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Bible Study Guides – Parables from the Master Teacher – Actions Speak Louder Than Words

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September 15, 2019 – September 21, 2019

Key Text

“Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay” (Ecclesiastes 5:5).

Study Help: Christ’s Object Lessons, 272–283.

Introduction

“When the call comes, ‘Go work today in My vineyard’ (Matthew 21:28), do not refuse the invitation. ‘Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts’ (Hebrews 4:7). It is unsafe to delay obedience. You may never hear the invitation again.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 281.

Sunday

A QUESTION OF AUTHORITY

  • What question did the chief priests and elders ask Christ? Matthew 21:23.

Note: “The rulers [of Israel] had before them the evidences of His [Jesus] Messiahship. They now decided to demand no sign of His authority, but to draw out some admission or declaration by which He might be condemned. …

“They expected Him to claim that His authority was from God. Such an assertion they intended to deny.” The Desire of Ages, 593.

  • In return, what question did Christ put before them, and what answer did He receive? Matthew 21:24–27.

Note: “In His contest with the rabbis, it was not Christ’s purpose to humiliate His opponents. He was not glad to see them in a hard place. He had an important lesson to teach. He had mortified His enemies by allowing them to be entangled in the net they had spread for Him. Their acknowledged ignorance in regard to the character of John’s baptism gave Him an opportunity to speak, and He improved the opportunity by presenting before them their real position, adding another warning to the many already given.” The Desire of Ages, 594, 595.

Monday

THE PARABLE OF THE TWO SONS

  • Through what parable did Christ reveal the secrets of the hearts of the chief priests and elders? Matthew 21:28–31, first part.
  • Who was closer to the kingdom of God than the rulers among the Jews? Matthew 21:31, last part, 32.

 Note: “Whatsoever is done out of pure love, be it ever so little or contemptible in the sight of men, is wholly fruitful; for God regards more with how much love one worketh than the amount he doeth.” Testimonies, vol. 2, 135.

“It is not the great results we attain, but the motives from which we act, that weigh with God. He prizes goodness and faithfulness more than the greatness of the work accomplished.” Ibid., 510, 511.

  • How can we be like the older son in the parable of the two sons? 1John 3:7; James 4:17.

 Note: “Many today claim to obey the commandments of God, but they have not the love of God in their hearts to flow forth to others. Christ calls them to unite with Him in His work for the saving of the world, but they content themselves with saying, ‘I go, sir.’ They do not go. They do not co-operate with those who are doing God’s service. They are idlers. Like the unfaithful son, they make false promises to God. … In profession they claim to be sons of God, but in life and character they deny the relationship. They do not surrender the will to God. They are living a lie.

“The promise of obedience they appear to fulfill when this involves no sacrifice; but when self-denial and self-sacrifice are required, when they see the cross to be lifted, they draw back. Thus the conviction of duty wears away, and known transgression of God’s commandments becomes habit. The ear may hear God’s word, but the spiritual perceptive powers have departed. The heart is hardened, the conscience seared.

“Do not think that because you do not manifest decided hostility to Christ you are doing Him service. We thus deceive our own souls. By withholding that which God has given us to use in His service, be it time or means or any other of His entrusted gifts, we work against Him.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 279, 280.

Tuesday

HAVE WE ACCEPTED THE INVITATION?

  • By what invitation of the Saviour will many be tested? Matthew 21:28.

Note: “In the command, ‘Go work today in My vineyard’ (Matthew 21:28), the test of sincerity is brought to every soul. Will there be deeds as well as words? Will the one called put to use all the knowledge he has, working faithfully, disinterestedly, for the Owner of the vineyard?” Christ’s Object Lessons, 281.

  • What work does the Lord have for each of us to do? What does this work include? 2Peter 1:2–7.

 Note: “If you cultivate faithfully the vineyard of your soul, God is making you a laborer together with Himself. And you will have a work to do not only for yourself, but for others. In representing the church as the vineyard, Christ does not teach that we are to restrict our sympathies and labors to our own numbers. The Lord’s vineyard is to be enlarged. In all parts of the earth He desires it to be extended. As we receive the instruction and grace of God, we should impart to others a knowledge of how to care for the precious plants. Thus we may extend the vineyard of the Lord. God is watching for evidence of our faith, love, and patience.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 282.

  • Who is our great example in doing this work? Psalm 40:8.

Note: “Consider the life of Christ. Standing at the head of humanity, serving His Father, He is an example of what every son should and may be. The obedience that Christ rendered God requires from human beings today. He served His Father with love, in willingness and freedom. ‘I delight to do Thy will, O My God,’ He declared; ‘yea, Thy law is within My heart’ (Psalm 40:8). Christ counted no sacrifice too great, no toil too hard, in order to accomplish the work which He came to do. At the age of twelve He said, ‘Wist ye not that I must be about My Father’s business?’ (Luke 2:49). He had heard the call, and had taken up the work. ‘My meat,’ He said, ‘is to do the will of Him that sent Me, and to finish His work’ (John 4:34).” Christ’s Object Lessons, 282, 283.

Wednesday

PUTTING OUR UTMOST INTO HIS SERVICE

  • As we work for Him, to what degree does the Lord want us to surrender ourselves to Him? 1Thessalonians 5:23.

 Note: “In all our service a full surrender of self is demanded. The smallest duty done in sincerity and self-forgetfulness is more pleasing to God than the greatest work when marred with self-seeking. He looks to see how much of the spirit of Christ we cherish, and how much of the likeness of Christ our work reveals. He regards more the love and faithfulness with which we work than the amount we do.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 402.

“He who truly loves and fears God, striving with a singleness of purpose to do His will, will place his body, his mind, his heart, his soul, his strength, under service to God. … Those who are determined to make the will of God their own must serve and please God in everything.” In Heavenly Places, 190.

  • When is the Lord well pleased? Mark 1:11; John 8:29; 14:21; 15:10.

Note: “We should not obey the commandments merely to secure heaven, but to please Him who died to save sinners from the penalty of the transgression of the Father’s law. … It is a sad resolve to follow Christ as far off as possible, venturing as near the verge of perdition as possible without falling in.” Christ Triumphant, 77.

“In every phase of your character building you are to please God. This you may do; for Enoch pleased Him though living in a degenerate age. And there are Enochs in this our day.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 332.

  • What type of service is an abomination to God? Matthew 15:8, 9.

Note: “Some who claim to love Jesus are deceivers and all their religion is lip service. It does not transform the character. It does not reveal the inward working of grace. They do not show that they have ever learned in Christ’s school the lessons of meekness and lowliness of heart. They do not show by life or character that they are wearing Christ’s yoke or lifting Christ’s burdens. They are not reaching the standard given them in God’s word, but a human standard.” This Day With God, 299.

Thursday

THE BLESSINGS OF A FULL COMMITMENT

  • What wonderful promises are given to those who serve the Lord in deed and in truth? John 14:23; Matthew 7:24, 25.

Note: “Of those who faithfully serve Him the Lord says, ‘They shall be Mine … in that day when I make up My jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him’ (Malachi 3:17).” Christ’s Object Lessons, 283.

“While we trust in Christ’s saving power, all the arts and wiles of the fallen host can do nothing to harm us. Heavenly angels are constantly with us, guiding and protecting. God has ordained that we shall have His saving power with us, to enable us to do all His will. Let us grasp the promises and cherish them moment by moment. Let us believe that God means just what He says. …

“As we lay hold of the power thus placed within our reach, we receive a hope so strong that we can rely wholly upon God’s promises; and laying hold of the possibilities there are in Christ, we become the sons and daughters of God. …

“To man is granted the privilege of becoming an heir of God and a joint heir with Christ. To those who have been thus exalted, are unfolded the unsearchable riches of Christ, which are of a thousandfold more value than the wealth of the world. Thus, through the merits of Jesus Christ, finite man is elevated to fellowship with God and with His dear Son.” In Heavenly Places, 32.

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1     While Christ did not intend to humble the rabbis, what was the purpose of His answer to them?

2    What causes us to draw back from service for Christ, like the older son in the parable of the two sons?

3    How can we follow Christ’s example of obedience when He was upon this earth?

4    How only can we be doers of the Word and not just those who render lip service?

5    What is possible for us as we trust in God’s saving power?

A Sign of Allegiance

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Did you know that God requires our allegiance and that there is a special sign that shows our allegiance? Why, someone may ask, would there be a sign of loyalty to God? Surely He knows already whether or not we love Him! What kind of a sign is it? Is there a battle going on? Are there different sides to be taken? Is there a need for a sign showing which side a person is on?

Adam and Eve, in the Garden of Eden, displayed the sign of their allegiance by their choice to partake of the forbidden fruit. Perhaps it seemed arbitrary for God to pick a tree and tell them not to eat of it. It certainly did not fit into their logic. But signs of loyalty are, of necessity, arbitrary or they would not be a sign at all. Colors for flags are arbitrarily chosen and a meaning assigned to them.

Many stories have been told of patriots who have risked their lives to keep the flag flying high. The sight of the United States flag still bravely flying through the night at Fort McHenry, in spite of the fierce attack upon it, inspired Francis Scott Key to write The Star-Spangled Banner. The flag could have been hauled down and a white one signifying surrender raised in its place, and the fighting would have stopped. But the courageous soldiers were not willing to give up that flag for the sake of peace. They were willing to give up life itself to remain true to their pledge of allegiance.

A flag is only a piece of cloth. There is very little real monetary value in it. Why would people risk their lives to keep a particular piece of cloth waving in the breeze above their fort? It is because the flag represents something of far more value than just the threads in the cloth. That flag proclaimed boldly to the world what they stood for. To pull it down would have signified a change in their allegiance, and they were not willing to give up their liberty.

Looking for a Sign

There was a young man a few years ago, a runaway, who found himself looking for a sign. He wanted a sign that would show him that someone loved him. He was an independent sort of fellow. He found that as he lived with his loving parents rebellion was growing in his heart. He did not want to put up with the restrictions they placed on him. He did not like the way they always seemed to interfere in his affairs. Finally, one night, he decided he had had enough. He walked out.

He did not allow himself to think of the agony he would be leaving behind in the hearts of his parents. He was determined to have a good time. He found a job and life seemed to be going well. He had plenty of friends and no one to interfere.

After a while, however, life in the fast lane began to seem empty. He was unable to suppress thoughts of his parents. They began to seem more and more dear to him. He wondered how they were faring and tried to imagine what they thought about him. He could picture his father’s furrowed brow and almost hear his strong voice. He imagined a disapproving look on his mother’s face. “They will probably never want to see me again,” he thought.

Thoughts of home came more and more frequently until he finally decided to write a letter and see if they cared to see him again or not. Soon after writing the letter the young man boarded a train. The destination was home. He was dreadfully nervous. As he rode, he clenched and unclenched his fists. His jaw worked nervously. His stomach seemed to be tied in a knot. On the train he found himself seated by an elderly gentleman.

The older man noted the nervousness of the young man and finally struck up a conversation with him. Before long he had heard the whole story. The young man ended with, “I do not know if they will ever want me back again after the way I have treated them. I can hardly stand to find out the answer.”

Sign of Love

As the train rounded a bend in the tracks, the young man suddenly stiffened. “Please, sir,” he said. “My home is just around the next bend. It is right by the tracks. I wrote to my folks and told them I would be riding by today, and that if they wanted me back to put something white in the yard. If they did not, I would know that I should just ride on by and never trouble them again. I just cannot bear to look. Please, sir, would you look for me?” The man readily agreed.

Suddenly his excited voice broke into the rhythmical clicking of the tracks. “Look, boy, look!” he nearly yelled.

The boy lifted his head. Tears sprang to his eyes and rolled down his cheeks. Every white thing in the house must have been out in that yard. The clothesline, the bushes, and the trees were draped with white sheets. Snow could have done little more!

Those two parents would not have let anything stop them from showing their long lost son the sign of allegiance and love he had requested. Never did they question what the neighbors would think. It did not matter if people thought they had lost their minds. What a reunion that must have been!

Those parents had to decide whether or not to utilize their son’s choice of what the sign would be. At any other time, white sheets in the yard would have been of no value, but because he had requested it, it was meaningful. The message the son had sent was essentially, “If you love me, hang out a white sheet.”

Which Team Are You On?

A sign of allegiance is often used in physical education class in school. Each time basketball is played, new teams are chosen. All the students are dressed alike in uniforms and confusion can reign, because it is difficult to tell who is on which team. Without some kind of distinction, teammates might end up playing against themselves.

To solve this problem, pinnies are usually provided for all the members of one team to wear. Then it is easy to tell who is a teammate and who is not. The pinnies become a sign telling to which team the player is loyal. These pinnies are arbitrarily chosen. On any other occasion they would be quite meaningless, but on the basketball court, they represent who is on which team. Anyone wanting to be on the team with the pinnies must be willing to wear one.

The Christian life is something like the basketball team mentioned above. It is not always easy to tell whose side we are on. The Bible says that Satan and his teammates will disguise themselves so that they look as if they are on God’s side (11 Corinthians 11:13–15). In fact, so deceptive is Satan that many of his followers do not even know they are following him. They think they are on God’s side (Matthew 7:21–23). That is why God has done something like what a physical education teacher does. He has given us a sign by which we might know on which team we are.

The sign of our allegiance to God goes far deeper than a display of emotions, or saying a few words that anyone could repeat, or wearing a lapel pin. God says more than “If you love Me, honk your horn.”

Follow the Blueprint

The story has been told of a man who bought some land and asked his son to manage and develop it into a farm for him while he traveled. He showed his son the blueprint for the layout of the proposed farm.

The son looked over the plans with admiration. The barns would be spacious, well built, and conveniently located. The house would be a comfortable one with a lovely view. The soil looked rich, and it would have its own water supply from a well. As they strolled across the acres together, blueprint in hand, he could almost envision the finished farm nestled there among the hills. What a haven of rest it would be! It was a good plan, he decided. It would be a farm with which anyone could be happy and proud. But, knowing of his son’s independent ways, the father stipulated one thing. He would hire his son to build it on condition that he build it exactly as he specified.

Happily the son agreed to take the responsibility for it and to do the best he could. He agreed to follow exactly the blueprint his father had given him.

The father left, and the son immediately set to work to develop the farm. He took hold of the project energetically, and gradually things began to take shape.

As he worked, he often consulted the plans his father had given him. Repeatedly he was impressed by his father’s wisdom in the decisions he had made. Often he remarked about how good they were. He carried them out exactly as his father had specified down to the smallest details.

More Convenient

The day came, however, when the well was to be dug. As he looked at the plans, a puzzled expression appeared on his face. “I wonder,” he mused, “why Father put the well so far from the house? It will be such a long walk to go clear out there by the barn. He must not have realized what a difficulty that will be. Perhaps it has been a long time since he had to carry the water in himself!” After considering it for some time, he finally decided to change the location of the well. He was certain that his father would be pleased with his decision when he understood why the change had been made.

Finally the farm was finished. Crops were planted and the fields became a lush green. The place looked like a peaceful dream when Father finally returned. The son met him with a proud smile. “See, Father,” he said with a wave of his hand, “it is done exactly as you said. Is it not beautiful?”

Actions Reveal Motives

Again the two ambled across the acres looking at the farm. At each place the father would stop and express his pleasure at what had been done. Finally, they got to the spot where the well should have been. A puzzled expression passed over the elderly gentleman’s face. “Why, where is the well?” he questioned. “I thought it would have been right here. Did I make a mistake?”

“Oh, no,” the son replied. “The well is right over there by the house.”

“By the house?” the father asked again. “I thought I planned for it to be out here by the barn.”

“Oh, yes, now I remember,” the son replied. “I noticed that. I thought it would be inconvenient to have it so far from the house, so I had them make just a minor change and dig it over there instead.”

The father looked sorrowfully at his son. “I thought you said you made everything the way I wanted it. You promised me that you would. But now I find that you did not. You did not make anything the way I wanted it. Not one thing.”

“Father!” the younger man nearly exploded. “How can you say that? I did everything the way you wanted except for the well. But I thought this would be better than the other plan. I changed only one thing. How can you say I did not do anything at all the way you wanted it?”

“It is really quite simple, Son,” the father explained. “That well is significant. It tells me that the only reason you built the rest of the farm as I specified is that you liked it that way. You happened to think my plans were good plans on the rest of the farm. But if your ideas disagreed with mine, then you followed your own way. You actually built the whole farm the way you wanted it, not the way I wanted it.”

It was a quiet pair that finished the tour of the farm. The son had little to say. His father’s words had made a deep impression. The well was indeed a sign of whether or not he loved and trusted his father enough to follow his requests even if he did not fully understand or agree with them. He had not set out with the intention of proving his lack of loyalty to his father, but his decision had revealed the hidden motives in his heart. His actions had shown what his motives had been even though the son himself had not understood his own heart.

God also makes it clear to us that our actions display the hidden motives of our hearts, even when we do not understand them ourselves. Many times the Holy Scriptures remind us that a tree is known by its fruit. A good pear tree, at the right time, will be covered with pears. The pears reveal what kind of tree it is. So the fruits of our lives reveal where our loyalties really are and whether or not we are abiding in Jesus.

An Unusual Sign

The Bible tells the story of a battle in which Israel was involved. After the war a most unusual sign was used to determine who was friend or foe.

The Ammonites had declared war on Israel. They were determined to get control of some land they were accusing Israel of having taken from them. Israel began looking for a leader, and finally decided to make a man named Jephthah captain over their armies.

As Jephthah took control of the situation, he first tried negotiating with the Ammonites. He reminded the king of the history of how the land was actually obtained in the first place. When it was apparent that the Ammonites were going to fight anyway, Jephthah recruited all the help that he could. With a prayer in his heart and making a solemn vow to God, he led his army to battle.

When the war was finished, Jephthah had won a resounding victory. Jephthah was then made a judge over Israel.

A strange thing happened after the war, however. Things were just beginning to settle back to normal when a messenger from the tribe of Ephraim, one of the tribes of Israel, gave Jephthah a terrible message.

“Why did you not call us to help you fight the Ammonites?” they challenged. “Since you did not, we are going to burn your house down on top of you.” This was no idle threat. The men of Ephraim were irate. They had banded together to attack the city of Gilead, where Jephthah lived. It is very likely that they were jealous because they had not been able to enrich themselves with the spoil from the battle with the Ammonites.

Jephthah responded immediately, defending his actions and setting the record straight. He reminded them that he had called them to come and help him fight the Ammonites at a time when he needed them desperately. They had flatly refused to help! “Since you did not come,” he continued, “I had no choice but to take my life in my hands. We had to go and fight the Ammonites with a much smaller army than we needed, but the Lord was with us. What grounds do you have for fighting against me?” he questioned. He probably would have felt justified in attacking the Ephraimites because of their refusal to help in a time of need.

The Ephraimites were unimpressed. They were prepared for war. Jephthah quickly marshaled his men, the Gileadites, to defend themselves against the Ephraimites. Again Jephthah was victorious. The Ephraimites fled for their lives.

When the Ephraimites fled, the Gileadites strategically placed themselves at the river crossings where the Ephraimites would have to cross to get back to their homes. Before allowing any man to cross the river they would ask, “Are you an Ephraimite?”

Naturally, no Ephraimite would want to answer “yes” for fear of losing his life, so even if the answer was “no” the Gileadites had one more question that had to be answered before anyone was allowed to cross the river.

It was a very simple question, but the answer would invariably reveal the true identity of the person being questioned. The man would be asked to repeat the word Shibboleth, a word meaning river. The Ephraimites had a little quirk in their speech that was either a difference in dialect, or a minor speech impediment like a lisp that they had inherited. They could not pronounce the sound sh. Instead of saying Shibboleth, an Ephraimite would always say Sibboleth. By this ingenious but simple test, any Ephraimite crossing the river would be identified. The test worked. The Ephraimites were not allowed to escape.

If you think about the sign that the Gileadites were looking for, it is a very unusual and significant one. The Ephraimites were not destroyed because they said Sibboleth. The problem was not that they had a lisp. The word Sibboleth only revealed who they were. They were destroyed because of who they were. They were destroyed because of what they had done. (See Judges 11, 12.)

True Allegiance to God

A sign of allegiance to God is not something we do in order to win His favor. It is not something to earn salvation. It is something that reveals who we are. It is something that reveals whether or not we have been born again. It reveals whether or not we are willing to follow Him. It is something that reveals whether or not we are abiding in Him, just as fruit reveals whether or not a branch is abiding in the vine. (See John 15.)

What does God look for as the sign of allegiance and love to Him? “I [am] the Lord your God; walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them; And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I [am] the Lord your God.” Ezekiel 20:19, 20.

The Sabbath is the one commandment we must accept solely by faith in Jesus’ authority. Keeping it does not save us, but it demonstrates our true allegiance. Today, during the judgment, God is again bringing His people back to full obedience. Though we are not held accountable until we have an opportunity to know the truth (James 4:17), out of love for us God is again teaching us these forgotten principles, that we may not inadvertently become followers of the lawless beast. Will you show your allegiance and love to God?`

Thoughts on Thoughts

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Thoughts on Thoughts

Christians are front-line soldiers for Christ. Enduring the fiercest of the devil’s attacks, we stand firm in the faith. Despite the strength of the devil’s weapons, no Christian will ever fly the white flag of surrender. Christ stands before his army a conqueror, having taken, what would have been to us, a debilitating blow so we may stand for Him. We fall victim from time to time to the enemy’s cruelty and deceit, but our Commander is constant. Just as He has been the Arm for His people throughout the ages, so He too is our Arm to help us maintain our position. But to do this we need to know what type of weapons the enemy has. Satan’s weapon of choice against individual Christians is thought. Every factor that dictates our lives; emotion, word, action, stems from our thoughts. The devil knows that if you knock out the foundation, the whole house will fall.

Our world is being unapologetically saturated with the most debasing mentality that people have yet faced. The thoughts and ideas held by the majority of the population hold dear no divine characteristic. The results of which we see played out not only in the news, but in the personal lives of every individual. It is obvious that the great controversy is not just a bloody battle between Christ and Satan; it is equally a battle fought privately between the ears of every Christian; a battle which is gaining in its ferocity.

The issues are not simply a result of a failing societal system and a rapidly regressing public conscience, they are personal attacks designed by Satan on the minds and hearts of God’s people. And what a clever devil he is—an enemy who knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows every thought, feeling, and desire. Our thoughts are his door into our minds, hearts, actions, and lives. When Adam and Eve were created they ruled the earth under God, but the moment they sinned, the dominion over earth and everything in it was given to Satan. Christians have a way out of this though, by claiming Christ as a personal Savior. However, laying that claim is where the real work begins. Our duty from that moment on is to learn to exemplify Him. We are told to look to the life of Christ as an example by which to live; a perfect example. But we fall so short. We try and try again to change what we do and say to imitate Jesus and … we fall and fall again. If we are not surrounding ourselves with things that are Christ-like, if we are meditating on things that Jesus would not have anything to do with, there is no possibility for change. The mind and what goes on in it is the key to absolutely everything in our lives.

“Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Watch your words, for they become actions. Watch your actions, for they become habits. Watch your habits, for they become character.” Unknown.

In other words, everything starts with our thoughts. They are ground zero. Our words are the result of what we are processing in our minds. It makes no difference whether they are impulsive or well thought through. If we are in the habit of thinking things that we would not want to say aloud, it will come out when we are not guarded, or in times of intense emotion. Focusing solely on changing our words and actions is like taking the cough out of the cold. The cough may go away for a little while but so long as the cold still lingers, the cough and all the other miserable symptoms will recur. The devil knows this and will attack us at the very foundation—our thoughts. The Bible put it very simply; “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” Proverbs 23:7. This is true not just because our true motives, ideas, and emotions, which are not shown to anyone else, are stored there, but because our mentality is exemplified in our lives.

Mark Twain once said, “What a small part of a person’s life are his actions and his words. His real life is led in his head; known to no one but himself.” How true this is. The famous author is saying that our actions and words are only the fruit of the plant, but there would be no plant without the seed—our thoughts. “Great thoughts, noble aspirations, clear perceptions of truth, unselfish purposes, yearnings for piety and holiness, will bear fruit in words that reveal the character of the heart treasure.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 338. Bearing the fruit that Christ says all true Christians will bear begins in the mind. People can attempt to change their actions and words; we can try to change our lives by moving in a different direction outwardly, but without changing how we think, it is a hopeless cause; we will always revert back to the same rut. Jesus likening us to the fruit of a vine is more apropos than many may think. We are the fruit of what we dwell upon. We can try to put on the fruit of Christianity for a time, but if the seed planted is still a thistle, that is what will be produced. We cannot generate fruit unless we change the seed. Our thoughts are the seeds from which everything else in our lives spring forth, and only by dwelling on the fruits of Christ can we produce His fruits.

“It is a law both of the intellect and the spiritual nature, that by beholding we become changed. The mind gradually adapts itself to the subjects upon which it is allowed to dwell.” The Great Controversy, 555. When a vineyard is planted, trellises are erected to guide the vine as it grows. We have trellises in our lives also. The things that we allow into our lives and minds are the trellis and we will naturally grow in the direction in which it leads. There is not one thing in life that we are not affected by. Where and how we spend our time, what relationships we cultivate, the environment in which we live, the media we allow; our thought patterns are affected by all these things, and thus, since our words, actions, and lives are driven by our thoughts, we are affected drastically.

Every person is endowed by the Holy Spirit with a conscience. It is a tool that allows us to distinguish what things we would have in our lives. It is much like a muscle; when it is used, it grows stronger. In neglect, it dissipates into nothing. The same principle applies to our moral lives and what we take in. When our spiritual muscles are growing weak with the relenting of scruples, we lose the muscle we once had and cannot withstand the pressures of the world we once could when we were in better condition. And since thought is a precursor to action, when we allow things into our minds that are questionable, we are weakening our senses to the quiet voice of the Holy Spirit. As the saying goes, “Use it or lose it”. We can strengthen our consciences again only by responding to the slightest of reproofs and reigning in our words and actions based upon those whispers. When we seek to justify ourselves, we are working against the Holy Spirit, and our actions will show it. If we feel a right to thinking or saying or behaving in a way that is against God’s character, we will naturally exhibit those things and grieve the Holy Spirit.

“It is not necessary that anyone should yield to the temptations of Satan and thus violate his own conscience and grieve the Holy Spirit. Every provision has been made in the Word of God whereby all may have divine help in their endeavors to overcome.” God’s Amazing Grace, 73.

If a garden is not carefully tended, weeds will overtake everything that was once beautiful and thriving. It takes no work at all, no effort, for something to be destroyed. The mind can be an amazing tool if properly maintained; however, the slightest neglect gives the devil room to come in, for an idle mind is the devil’s playground. We must constantly be educating ourselves in Christ. If our minds are stagnant for a moment, or if we allow thoughts in that are directly contrary to Christ, we are giving the devil a space to force his own agenda. Satan’s portal of entry into our lives is through our minds, and he will put thoughts in our heads without our permission. He is invasive and forceful. God, on the other hand, is not. His principles are based on love, and He is ever patient and gives us freedom of choice. If we want Him and his attributes in our lives we must seek it out, and there is nothing that pleases Him so well; He wishes us to seek Him and His kingdom. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33. Satan wants to dominate us, and since he is the only one that will invade our lives where he is not wanted, is it any wonder that we would tend to think things that Christ would wish never to enter our heads? Thoughts are so very fleeting; they come and go even without us being aware of them sometimes. It is something like breathing. We do not need to try to have a thought come into our minds, just like we do not need to try to take a breath. It would, in fact, take quite a concerted effort not to breathe or think.

We should not let anything into our lives that we would be ashamed to dwell on in God’s presence. He is always aware of what we are thinking, saying and doing. Nothing escapes His omniscience. What if our thoughts were known to those around us? What if we each wore a neon sign that exposed every single thing that crossed our minds? There is absolutely no doubt, in this case, that we would control our thoughts, and if there was a fleeting thought that came across our neon sign that we would loath to share, we would quickly change our train of thinking rather than dwelling upon it. Why, though, would we be so very concerned with a neon sign that would expose us to other people, when we broadcast our every notion to God?

I have often chuckled at the stupidity of the devil when he called a “secret” meeting of the angels in heaven to turn them against God. What was he thinking? God is omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent; yet we share in the devil’s stupidity in believing that if we just think, we are getting away with something. But this is obviously not the case. “Guard your thoughts, close the door to temptation. Do your work as in the sight of the divine Watcher.” Counsels on Health, 341. Rather than condemning us though, God simply asks us, to revert our attention back to Him.

We must control what thoughts come and go, but given how quick and unbidden they are, it is quite a challenge. The mind needs to become educated by the character of Christ. When we focus our attention on worldly pleasures, we are starving our spiritual beings. The whole of a person’s being operates on one basic principle: what we put into it, we will get out of it. If we only ate food that lacked the nutrition our body requires to maintain itself, our physical health would plummet, and our quality of life would deteriorate also. Likewise with the mind; if we feed our minds with things that are nonsensical and of an immoral nature, we are starving our mental, spiritual, and emotional beings, the effects of which will show in how we feel emotionally, what we say, and how we act. God is our teacher and wishes to train our minds to dwell upon His attributes and to think as He would think, and behave as He would; be one with Christ as Christ and the Father are one (See John 17:21), beginning with everything that we dwell on and allow into our minds and hearts. It is more difficult to retrain than to learn, and it will not be an easy task. Doing so requires us to be surrounded only by those things which are holy, things in which God may be present. When we become accustomed to things that are distasteful to God, we must retrain our spiritual and mental tastes. The devil ensures that sin looks far more glamorous and appealing and satisfying than does holiness and purity. It takes discipline and self-denial to train the mind simply to want something different. Constant prayer that God would give you a desire for things that are pleasing to Him is also needed, and while He is working on your heart and mind, work hard to eradicate anything that may be displeasing to Christ. He is desperate to work with us, but refuses to play tug-o-war with us. So long as we are on the same side of the rope as Jesus, He will help us, and the devil will fall.

There is nothing that a person exhibits—thoughts, words, or actions, that has not already been processed in the mind. An impulsive word may come out unbidden, but is the direct descendant of a thought pattern. If thoughts are habitually pure and kind, there is no possibility of having anger and hatred come out. It would be like planting a grapevine and coming out with a thistle. It simply does not happen. This is why we are told in Philippians 4:8, “Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” In these things the Holy Spirit can work with us. If we do not grieve Him in our thoughts and in what springs forth from our thoughts, Christ can dwell with us and guide us. Only in Him is there purity and beauty, and only through Him can we ever hope to eradicate anything unworthy of God’s children.

Alicia Freedman is currently working on our LandMarks team and can be contacted at: landmarks@stepstolife.org.

Keys to the Storehouse – Actions Speak Louder Than Words

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What are your actions speaking to others? What is your lifestyle saying? You may speak the words of Christianity, but actions speak louder than words.

John the Baptist protected himself from worldly influences.

“John did not feel strong enough to stand the great pressure of temptation he would meet in society. He feared his character would be molded according to the prevailing customs. … In the wilderness, John could the more readily deny himself and bring his appetite under control, and dress in accordance to natural simplicity. And there was nothing in the wilderness that would take his mind from meditation and prayer. Satan had access to John, even after he had closed every avenue in his power through which he would enter. But his habits of life were so pure and natural that he could discern the foe, and had strength of spirit and decision of character to resist him.” The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 2, 47. [Emphasis supplied.]

“If the thoughts are wrong, the feelings will be wrong, and the thoughts and feelings combined make up the moral character.” Mind, Character and Personality, vol. 2, 660.’ ‘

“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord …” (2 Corinthians 6:17).

If actions truly speak louder than words, then, like John the Baptist, we must pull away from the world and its lifestyles, its ways of eating, drinking and living so that we may be under the control of the Holy Spirit and not under the control of the unholy spirit. “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world” (1 John 2:15).

“… a man may profess to believe the truth of the soon coming of the Saviour, that the end of all things is at hand; but who will care for that, so long as he acts as though he was expecting a great while to come; so long as he continues absorbed in his worldly interests, and is heaping up treasures to himself, adding house to house, and land to land? A person’s life never lies; and whatever he preaches by this, no amount of profession or precept will counteract; for ‘actions speak louder than words.’ But when he begins to live out this belief, when he is willing to let himself and his possessions be a consuming sacrifice upon the altar of the Lord, when he is active and energetic in warning his fellow-men of the wrath to come, and presents in all his actions an example consistent with his profession, there is a sensation at once in the ranks of the enemy.” The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, vol. 7, March 13, 1856, 188.

“Be not deceived …” (Galatians 6:7).

Do not be led astray by the customs and actions of the world which seem to be okay because a multitude is following them. “Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil …” (Exodus 23:2). If your thoughts and actions are more on worldly ways than on the Lord and His ways, you have been deceived! Your actions speak louder!

Heavenly Father: Do not allow me to be so involved with worldly interests that I am drawn away from Your presence and led astray by the customs and actions of the spirit of this world and thus people will not be touched by Your Holy Spirit through me. Oh the terrible loss of souls because my worldly actions may speak louder than my words. Lord, remove the worldly ways from my heart that You may shine through. Amen.