what correlation does this have with Revelation 3:15–18?

Note: “As they listened to the words of Christ, the people could see the white salt glistening in the pathways where it had been cast out because it had lost its savor and was therefore useless. It well represented the condition of the Pharisees and the effect of their religion upon society. It represents the life of every soul from whom the power of the grace of God has departed and who has become cold and Christless. Whatever may be his profession, such a one is looked upon by men and angels as insipid and disagreeable. It is to such that Christ says: ‘I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of My mouth.’ Revelation 3:15, 16.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 36, 37.

Additional Reading

“A discouraged soul is a body of darkness, not only failing himself to receive the light of God, but shutting it away from others. Satan loves to see the effect of the pictures of his triumphs, making human beings faithless and disheartened.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 744, 745.

“Salt must be mingled with the substance to which it is added; it must penetrate and infuse in order to preserve. So it is through personal contact and association that men are reached by the saving power of the gospel. They are not saved in masses, but as individuals. Personal influence is a power. We must come close to those whom we desire to benefit.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 36.

“Without a living faith in Christ as a personal Saviour it is impossible to make our influence felt in a skeptical world. We cannot give to others that which we do not ourselves possess. It is in proportion to our own devotion and consecration to Christ that we exert an influence for the blessing and uplifting of mankind. If there is no actual service, no genuine love, no reality of experience, there is no power to help, no connection with heaven, no savor of Christ in the life. Unless the Holy Spirit can use us as agents through whom to communicate to the world the truth as it is in Jesus, we are as salt that has lost its savor and is entirely worthless. By our lack of the grace of Christ we testify to the world that the truth which we claim to believe has no sanctifying power; and thus, so far as our influence goes, we make of no effect the word of God. ‘If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And if I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profiteth me nothing.’ I Corinthians 13:1–3, A.R.V.

“When love fills the heart, it will flow out to others, not because of favors received from them, but because love is the principle of action. Love modifies the character, governs the impulses, subdues enmity, and ennobles the affections. This love is as broad as the universe, and is in harmony with that of the angel workers. Cherished in the heart, it sweetens the entire life and sheds its blessing upon all around. It is this, and this only, that can make us the salt of the earth.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 37, 38.

Lesson Studies were prepared by Judy Hallingstad of the LandMarks staff. She can be contacted at judyhallingstad@stepstolife.org .

Bible Study Guides – Look Away! Look Up!

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January 17, 2010 – January 23, 2010

Key Text

“Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.” I Peter 1:6, 7.

Study Help: Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 29–35.

Introduction

“How often we feel that we have been dealt with unjustly, that things have been said concerning us that were untrue, and that we have been set in a false light before others. When we are thus tried, we shall need to keep strict guard over our spirit and our words. We shall need to have the love of Christ, that we may not cherish an unforgiving spirit.” Sons and Daughters of God, 144.

1 Knowing that “persecuted” means harassed or provoked to anger, troubled or annoyed, what blessing is promised to us when we are persecuted for righteousness’ sake? Matthew 5:10.

Note: “Consider the life of Moses. Meekness in the midst of murmuring, reproach, and provocation constituted the brightest trait in his character. Daniel was of a humble spirit. Although he was surrounded with distrust and suspicion, and his enemies laid a snare for his life, yet he never deviated from principle. He maintained a serene and cheerful trust in God. Above all, let the life of Christ teach you. When reviled, He reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not. This lesson you must learn, or you will never enter heaven. Christ must be made your strength. In His name you will be more than conqueror. No enchantment against Jacob, nor divination against Israel, will prevail. If your soul is riveted to the eternal Rock, you are safe. Come joy or come sorrow, nothing can sway you from the right.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 368.

“In all ages Satan has persecuted the people of God. He has tortured them and put them to death, but in dying they became conquerors. They bore witness to the power of One mightier than Satan. Wicked men may torture and kill the body, but they cannot touch the life that is hid with Christ in God. They can incarcerate men and women in prison walls, but they cannot bind the spirit.

“Through trial and persecution the glory—the character—of God is revealed in His chosen ones. The believers in Christ, hated and persecuted by the world, are educated and disciplined in the school of Christ. On earth they walk in narrow paths; they are purified in the furnace of affliction. They follow Christ through sore conflicts; they endure self-denial and experience bitter disappointments; but thus they learn the guilt and woe of sin, and they look upon it with abhorrence. Being partakers of Christ’s sufferings, they can look beyond the gloom to the glory, saying, ‘I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.’ Romans 8:18.” The Acts of the Apostles, 576, 577.

2 As a servant, Whom are we to follow? What also may we be called? Matthew 10:23–25.

Note: “The Saviour says, ‘The reproaches of them that reproached Thee are fallen upon Me.’ Psalm 69:9. In like manner they fall upon His disciples.

“There was never one who walked among men more cruelly slandered than the Son of man. He was derided and mocked because of His unswerving obedience to the principles of God’s holy law. They hated Him without a cause. Yet He stood calmly before His enemies, declaring that reproach is a part of the Christian’s legacy, counseling His followers how to meet the arrows of malice, bidding them not to faint under persecution.

“While slander may blacken the reputation, it cannot stain the character. That is in God’s keeping. So long as we do not consent to sin, there is no power, whether human or satanic, that can bring a stain upon the soul. A man whose heart is stayed upon God is just the same in the hour of his most afflicting trials and most discouraging surroundings as when he was in prosperity, when the light and favor of God seemed to be upon him. His words, his motives, his actions, may be misrepresented and falsified, but he does not mind it, because he has greater interests at stake. Like Moses, he endures as ‘seeing Him who is invisible’ (Hebrews 11:27); looking ‘not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen’ (II Corinthians 4:18).” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 31, 32.

3 How are we to respond when we are reviled, which means despised or verbally abused? I Peter 2:23; Proverbs 19:11.

Note: “How often we feel that we have been dealt with unjustly, that things have been said concerning us that were untrue, and that we have been set in a false light before others. When we are thus tried, we shall need to keep strict guard over our spirit and our words. We shall need to have the love of Christ, that we may not cherish an unforgiving spirit.” Sons and Daughters of God, 144.

4 What did Jesus teach us in His prayer about cherishing our grievances and sympathizing with ourselves? Why is that so important? Matthew 6:15–18.

Note: “However sorely they may have wounded us, we are not to cherish our grievances and sympathize with ourselves over our injuries, but as we hope to be pardoned for our offenses against God, so must we pardon those who have done evil to us … When we are reviled, how strong is the temptation to revile in return, but in doing this we show ourselves as bad as the reviler. When tempted to revile, send up a silent prayer that God will give you His grace, and keep the tongue in silence.” Sons and Daughters of God, 144.

5 What are the sufferings for this time not worthy to be compared with? How long do they last? Romans 8:18; II Corinthians 4:17.

Note: “The eye of faith alone can look beyond the things of time to estimate aright the worth of the eternal riches.” The Acts of the Apostles, 575, 576.

“I have been shown that in the future we shall see how closely all our trials were connected with our salvation, and how these light afflictions worked out for us ‘a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory’ [II Corinthians 4:17].” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, 1099.

6 Our minds are not to dwell upon what things and why? II Corinthians 4:18.

Note: “Our minds take the level of the things on which our thoughts dwell, and if we think upon earthly things, we shall fail to take the impress of that which is heavenly. We would be greatly benefited by contemplating the mercy, goodness, and love of God; but we sustain great loss by dwelling upon those things which are earthly and temporal. We allow sorrow and care and perplexity to attract our minds to earth, and we magnify a molehill into a mountain. …

“Temporal things are not to engage our whole attention, or engross our minds until our thoughts are entirely of the earth and the earthly. We are to train, discipline, and educate the mind so that we may think in a heavenly channel, that we may dwell on things unseen and eternal, which will be discerned by spiritual vision. It is by seeing Him who is invisible that we may obtain strength of mind and vigor of spirit.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, 1100.

7 What has our Lord promised us which is far better than being exempted from trials? Deuteronomy 33:25; II Corinthians 12:9.

Note: “While the Lord has not promised His people exemption from trials, He has promised that which is far better. He has said, ‘As thy days, so shall thy strength be.’ ‘My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Deuteronomy 33:25; II Corinthians 12:9. If you are called to go through the fiery furnace for His sake, Jesus will be by your side even as He was with the faithful three in Babylon. Those who love their Redeemer will rejoice at every opportunity of sharing with Him humiliation and reproach. The love they bear their Lord makes suffering for His sake sweet.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 30.

8 When the apostles were persecuted, what was their response? Acts 5:41.

Note: “As priests and rulers combined against them, and they were brought before councils and thrust into prison, the followers of Christ rejoiced ‘that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.’ Acts 5:41. They rejoiced to prove, before men and angels, that they recognized the glory of Christ, and chose to follow Him at the loss of all things.

“It is as true now as in apostolic days, that without the illumination of the divine Spirit, humanity cannot discern the glory of Christ. The truth and the work of God are unappreciated by a world-loving and compromising Christianity. Not in the ways of ease, of earthly honor or worldly conformity, are the followers of the Master found. They are far in advance, in the paths of toil, and humiliation, and reproach, in the front of the battle ‘against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.’ Ephesians 6:12, R. V. And now, as in Christ’s day, they are misunderstood and reproached and oppressed by the priests and Pharisees of their time.” The Desire of Ages, 508, 509.

9 If we are truly dead to self and risen with Christ, what effect does that have on us and those around us? Colossians 3:1–3, 12–14.

Note: “The soul that loves God, rises above the fog of doubt; he gains a bright, broad, deep, living experience, and becomes meek and Christlike. His soul is committed to God, hid with Christ in God. He will be able to stand the test of neglect, of abuse and contempt, because his Saviour has suffered all this. He will not become fretful and discouraged when difficulties press him, because Jesus did not fail or become discouraged. Every true Christian will be strong, not in the strength and merit of his good works, but in the righteousness of Christ, which through faith is imputed unto him. It is a great thing to be meek and lowly in heart, to be pure and undefiled, as was the Prince of heaven when He walked among men.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 907.

10 What shield are we to take above anything else and without which it is impossible to please God? Ephesians 6:16; Hebrews 11:6.

Note: “When self is hid in Jesus, we are shielded from the darts of the enemy.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 908.

Additional Reading

“Jesus does not present to His followers the hope of attaining earthly glory and riches, of living a life free from trial. Instead He calls upon them to follow Him in the path of self-denial and reproach. He who came to redeem the world was opposed by the united forces of evil. In an unpitying confederacy, evil men and evil angels arrayed themselves against the Prince of Peace. His every word and act revealed divine compassion, and His unlikeness to the world provoked the bitterest hostility.

“So it will be with all who will live godly in Christ Jesus. Persecution and reproach await all who are imbued with the Spirit of Christ. The character of the persecution changes with the times, but the principle—the spirit that underlies it—is the same that has slain the chosen of the Lord ever since the days of Abel.” The Acts of the Apostles, 576.

“There was never one who walked among men more cruelly slandered than the Son of man. He was derided and mocked because of His unswerving obedience to the principles of God’s holy law. They hated Him without a cause. Yet He stood calmly before His enemies, declaring that reproach is a part of the Christian’s legacy, counseling His followers how to meet the arrows of malice, bidding them not to faint under persecution.

“While slander may blacken the reputation, it cannot stain the character. That is in God’s keeping. So long as we do not consent to sin, there is no power, whether human or satanic, that can bring a stain upon the soul. A man whose heart is stayed upon God is just the same in the hour of his most afflicting trials and most discouraging surroundings as when he was in prosperity, when the light and favor of God seemed to be upon him. His words, his motives, his actions, may be misrepresented and falsified, but he does not mind it, because he has greater interests at stake. Like Moses, he endures as ‘seeing Him who is invisible’ (Hebrews 11:27); looking ‘not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen’ (II Corinthians 4:18).

“Christ is acquainted with all that is misunderstood and misrepresented by men. His children can afford to wait in calm patience and trust, no matter how much maligned and despised; for nothing is secret that shall not be made manifest, and those who honor God shall be honored by Him in the presence of men and angels.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 32.

Lesson Studies were prepared by Judy Hallingstad of the LandMarks staff. She can be contacted at judyhallingstad@stepstolife.org .

Bible Study Guides – Free From Mixture

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January 10, 2010 – January 16, 2010

Key Text:

“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” I John 3:2, 3.

Study Help: Psalm 15; Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 24–27; My Life Today, 263.

Introduction

“As the wax takes the impression of the seal, so the soul is to take the impression of the Spirit of God, and retain the moral image of Christ. We are to become partakers of the divine nature, realizing in our experience the vigor and perfection of spiritual life.” The Review and Herald, November 1, 1892.

1 Many people want to see God, but according to Jesus, who will see Him? Matthew 5:8.

Note: “Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour. In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the Lord. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not. He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.” Psalm 15.

“Always kind, courteous, ever taking the part of the oppressed, whether Jew or Gentile, Christ was beloved by all. By His perfect life and character, He answered the question asked in the fifteenth Psalm: ‘Lord, who shall abide in Thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in Thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.’ In childhood and youth His course was such that when engaged in work as a teacher, He could say to His disciples, ‘If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love: even as I have kept My Father’s commandments, and abide in His love.’ [John 15:10.]” Fundamentals of Christian Education, 402.

2 Read John 1:12. As we “receive” or associate ourselves with Christ, what gift are we also receiving? Where does this “holiness” or “state of purity” come from? Ephesians 4:20–24. Once “received,” what are we then to do? Colossians 2:6.

Note: “No man receives holiness as a birthright, or as a gift from any other human being. Holiness is the gift of God through Christ. Those who receive the Saviour become sons of God. They are His spiritual children, born again, renewed in righteousness and true holiness. Their minds are changed. With clearer vision they behold eternal realities. They are adopted into God’s family, and they become conformed to His likeness, changed by His Spirit from glory to glory.” God’s Amazing Grace, 120.

3 Being pure, meaning free from mixture or containing no material from a foreign country, does this apply to the inward man or the outward man? II Corinthians 4:16.

Note: “Those who receive the Saviour become sons of God. They are His spiritual children, born again, renewed in righteousness and true holiness. Their minds are changed. With clearer vision they behold eternal realities. They are adopted into God’s family, and they become conformed to His likeness, changed by His Spirit from glory to glory.” God’s Amazing Grace, 120.

4 To what has God not called us? I Thessalonians 4:7.

Note: “In his anxiety that the believers at Thessalonica should walk in the fear of God, the apostle pleaded with them to reveal practical godliness in the daily life. ‘We beseech you, brethren,’ he wrote, ‘and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.’ … ‘For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness’ [I Thessalonians 4:1, 2, 7].” The Acts of the Apostles, 262.

5 When we are filled with uncleanness, mixtures from a foreign country, what needs to happen? Ezekiel 36:25–27.

Note: “When Jesus speaks of the new heart, He means the mind, the life, the whole being. To have a change of heart is to withdraw the affections from the world, and fasten them upon Christ. To have a new heart is to have a new mind, new purposes, new motives. What is the sign of a new heart?—a changed life. There is a daily, hourly dying to selfishness and pride.” God’s Amazing Grace, 100.

6 What important advice did Paul tell Timothy and what we need to follow? I Timothy 5:22, last part.

Note: “To know what constitutes purity of mind, soul, and body is an important part of education. Paul summed up the attainments possible for Timothy by saying, ‘Keep thyself pure.’ I Timothy 5:22. Impurity of thought, word, or action will not be indulged by the child of God. Every encouragement and the richest blessings are held up before the overcomers of evil practices, but the most fearful penalties are laid upon those who profane the body and defile the soul.” Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 103.

7 What is the Lord going to do in our lives with all of the dross, which is refuse or anything worthless—rubbish, and tin, which is a mixture of two or more metals or something that reduces purity? Isaiah 1:25; Isaiah 4:4.

Note: “To sin, wherever found, our God is a consuming fire. Hebrews 12:29. In all who submit to His power the Spirit of God will consume sin. But if men cling to sin, they become identified with it. Then the glory of God, which destroys sin, must destroy them. …

“Wherever men came before God while willfully cherishing evil, they were destroyed. …

“Only the pure in heart could abide in His presence.” The Desire of Ages, 107, 108.

8 When we have received the Lord, what must we do? Romans 6:19–22.

Note: “Holiness is wholeness to God. The soul is surrendered to God. The will, and even the thoughts, are brought into subjection to the will of Christ. The love of Jesus fills the soul, and is constantly going out in a clear, refreshing stream, to make glad the hearts of others.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, 1076.

9 Being a child of God means bearing a likeness to Christ in character. What will happen to all of those who are “pure in heart,” who are free from mixture and contain no “foreign material?” Revelation 7:2, 3.

Note: “ ‘And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure’ [I John 3:3]. In a little while every one who is a child of God will have His seal placed upon him. O that it may be placed upon our foreheads! Who can endure the thought of being passed by when the angel goes forth to seal the servants of God in their foreheads? …

“The seal of the living God will be placed upon those only who bear a likeness to Christ in character.

“As wax takes the impression of the seal, so the soul is to take the impression of the Spirit of God and retain the image of Christ.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 969, 970.

10 Knowing what purity really means, what should be our most earnest prayer to our Heavenly Father? Psalm 51:10–12.

Note: “One of the most earnest prayers recorded in the Word of God is that of David when he pled, ‘Create in me a clean heart, O God’ [Psalm 51:10]. God’s response to such a prayer is, A new heart will I give you (Ezekiel 36:26). This is a work that no finite man can do. Men and women are to begin at the beginning, seeking God most earnestly for a true Christian experience. They are to feel the creative power of the Holy Spirit. They are to receive the new heart, that is kept soft and tender by the grace of heaven. The selfish spirit is to be cleansed from the soul. They are to labor earnestly and with humility of heart, each one looking to Jesus for guidance and encouragement. Then the building, fitly framed together, will grow into a holy temple in the Lord.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 4, 1165.

Additional Reading

“ ‘Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life’ [Proverbs 4:23]. Diligent heart-keeping is essential to a healthy growth in grace. The heart in its natural state is a habitation for unholy thoughts and sinful passions. When brought into subjection to Christ, it must be cleansed by the Spirit from all defilement. This can not be done without the consent of the individual.

“When the soul has been cleansed, it is the duty of the Christian to keep it undefiled. Many seem to think that the religion of Christ does not call for the abandonment of daily sins, the breaking loose from habits which have held the soul in bondage. They renounce some things condemned by the conscience, but they fail to represent Christ in the daily life. They do not bring Christlikeness into the home. They do not show a thoughtful care in their choice of words. Too often, fretful, impatient words are spoken, words which stir the worst passions of the human heart. Such ones need the abiding presence of Christ in the soul. Only in His strength can they keep guard over the words and actions.

“In the work of heart-keeping we must be instant in prayer, unwearied in petitioning the throne of grace for assistance. Those who take the name of Christian should come to God in earnestness and humility, pleading for help. The Saviour has told us to pray without ceasing. The Christian can not always be in the position of prayer, but his thoughts and desires can always be upward. Our self-confidence would vanish, did we talk less and pray more. …

“Let the prayer go up to God, ‘Create in me a clean heart;’ for a pure, cleansed soul has Christ abiding therein, and out of the abundance of the heart are the issues of life. The human will is to be yielded to Christ. Instead of passing on, closing the heart in selfishness, there is need of opening the heart to the sweet influences of the Spirit of God. Practical religion breathes its fragrance everywhere. It is a savor of life unto life.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 3, 1157.

“Genuine conversion is needed, not once in years, but daily. This conversion brings man into a new relation with God. Old things, his natural passions and hereditary and cultivated tendencies to wrong, pass away, and he is renewed and sanctified. But this work must be continual; for as long as Satan exists, he will make an effort to carry on his work. He who strives to serve God will encounter a strong undercurrent of wrong. His heart needs to be barricaded by constant watchfulness and prayer, or else the embankment will give way; and like a millstream, the undercurrent of wrong will sweep away the safeguard. No renewed heart can be kept in a condition of sweetness without the daily application of the salt of the Word. Divine grace must be received daily, or no man will stay converted.” Our High Calling, 215.

“The Lord purifies the heart very much as we air a room. We do not close the doors and windows, and throw in some purifying substance; but we open the doors and throw wide the windows, and let heaven’s purifying atmosphere flow in. The Lord says, ‘He that doeth truth cometh to the light’ [John 3:21]. The windows of impulse, of feeling, must be opened up toward heaven, and the dust of selfishness and earthliness must be expelled. The grace of God must sweep through the chambers of the mind, the imagination must have heavenly themes for contemplation, and every element of the nature must be purified and vitalized by the Spirit of God.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 940.

Lesson Studies were prepared by Judy Hallingstad of the LandMarks staff. She can be contacted at judyhallingstad@stepstolife.org .

Bible Study Guides – Healthy Root System

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January 3, 2010 – January 9, 2010

Key Text

“The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing; To show that the Lord is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.” Psalm 92:12–15.

Study Help: In Heavenly Places, 34; Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 18.

Introduction

“The tree of the desert is a symbol of what God means the life of His children in this world to be. They are to guide weary souls, full of unrest, and ready to perish in the desert of sin, to the living water. They are to point their fellow men to Him who gives the invitation, ‘If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink.’ John 7:37.” Education, 116.

1 What does the word of God say about the righteous? Who will be fat and flourishing? Psalm 92:12–15.

Note: “Prove the promise of God that ‘those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; and they shall be fat and flourishing; to show that the Lord is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him’ [Psalm 92:13–15].

“Keep your heart and mind young by continuous exercise.” The Review and Herald, April 6, 1886.

2 We want to be as a “cedar in Lebanon” as mentioned in Psalm 92:12; Psalm 104:16, 17. How do we become that cedar?

Note: “The cedar of Lebanon was honored by all the people of the East. The class of trees to which it belongs is found wherever man has gone throughout the earth. From the arctic regions to the tropic zone they flourish, rejoicing in the heat, yet braving the cold; springing in rich luxuriance by the riverside, yet towering aloft upon the parched and thirsty waste. They plant their roots deep among the rocks of the mountains and boldly stand in defiance of the tempest. Their leaves are fresh and green when all else has perished at the breath of winter. Above all other trees the cedar of Lebanon is distinguished for its strength, its firmness, its undecaying vigor; and this is used as a symbol of those whose life is ‘hid with Christ in God.’ Colossians 3:3. Says the Scripture, ‘The righteous … shall grow like a cedar.’ Psalm 92:12. The divine hand has exalted the cedar as king over the forest. … The cedar is repeatedly employed as an emblem of royalty, and its use in Scripture to represent the righteous shows how Heaven regards those who do the will of God.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 450.

3 If the righteous shall grow like a cedar, what is the first prerequisite or condition in ourselves we need to experience before we can receive righteousness, a condition acceptable to God, as found in Matthew 5:6?

Note: “We are to come to God in faith, and pour out our supplications before Him, believing that He will work in our behalf, and in the behalf of those we are seeking to save. We are to devote more time to earnest prayer. With the trusting faith of a little child, we are to come to our heavenly Father, telling Him of all our needs. He is always ready to pardon and help. The supply of divine wisdom is inexhaustible, and the Lord encourages us to draw largely from it. The longing that we should have for spiritual blessings is described in the words, ‘As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God’ [Psalm 42:1]. We need a deeper soul-hunger for the rich gifts that heaven has to bestow. We are to hunger and thirst after righteousness.

“O that we might have a consuming desire to know God by an experimental knowledge, to come into the audience chamber of the Most High, reaching up the hand of faith, and casting our helpless souls upon the One mighty to save. His loving kindness is better than life.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 3, 1146, 1147.

4 From Whom only should our soul’s expectation be? Psalm 62:5.

Note: “A divine element unites with human effort when the soul reaches out after God.” Gospel Workers, 99.

5 What is it that we need to drink if we do not want to ever crave the world’s advantages and attractions? John 4:14.

Note: “ ‘Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst’—never crave the world’s advantages and attractions—‘but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up unto everlasting life’ [John 4:14].” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5, 1134.

6 What is the water that Christ referred to in John 4:14? The water of life flowing from whose heart will water the hearts of others? What are we to seek for and why?

Note: “You must seek to have an indwelling Saviour, who will be to you as a well of water, springing up into everlasting life. The water of life flowing from the heart always waters the hearts of others.” Ibid., 1134.

7 Why should we want to be a “palm tree” Christian? Explain what a “palm tree” Christian is. Psalm 92:12.

Note: “The palm tree well represents the life of a Christian. It stands upright amid the burning desert sand, and dies not; for it draws its sustenance from the springs of life beneath the surface.

“See the weary traveler toiling over the hot sands of the desert, with no shelter to protect him from the rays of a tropical sun. His water supply fails, and he has nothing to slake his burning thirst. His tongue becomes swollen; he staggers like a drunken man. Visions of home and friends pass before his mind, as he believes himself ready to perish in the terrible desert. Suddenly those in advance send forth a shout of joy. In the distance, looming up out of the dreary, sandy waste, is a palm tree, green and flourishing. Hope quickens his pulses. That which gives vigor and freshness to the palm tree will cool the fevered pulses, and give life to those who are perishing with thirst.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 3, 1151.

8 What is the gift of God and the living water? John 4:10.

Note: “The water that Christ referred to was the revelation of His grace in His Word. His Spirit, His teaching, is as a satisfying fountain to every soul. … In Christ is fullness of joy forevermore … Christ’s gracious presence in His Word is ever speaking to the soul, representing Him as the well of living water to refresh the thirsting. It is our privilege to have a living, abiding Saviour. He is the source of spiritual power implanted within us, and His influence will flow forth in words and actions, refreshing all within the sphere of our influence, begetting in them desires and aspirations for strength and purity, for holiness and peace, and for that joy which brings with it no sorrow. This is the result of an indwelling Saviour.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5, 1134.

9 A “tree of the desert” draws the thirsty traveler because there is water where that tree is. Where does a Christian go to satisfy his thirst? John 7:37.

Note: “The tree of the desert is a symbol of what God means the life of His children in this world to be. They are to guide weary souls, full of unrest, and ready to perish in the desert of sin, to the living water. They are to point their fellow men to Him who gives the invitation, ‘If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink.’ John 7:37.” Education, 116.

10 If we are to be a sturdy “tree of the desert” in these last days under very trying circumstances, where should our root be? Ezekiel 31:7; John 7:37.

Note: “As the palm tree, drawing nourishment from fountains of living water, is green and flourishing in the midst of the desert, so the Christian may draw rich supplies of grace from the fountain of God’s love, and may guide weary souls, that are full of unrest and ready to perish in the desert of sin, to those waters of which they may drink, and live. The Christian is ever pointing his fellow-men to Jesus, who invites, ‘If any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink.’ This fountain never fails us; we may draw, and draw again.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 3, 1151.

Additional Reading

“If the Christian thrives and progresses at all, he must do so amid strangers to God, amid scoffing, subject to ridicule. He must stand upright like the palm tree in the desert. The sky may be as brass, the desert sand may beat about the palm tree’s roots, and pile itself in heaps about its trunk. Yet the tree lives as an evergreen, fresh and vigorous amid the burning desert sands. Remove the sand till you reach the rootlets of the palm tree, and you discover the secret of its life; it strikes down deep beneath the surface, to the secret waters hidden in the earth. Christians indeed may be fitly represented by the palm tree. They are like Enoch; although surrounded by corrupting influences, their faith takes hold of the Unseen. They walk with God, deriving strength and grace from Him to withstand the moral pollution surrounding them. Like Daniel in the courts of Babylon, they stand pure and uncontaminated; their life is hid with Christ in God. They are virtuous in spirit amid depravity; they are true and loyal, fervent and zealous, while surrounded by infidels, hypocritical professors, godless and worldly men. Their faith and life are hid with Christ in God. Jesus is in them a well of water springing up into everlasting life. Faith, like the rootlets of the palm tree, penetrates beneath the things which are seen, drawing spiritual nourishment from the Fountain of life.

“When the love of Jesus is abiding in the soul, many who are now but withered branches will become as the cedars of Lebanon, ‘whose root is by the great waters.’ (Ezekiel 31:7.) The cedar is noted for the firmness of its roots. Not content to cling to the earth with a few weak fibers, it thrusts its rootlets, like a sturdy wedge, into the cloven rock, and reaches down deeper and deeper for strong holds to grasp. When the tempest grapples with its boughs, that firm-set tree cannot be uprooted. What a goodly cedar might not every follower of Christ become, if he were but rooted and grounded in the truth, firmly united to the Eternal Rock.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 3, 1151.

“There are certain conditions upon which we may expect that God will hear and answer our prayers. One of the first of these is that we feel our need of help from Him. He has promised, ‘I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground.’ Isaiah 44:3. Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, who long after God, may be sure that they will be filled. The heart must be open to the Spirit’s influence, or God’s blessing cannot be received.

“Our great need is itself an argument and pleads most eloquently in our behalf. But the Lord is to be sought unto to do these things for us. He says, ‘Ask, and it shall be given you.’ And ‘He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?’ Matthew 7:7; Romans 8:32.” Steps to Christ, 95.

“By maintaining a connection with God we shall be enabled to diffuse to others, through our association with them, the light, the peace, the serenity, that rules in our hearts, and set before them an example of unwavering fidelity to the interests of the work in which we are engaged.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 460.

Lesson Studies were prepared by Judy Hallingstad of the LandMarks staff. She can be contacted at judyhallingstad@stepstolife.org .

Bible Study Guides – Humility on Stilts?

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December 27, 2009 – January 2, 2010

Key Text

“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” Revelation 3:19–21.

Study Help: The Review and Herald, April 19, 1892—Christ’s Instructions to His Followers; The Desire of Ages, 650 or entire chapter—A Servant of Servants.

Introduction

“My brethren, try the wearing of Christ’s yoke. Come down from your spiritual stilts and practice the grace of humility. Put away every evil surmising and be willing to see the value of the gifts God has bestowed on your brethren.” Evangelism 102.

1 What is the first character attribute we need so that our humility is not on stilts? Matthew 5:3.

Note. “Fear lest you make a mistake, and bring dishonor upon the name of the Lord. Cry unto him, believing that he has power to save. This is the humility that we want; not a humility on stilts, parading itself before the eyes of men, that it may win praise for righteousness.” The Bible Echo and Signs of the Times, June 1, 1892.

2 While we see our helplessness, what are we to continually do? I Peter 5:6. Instead of feeding on the “husks of self-righteousness,” from whom should our nourishment come?

Note: “We are to surrender our hearts to God, that He may renew and sanctify us, and fit us for His heavenly court. We are not to wait for some special time, but today we are to give ourselves to Him, refusing to be the servants of sin. Do you imagine you can leave off sin a little at a time? Oh, leave the accursed thing at once! Hate the things that Christ hates, love the things that Christ loves. Has He not by His death and suffering made provision for your cleansing from sin? When we begin to realize that we are sinners, and fall on the Rock to be broken, the everlasting arms are placed about us, and we are brought close to the heart of Jesus. Then we shall be charmed with His loveliness, and disgusted with our own righteousness. We need to come close to the foot of the cross. The more we humble ourselves there, the more exalted will God’s love appear. The grace and righteousness of Christ will not avail for him who feels whole, for him who thinks he is reasonably good, who is contented with his own condition. There is no room for Christ in the heart of him who does not realize his need of divine light and aid.

“Jesus says, ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven’ (Matthew 5:3). There is fullness of grace in God, and we may have His spirit and power in large measure. Do not feed on the husks of self-righteousness, but go to the Lord. He has the best robe to put upon you, and His arms are open to receive. Christ will say, ‘Take away the filthy garments from him, and clothe him with a change of raiment’ [Zechariah 3:4].” Selected Messages, Book 1, 327, 328.

3 What are we to do with regard to our own salvation? Philippians 2:12.

Note: “The Lord has commanded us, ‘Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling’ [Philippians 2:12]. But what does this mean? It means that you feel your necessity, that you are poor in spirit, that you rejoice with trembling. It means that you know that in the very words you utter you may make a mistake, that in the very best of your work self may be so mingled that your efforts may be valueless, that you realize that your efficiency is in Christ. Oh, let the cry of the soul continually be—‘Hangs my helpless soul on Thee.’ ” The Signs of the Times, May 16, 1892.

4 Because pride tends to get in the way, and represents self, which of the Ten Commandments do we break when we are on those high stilts? Exodus 20:3.

Note: “Idolaters are condemned by the word of God. Their folly consists in trusting in self for salvation, in bowing down to the works of their own hands. God classes as idolaters those who trust in their own wisdom, their own devising, depending for success on their riches and power, striving to strengthen themselves by alliance with men whom the world calls great, but who fail to discern the binding claims of His law.” The Review and Herald, March 15, 1906.

5 What is the difference between the Pharisee and the publican? Luke 18:10–14. What does it mean to “parade” yourself before men?

Note: “The Pharisee and the publican represent two great classes into which those who come to worship God are divided. Their first two representatives are found in the first two children that were born into the world. Cain thought himself righteous, and he came to God with a thank offering only. He made no confession of sin, and acknowledged no need of mercy. But Abel came with the blood that pointed to the Lamb of God. He came as a sinner, confessing himself lost; his only hope was the unmerited love of God. The Lord had respect to his offering, but to Cain and his offering He had not respect. The sense of need, the recognition of our poverty and sin, is the very first condition of acceptance with God. ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’ Matthew 5:3.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 152.

“The humility that Jesus speaks of in the text is not a humility on stilts, as was the Pharisee’s, parading itself before the eyes of men, that his righteousness might be seen and praised of men. Humility is before honor.” The Signs of the Times, May 16, 1892.

6 Because the Pharisee’s humility was on stilts, what door was being blocked from being opened? Revelation 3:20.

Note: “Every warning, reproof, and entreaty in the Word of God, or through His delegated messengers, is a knock at the door of the heart; it is the voice of Jesus, asking for entrance. With every knock unheeded, your determination to open becomes weaker and weaker. If the voice of Jesus is not heeded at once, it becomes confused in the mind with a multitude of other voices, the world’s care and business engross the attention, and conviction dies away. The heart becomes less impressible, and lapses into a perilous unconsciousness of the shortness of time, and of the great eternity beyond.

“Many have so much rubbish piled up at the door of the heart that they cannot admit Jesus. Some have difficulties between themselves and their brethren to remove; others have evil tempers, pride, covetousness; with others, love of the world bars the entrance. All this must be taken away, before they can open the door and welcome the Saviour in.

“Our work is to open the door of the heart and let Jesus come in. He is knocking for entrance. … Will you open the door? Jesus is standing at the door of your heart. Let Him in, the heavenly Guest.” Our High Calling, 352.

7 If the stilts or pride is not removed, what will we miss out on if our humility is on stilts? Revelation 3:21.

Note: “Pride feels no need, and so it closes the heart against Christ and the infinite blessings He came to give. There is no room for Jesus in the heart of such a person. Those who are rich and honorable in their own eyes do not ask in faith, and receive the blessing of God. They feel that they are full; therefore they go away empty. Those who know that they cannot possibly save themselves, or of themselves do any righteous action, are the ones who appreciate the help that Christ can bestow. They are the poor in spirit, whom He declares to be blessed.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 7.

8 What kind of heart must we have before we can even be called a believer in Jesus? Psalm 51:17; Revelation 3:17, 18.

Note: “Faith and love are the gold tried in the fire. But with many the gold has become dim, and the rich treasure has been lost. The righteousness of Christ is to them as a robe unworn, a fountain untouched. To them it is said, ‘I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.’ Revelation 2:4, 5.

“ ‘The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.’ Psalm 51:17. Man must be emptied of self before he can be, in the fullest sense, a believer in Jesus. When self is renounced, then the Lord can make man a new creature. New bottles can contain the new wine. The love of Christ will animate the believer with new life. In him who looks unto the Author and Finisher of our faith the character of Christ will be manifest.” The Desire of Ages, 280.

9 When you come down from your stilts, what will God do for you? Philippians 2:13.

Note: “How thankful we should be that we have a heavenly Intercessor. Jesus presents us to the Father robed in his righteousness. He pleads before God in our behalf. He says, ‘I have taken the sinner’s place. Look not upon this wayward child, but look on me. Look not upon his filthy garments, but look on my righteousness.’ When we are forgiven for our sins, when our filthy garments are taken away, then we are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling; but we are not left to do the work alone; ‘for it is God that worketh in you, both to will and to do of his good pleasure.’ [Philippians 2:13.] God works and man works; and as this co-operation is maintained, the richest blessings will come upon those who labor together with God.” Bible Echo and Signs of the Times, June 1, 1892.

10 While on stilts there is no room except for self; but, Who will come to dwell with you when you do away with those stilts? Isaiah 57:15.

Note: “Those who are filled with self-esteem and self-love do not feel the need of a living, personal union with Christ. The heart that has not fallen on the Rock is proud of its wholeness. Men want a dignified religion. They desire to walk in a path wide enough to take in their own attributes. Their self-love, their love of popularity and love of praise, exclude the Saviour from their hearts, and without Him there is gloom and sadness. But Christ dwelling in the soul is a wellspring of joy. For all who receive Him, the very keynote of the word of God is rejoicing.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 162.

Additional Reading

“But as we come to feel our utter reliance upon Christ for salvation, are we to fold our hands and say, I have nothing to do, Jesus has done it all?—No; we are to put forth every energy, that we may become ‘partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust’ [II Peter 1:4]. We are to be overcomers, to overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil. We are to be continually watching, waiting, praying, and working. But do all that we may, yet we can do nothing to pay a ransom for our souls. But while we see our helplessness, we are to be continually looking unto Jesus, who is the Author and Finisher of our faith. We can do nothing to originate faith, for faith is the gift of God. Neither can we perfect it, for Christ is the Finisher of our faith. It is all of Christ.

“All the longing after a better life is from Christ, and is an evidence that he is drawing you to himself and that you are responding to his drawing power. You are to be as clay in the hands of the potter, and if you submit yourself to Christ, he will fashion you into a vessel unto honor, fit for the Master’s use. The only thing that stands in the way of the soul who is not fashioned after the divine Pattern is that he does not become poor in spirit; for he who is poor in spirit will look to a higher Source than himself, that he may obtain the grace which will make him rich unto God. While he will feel that he cannot originate anything, he will say, ‘The Lord is my helper’ [Hebrews 13:6]. …

“ ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’ The humility that Jesus speaks of in the text is not a humility on stilts, as was the Pharisee’s, parading itself before the eyes of men, that his righteousness might be seen and praised of men. Humility is before honor. The apostle exhorts the followers of Christ: ‘Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up’ [James 4:10]. ‘Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.’ Fear lest you shall make a mistake, and bring dishonor upon the name of the Lord. Cry unto him, believing that he has power to save. This is the humility that we want. We need a physician and restorer for our souls, and when we come unto Christ petitioning for his grace, the Comforter will breathe his words into our souls, ‘My peace give I unto you’ [John 14:27]. ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’ We are to come as little children to God; and as we realize our poverty, we are not to tell it to men, but to God. Do not tell your weakness to those who can give you no strength. Tell it to God; for he will know just what to do for you.” The Signs of the Times, May 16, 1892.

“The heavenly Guest is standing at your door, while you are piling up obstructions to bar his entrance. Jesus is knocking through the prosperity he gives you. He loads you with blessings to test your fidelity, that they may flow out from you to others. Will you permit your selfishness to triumph? Will you squander God’s talents, and lose your soul through idolatrous love of the blessings he has given?” The Review and Herald, November 2, 1886.

Lesson Studies were prepared by Judy Hallingstad of the LandMarks staff. She can be contacted at judyhallingstad@stepstolife.org .

Recipe – Catalina Dressing

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¼ cup sun-dried tomato bits

1 cup hot water

½ cup olive oil (or less if desired)

½ cup lemon juice

½ cup ketchup

½ cup sweetener of your choice

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. basil

1 Tbsp. dried onion bits

Place tomatoes and water in blender and whiz 30 seconds or so. Add oil, lemon juice, ketchup, sweetener, salt and basil. Blend well. Add onion bits and blend just to mix. You can add a little more water if it is too thick. Taken from Cooking Vegetarian for Normal People, Transition to Vegan by Mindy Breckenridge.

Food – Water, A Critical Health Need

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Last month we identified that a person’s need for water could be determined by taking your weight in pounds divided by 2, then divide by 8, and the resultant number would be the number of glasses of water you should drink each day. It is important to know some of the ways the body uses all of this water, and with this knowledge maybe it would help solidify a decision to drink adequate amounts.

Considerable water is used by the body to make the secretions that digest our food. Digestion begins in the mouth with the teeth and the saliva. The body produces about 1,500 ml of saliva, approximately a quart and one half, to begin the process of digestion. This digestion is then completed through the bile liquids (500 ml), stomach juices (2,500 ml), pancreatic juices (700 ml), and the intestinal secretions (3,000 ml). So the total digestive juices produced by the body in a day are 8,200 ml or over 8 1/2 quarts of digestive juices.

Water is also used to cleanse the body of various waste products. Every time we exhale we are ridding the body of carbon dioxide. Water is also lost in this exchange. As water evaporates from our skin or as we perspire, wastes are removed from our body via the water that carries these products. At least 900 ml of water is lost daily through these three mechanisms. This can be greatly increased when the environmental temperatures rise and in the presence of heavy work or exercise. A small amount of water, about 100 ml, is lost daily through the colon.

The greatest daily loss of water, about 1,500 ml, comes from the kidneys. In order to remove waste products from our blood, it is continuously filtered through the kidneys. The kidneys are better than any filtration device that man has created. The two kidneys filter approximately 180 liters of fluid from the blood each day—this is nearly 50 gallons of fluid per day!!! They monitor and filter all of this fluid, making changes as needed to help us maintain fluid and electrolyte balance. By not drinking enough water, we hinder each of the avenues by which our bodies eliminate waste products. Eventually this will result in decreased health and even illness.

From just these few body functions it is easy to see why it is so important to drink adequate amounts of water to have a healthy body. I hope this knowledge will encourage you to drink adequate water for your health.

 

Nature – Hognose Defense Strategy

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Hognose snakes are stout-bodied, sluggish, rear-fanged snakes. Their venom is mild and not dangerous to humans and their most distinguishing feature is their upturned snout for which they are named. This upturned snout aids them in digging in the loose sandy soil habitats in which they live. There are three species in North America: the Eastern Hognose, Western Hognose, and Southern Hognose. The Eastern Hognose is found in a wide range of habitats throughout the east, the Western Hognose occurs in deserts and plains of the west, and the small Southern Hognose is found in mature pine forests of the southeast. Hognose snakes are diurnal predators which prey on lizards, rodents, birds, amphibians, eggs, and insects. The Eastern Hognose preys mostly on toads which have very toxic poisons in their skin. To deal with this, the hognose has huge adrenal glands in its body that secrete antidotes that neutralize the poisons or the snake would die.

Coming in a wide range of colors and patterns, Eastern Hognose are often confused with poisonous snakes such as rattlesnakes, copperheads, and young cottonmouths. To further heighten the confusion is its strange defensive behavior. When first encountered by a potential predator, the hognose lies perfectly still, hoping that its coloration will make it inconspicuous. If that doesn’t work, it frantically tries to escape. If this fails it goes into a feigned aggression by rising up and flattening its head and neck like a cobra and making a loud hissing noise. This behavior has given it the nickname of spreading adder. At this time the mouth can be either open or closed. Often it will try to hide its head under the coils of its body and extend its tail up to distract from its vulnerable head. If this doesn’t work the snake will start aggressively striking out with its mouth closed, but it will not bite. Finally if the snake is attacked or touched, it will start writhing with its mouth open, discharging foul-smelling fecal material and strong scented musk from glands at the base of its tail. If it has eaten recently, it will also vomit. The writhing results in the snake covering its body in the foul smelling secretions. Sometimes the tissues in the open mouth will bleed copiously. While all this is going on the snake turns belly up.When the writhing finally ceases, with a twitch it goes limp and still, with tongue hanging out, feigning death. From this position of apparent death it waits for its would be predator to leave. During this time it can be picked up, all the while remaining limp and unmoving unless it is turned right side up, which will result in it rolling upside down again.

Like the hognose snakes we have an enemy, but he is too smart for us to defend ourselves without help. “Now is the time when we are to confess and forsake our sins, that they may go beforehand to judgment and be blotted out. Now is the time to ‘cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God’ (II Corinthians 7:1). It is dangerous to delay this work. Satan is even now seeking by disasters upon sea and land to seal the fate of as many as possible. What is the defense of the people of God at this time? It is a living connection with heaven. If we would dwell in safety from the noisome pestilence, if we would be preserved from dangers seen and unseen, we must hide in God; we must secure the protecting care of Jesus and holy angels.” In Heavenly Places, 348.

David Arbour writes from his home in De Queen, Arkansas. He may be contacted by e-mail at: landmarks@stepstolife.org.

Health – That Hungry Brain

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In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. Every known thing today had its origin in the six days of creation week. On the sixth day man was formed of the dust of the ground (Genesis 2:7), from the very same elements from which the earth was created. God blessed our first parents, Adam and Eve, instructing them to be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth, giving them dominion or rulership of all of creation. In order to have dominion over the earth that is around you, you must have dominion over the earth from which you are made.

God gave the human race every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it would be theirs for food (Genesis 1:29).

The nutrition, the elements from the ground in the foods that we eat, and our lifestyle, has a direct reflection on our general health and also brain functions and thoughts. We know that the physical structure of the brain is the medium through which the mind works to receive spiritual messages and enable a relationship with God.

If you build a house, it must be built from the basement up and not from the attic down. The body is the physical foundation, the basement is the structure of your life and the brain is the centerpiece of our interface with God. Without a sound physical structure, there will be impairments in our relationship with God. Nutrition influences memory so that the brain, the capacity to learn, and the ability to have self-control over behavior and moods are affected by the food eaten.

Each day we ingest any number of compounds that we know influence mental function. We do not want to be under the influence of drugs and alcohol but under the influence of the Holy Spirit. That is the influence that convicts us to eat according to the will and word of God. We are in a battle for the brain, the operating mechanism of the mind. God does not talk to your finger or your toe; He communicates with your mind.

If a person decides not to eat vegetables, they may very well become one! Repeated poor food choices and eating habits can set fundamental patterns in the production of the brain chemicals that regulate appetite and mood so that they become a victim of mood swings, food cravings, poor sleeping habits, and other emotional problems.

Diseases That Dull The Brain

We know that the enemy seeks to destroy, and his ultimate purpose is to separate all whom he can from God. The brain is continually stressed if the body does not get enough rest or exercise, and is continually being eroded, making it impossible to make intelligent decisions to stand for truth.

An experiment was carried out on 1,800 people who were tested on their learning and memory ability. They were poor performers because of the presence of diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and smoking, all of which negatively affect brain function.

It was discovered that one risk factor caused a 23% decline in performance. If another risk factor was added, there was a further 23% decline. The more risk factors a person had, the greater the risk of developing memory and learning impairments. One risk factor is 23% decline. Two risk factors, 46%. Three risk factors, 69%. Four risk factors, 91%. If there are five risk factors the person is in big trouble! What did Jesus say? If the good man is not at home, the thief will come to crush, kill, and destroy. The enemy wants to get in there and decapitate you through lifestyle measures while you are sitting there eating food.

Elevated LDL cholesterol is linked to a four-fold increase of dementia. Dementia is senior moments that stay. You just can’t remember what you were going to say and you just hope the person you are standing in front of will have mercy, and say he/she has senior moments too!

Elevated total cholesterol is linked to a three-fold increased risk of dementia. Dementia means mental, thinking, inability to think, because the enemy has been stealing his way into the brain through our foods. God would have us eat according to His purposes and His design so that we may function with optimal performance.

The Purpose of Eating

The purpose of eating is to receive nourishment. We are admonished in 1 Corinthians 10:31 that, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” We should be more mindful of eating only that which is nourishing, according to God’s purpose.

The heart feeds blood to the brain. Foods that are eaten are processed through the digestive system; then through the liver before entering into the bloodstream and circling around the body and then feed the mind. It has been found that older diabetic women have a 74% increased risk of inability to think because of diabetes. The brain cells which fire electrical messages have pathways where nerve transmission moves along by various codes and circuits. These brain circuits are made up of brain cells which are nourished by what is put into the body.

The Purpose of Drinking

The body needs hydration and also cleansing. It is God’s purpose that we keep the body that He gave us healthy, eating that which is nourishing, and drinking according to that which is cleansing. Some beverages, e.g., soda pop, alcohol, coffee, to mention a few, which are consumed in extremely large amounts, are not beneficial for either hydration or cleansing. Some nutritious beverages like juices consumed appropriately meet another purpose. These should be consumed in moderation. Drinking pure clean water not only hydrates the body, but refreshes and also cleanses. There are also a number of herb teas that are cleansing or nourishing, or both.

We transgress the law when we “knoweth to do good, and doeth it not” (James 4:17); by killing ourselves slowly on the installment plan or by neglecting the laws of health, it is still murder. The enemy wants to destabilize the physical foundation so that the attic comes tumbling down. And the enemy wants to destroy your body so that your mind cannot know God. We have been told that God will say to some, “I never knew you” (Matthew 7:23), because you were not able to know Him.

Studies have been done on the effect of insulin resistance on the pancreas, the retina, and other organs. What about the effect on the brain? No one seems to consider the brain. For every Alzheimer’s patient, there are eight older people who suffer enough memory loss to significantly harm their quality of life, yet have no dementia-causing disease. This is because the physical body is being so stressed that the mind is being drained. Diets high in saturated fats, refined foods, and refined sugars cause brain drain.

Drinking beverages that are not cleansing to the body causes the body to rebel. The body begins to marshal water from the muscles and other parts of the body in an attempt to dilute whatever has been put into the stomach before passing into the intestines, and then into the bloodstream, and liver. The body gets all the water it can and tries to rush it over to the kidneys demanding them to “do your job; get rid of that stuff, because this guy doesn’t know what he’s doing!” These stimulating, dehydrating drinks are destroying us as a people.

If the brain is not sufficiently hydrated, it may lead to impairment with respect to reasoning. The thing that separates man from the animal kingdom is the ability to reason. Man has been so equipped with the power of choice but, if the right electricity is not supplied, the equipment will not function and learning, reaction time, alertness, among other things, are affected. When found in a difficult spiritual situation, it is imperative to be able to reason correctly, and be able to react in a quick fashion. Some of the ways the brain is tested with mental status examinations are to check if the attention span is impaired, concentration, the working memory, dialing a phone number, and picture recognition.

A person who is always making lists, and never completing any of them, may be suffering from poor eating habits. Word recall, abstract reasoning, and being able to conceptualize the message require understanding concepts and intellectual performance. All of these things are affected: short-term memory; long-term memory; spatial memory, like a rat in a maze; logical memory.

High fat and sugar cause problems with the structure of the brain, affecting its function. High fat and sugar alter blood sugar metabolism, promoting high insulin levels and hinder the oxygen-nutrient access causing free-radical damage.

Twenty years ago anti-oxidants and free radicals were unheard of, but now this is common language in the medical field. These things cause damage to the body when not eating healthfully, impeding circulation and intensifying nutrient deficiencies and hormones in the brain so that the nerve cells are damaged.

Time For an Oil Change

The body needs oil and the body needs cholesterol, but the stomach does not need cholesterol. Cholesterol does not need to be ingested. The body makes cholesterol from the fats that you eat, from the right fats, so we need an oil change. Taking out that old, dirty oil and replacing it with good oil may improve the attention and cognitive function, and in the elderly, lower the LDL cholesterol and elevate the HDL. LDL is the bad type just because we generally have it too high. The HDL is supposed to be high because it functions to help keep things in balance.

Exercise is the main thing that helps HDL, and proper diet lowers the LDL.

Plant foods provide phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals, superior fats, and superior proteins. Plant foods promote lower dementia risk. Remember your veggies. If you don’t eat your vegetables, you might become one! If you don’t eat your vegetables, your brain is going to be drained and will not be able to function properly. Low fruit and vegetable intake is linked to higher levels of damage to nerve tissue, resulting in shrinkage of vital memory centers.

Antioxidants have a beneficial effect on almost any degenerative human disease. Eat smart to be smart!

May God give us a desire to want to serve Him fully and to be loyal to Him so that we will not be slowly impressed with the enemy’s character and paralyzed from the neck up, but that we will have His liberating influence and receive His seal.

Used by permission by Vicki Griffin and produced by Hope Media Ministry. Visit the website at www.hopevideo.com. Hope Media Ministry, P.O. Box 752, Ada, Michigan 49301

Children’s Story – A Companion in Trouble

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John Jones, a minister, was traveling on horseback through a desolate region in northern Wales. He happened to see a rough looking man, armed with a big hook-type weapon, following him on the other side of a hedge. John was a little concerned because he was carrying a bag of money which he had collected for a church building. He knew the gate was coming up. He also knew that he had to get off his horse to open that gate. It looked like that rough looking man was planning to get to the gate at the same time he did. This was a very dangerous situation. He was not only concerned for the church’s money but also for his life.

John knew there was only One who could help him at a time like this. John stopped his horse, and bowed his head to pray for special help and protection. While his head was bowed and he was praying, the horse all of a sudden became very stubborn and refused to go on. John looked up after a moment of silent prayer to see what was wrong with his horse. At that very moment there was another horseman beside him on a white horse. John was surprised but very happy to have a companion at this time of life-threatening trouble. Here is how John described what happened:

“I told the stranger the dangerous position in which I had been placed, and how relieved I felt by his sudden appearance. He made no reply; and on looking at his face, I saw that he was intently gazing in the direction of the gate. I followed his gaze and saw the rough looking man emerge from his hiding place, and run across a field to our left. He had evidently seen that I was no longer alone, and had given up his intended plan to rob me.

“Now that all the danger was gone, I tried to talk with my new companion, but again he would not reply. Not a word did he say. I continued talking, however, as we rode toward the gate, though I utterly failed to see any reason why he did not answer me, and indeed felt rather hurt at his silence. Only once did I hear his voice. Having watched the thief disappear over the brow of a neighboring hill, I turned to my companion, and said, ‘I cannot doubt for a moment that my prayer was heard, and that you were sent for my deliverance by the Lord.’ Then the horseman uttered the single word, ‘Amen.’ Not another word did he speak, though I continued trying to get from him replies to my questions.

“We were now approaching the gate. I hurried off my horse for the purpose of opening the gate, and having done so, I waited for my companion to pass through. He came not. I turned my head to look for him—he was gone! I was dumbfounded. I looked back in the direction from which we had just been riding. He was not there. He could not have gone through the gate, nor have made his horse leap the high hedges which on both sides shut in the road. Where was he? Could it be possible that I had seen no man or horse at all, and the vision was from my imagination? I tried hard to convince myself that this was the case, but in vain; for unless someone had been with me, why had the evil man, with his murderous looking sickle, hurried away? I wondered, who could my companion have been?

“Then a feeling of profound awe came over me. I suddenly remembered how he had suddenly appeared. I remembered his silence except for the single word he spoke when I spoke of the Lord. He said ‘Amen.’ I then knew that my prayer had been heard and that God had sent to me a helper in my time of trouble. At that moment, I got off my horse and knelt on the side of the road and offered up a prayer of thankfulness to God who had sent to me a companion and had preserved me from danger.”

“The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.” Psalm 34:7.