- This topic has 1,130 replies, 11 voices, and was last updated 3 days, 9 hours ago by
.
- Posts
Never heard of Archimedes death ray. Sounds interesting.
Have you thought about posting these as their own topics. That way they will likely get more responses.
Hi To all…..
AN AMAZING FACT: Simon Bolivar was South America’s greatest general. He is known as “the great liberator” because his victories against Spain won independence for Venezuela, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and a country that bears his name, Bolivia.
In 1824, after Bolivar helped Peru win its freedom from Spain, the great general called for a convention to draft a constitution for the new country. After the convention, a delegation approached Simon Bolivar and asked him to become their first president. He gracefully declined, saying that he felt someone else deserved the honor more than he. But the people still wanted to do something special for Bolivar to show their appreciation for all he had done to free them from the oppression of Spain. So they offered him a gift of a million pesos, a fabulous fortune in those days.
Bolivar thoughtfully accepted the gift and then asked how many slaves there were in Peru. He was told that there were about 3,000. “And how much does a slave sell for?” he wanted to know. “About 350 pesos for an able-bodied man,” was the answer. “Then,” said Bolivar, “I will add whatever is necessary to this million pesos you have given me, and I will buy all the slaves in Peru and set them free.” He added, “It makes no sense to free a nation unless all its citizens enjoy freedom as well.”
The Bible teaches that Jesus came into the world to set captives free. Near the beginning of His earthly ministry, Jesus attended the synagogue in Nazareth on the Sabbath day and read from Isaiah’s prophecy about Himself: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord” (Luke 4:18, 19).
On another occasion, when the Jewish leaders claimed that they were in bondage to no one, Jesus explained that “whoever commits sin is a slave of sin” (John 8:34). But He assured the people, “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed” (verse 36). There is true freedom in Christ alone.
Are you truly free?
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. Romans 6:18https://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/daily-devotional
Hi To all
Daily Devotions
AN AMAZING FACT: Man’s best friend comes in all shapes and sizes. And some of the sizes are simply amazing! For instance, the world’s heaviest as well as longest dog ever recorded was an English Mastiff named Zorba. In 1989, Zorba weighed 343 pounds. He stood 37 inches at the shoulder and was 8 feet, 3 inches long from nose to tail! Zorba is now deceased, but was eight years old when he set this world record.
The smallest dog in the world, in terms of length, is a female Chihuahua named Heaven Sent Brandy, who measured six inches long from the nose to the tip of the tail. Brandy set this record on January 31, 2005, and lives with her owner in Florida. On the other hand, the smallest dog in the world in terms of height is Boo Boo. This long-haired female Chihuahua measured 4 inches tall on May 12, 2007, and lives in Kentucky.
A Great Dane named George is officially the tallest dog on record. He stands at 43 inches tall from paw to shoulder and weighs 245 pounds. There was so much conflict over this record that Guinness officials sent a judge to Tucson, Arizona, to verify George’s height. George eats about 110 pounds of food a month and sleeps in his own queen-sized bed.
The oldest dog that has been documented was an Australian cattle dog named Bluey. He was put to sleep at the age of 29 years and 5 months. Though some question whether Bluey, who died in 1939, truly was that old, another dog from Australia named Chilla is reputed to be the oldest dog in the world. In 1984, when Chilla died, he supposedly was 32 years old. In human years that would equal 224 years! The current oldest living dog is Max, a terrier from the United States who is 29-plus years old.
Dogs are known for their faithfulness, but the Bible tells us of a true Friend. “A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24). That friend is Jesus, who set a “universal record” when, as the Divine Son of God, He laid down His life for us. Now that’s a record that will never be beat!
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. Matthew 15:27Daily meditation
March 20, 2021
THE SIMPLICITY
However, just as the serpent deceived Eve with its cunning, so I fear your thoughts will corrupt and stray from the simplicity and purity of Christ. (2 Corinthians 11.3)
ONE WHO PRACTICES simplicity in all his habits, mastering his appetites and controlling his passions can keep his mental capacities strong, active, vigorous, able to perceive all that calls for thought and action, able to discern who is holy from the layman, and ready to engage in any enterprise destined for the glory of God and the good of humanity (53).
The little ones should be brought up in the simplicity of childhood. They should learn to be happy with the modest duties, pleasures and experiences of their age. Childhood is the grass of the parable, and the grass has a beauty that is hers alone. Children should not be pushed into too early maturity, but should retain the freshness and grace of their young years as long as possible. The more peaceful and simple the life of a child is – the more it moves away from all that is agitation, artifice and the more it is in harmony with nature – the more it is conducive to the development of a physical and intellectual vitality. , of spiritual strength.
Parents should by their example encourage the formation of habits of simplicity, and divert their children from an artificial life to a natural life. Natural and simple children are more attractive (54).
The greatest Master the world has ever known was admired for his simplicity; for he presented divine truth in such a way that even children could understand his words, and at the same time, he attracted the attention of the best educated and deepest thinkers in this world. By the use of familiar illustrations, he made the truth simple to the minds of ordinary people. With simplicity he sowed in the minds and hearts of his listeners the seed of gospel truth, which sprouted and produced a harvest for eternal life (55).
His glory [of Christ] was in his simplicity (56).
(53. The Signs of the Times, September 29, 1881.
54. Child Guidance, chap. 25, p. 139.
55. The Youth’s Instructor, May 4, 1893.
56. Counsels on Health, section 6, p. 320.)Daily meditation
March 25, 2021
PIERRE’S SCREENING COMPLETES ITS CONVERSION
Simon, Satan called you to sift you like wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith will not fail, and you, when you are converted, strengthen your brothers. (Luke 22:31, 32)
THE REASON WHY many so-called followers of Christ fall into serious temptations is that they do not really know each other. This is why Peter was so seriously scrutinized by the enemy. If we could know our weaknesses, we could see the immense extent of our needs and humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God. Hooking our desperate souls to Christ, we would add his wisdom to our ignorance, his strength to our weakness, and his almighty endurance to our frailty. Peter failed because he did not know his own weakness. He thought he was strong. […]
If only he had walked humbly with God, hiding in Christ! If he had seriously sought divine help, if he had been less sure of himself, received and practiced the Lord’s instructions, he would rather have watched and prayed. […] If he had carefully examined himself, the Lord would have given him divine help and the screening of Satan would not have been necessary. […] In all the satanic army, no power is able to handicap the soul which places its simple faith and its confidence in the wisdom which comes from God (66).
Christ’s vigilant care for Peter was the sole cause of his restoration. Satan could do nothing against the all-powerful intercession of Christ. The prayer he offered on behalf of Peter, he offers today to all who have a humble and contrite heart. […] Peter sinned against light, knowledge and against noble and exalted privileges. His confidence caused his downfall and that same evil still operates in the hearts of men today. We can aim to be righteous and do what is right, but we will surely fall into error unless we are constant apprentices in the school of Christ. Our only safeguard is to walk humbly with God (67).
(66. The Youth’s Instructor, December 15, 1898.
67. Id.)Daily meditation
March 26, 2021
LAZARUS RISEN TO WITNESS TO THE GLORY OF GOD
After hearing this Jesus said: This disease is not for death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it. (John 11.4)
THE TWO DAYS of Christ’s delay after receiving the news of Lazarus’ illness was neither neglect nor denial on his part. […] This should be an encouragement to us. […] We must rely on the Lord and wait patiently. […] The answer to our prayers may not come as quickly as we want and may also be different from our request. But he who knows what works best for the good of his children will pour out on them something better than what they asked for, if they do not become discouraged or lose their faith (68).
But Christ was not to think only of his friends in Bethany. He was also to educate his disciples who were to be his representatives in the world so that the blessing of the Father might embrace all men. It was for their own good that he let Lazarus die. If he had restored him to health while he was sick, he could not have worked the miracle which is the most obvious proof of his divine character.
If Christ had been in the sick room, Lazarus would not have died because Satan would not have had any power over him. Death could not have overcome Lazarus in the presence of the Giver of life. Christ remained at a distance to allow the enemy to exercise his power so that he could then drive him out like a defeated enemy. The grieving sisters saw their brother laid in the sepulcher. Christ knew that their faith in the Redeemer would be tested when they saw their brother dead. But he also knew that, thanks to the struggle they would have to wage, their faith would shine with a more vivid radiance (69).
For all those who strive to seize the hand of God, in order to be led by him, the moment of greatest discouragement is the very one when divine help is closest. […] He will bring them out of all temptation and all trial with a firmer faith and a richer experience (70).
(68. The Youth’s Instructor, April 6, 1899.
69. Ibid., April 13, 1899.
70. Jesus Christ, chap. 58, p. 524.)Daily meditation
March 28, 2021
Moses will endure the sight of that which is invisible
It was by faith that he left Egypt without fearing the wrath of the king; for it tints steadfast, as seeing him who is invisible. (Hebrews 11:27)
FOR THE HONOR OF God and the deliverance of his oppressed people, Moses sacrificed the honors of Egypt. So, in a very special way, God set out to train him. […] We had to learn to depend on God. He had misunderstood divine intention, and hoped to deliver Israel by force. To achieve this, he risked everything, and failed. Defeated, disappointed, he fled and went into exile in a foreign land. […] In appearance, his mission was postponed forever; in fact, he is preparing to accomplish it. […] In keeping the sheep and the young lambs, it was necessary to acquire the experience which would make him the faithful and patient shepherd of Israel. […] In the solitude of the majestic mountains, […] it is there that he became aware of the reality of the divine presence, a conscience which did not leave him, of all his long exhausting and heavy life of responsibilities. […] Thus, even misunderstood and defamed, overwhelmed with reproaches and insults, in the face of danger and death, “he tints firm, as seeing the one who is invisible (73). “(Hebrews 11:27)
Moses is far superior in wisdom and integrity to all the rulers and statesmen of the earth. […] He was generous, noble, balanced. He was flawless and his qualities were not developed before. He could successfully exhort his countrymen because his very life was a living representation of what can become and accomplish a man with God as his support. […] He always spoke from the bottom of the heart and thus put to reach the hearts. His knowledge was confirmed and yet was as simple as a child in the manifestation of his deep sympathies. Gifted with a remarkable instinct, he could instantly judge the needs of all those around him. […] Christ himself said that we can trust in the man known for his gentleness. Through him, I can reveal myself to the world. He will not weave in his net any thread of selfishness (74).
Daily meditation
March 29, 2021
ALTHOUGH SEVERELY TESTED, JOB WILL REMAIN PERFECT AND INTEGRATED
There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. This man was upright and upright; he feared God and shied away from evil. (Job 1.1)
LOVE OF OTHERS, the basic principle of the kingdom of God, is hated by Satan; he refuses its existence. From the start of his struggle against God, he sought to prove that God’s motives were selfish, and he does the same with all who serve God. The work of Christ and all who bear his name is to demonstrate the falsity of Satan’s claims. […]
The life of this man over whom Satan fought is placed early in the history of the world. Of Job, the Patriarch of Uz, the one who searches hearts, testified thus: “There is no one like him on earth; he is a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil ”(Job 1: 8).
Satan responded by attacking with contempt: “Is Job selflessly fearful of God?” Hast thou not protected him, his house and all that belongs to him […] touch all that belongs to him ”(Job 1: 9-11).
The Lord said to Satan, “All that is his is in your power. […] Here he is, he is in your power: only spare his life ”(Job 1.12; 2.6).
So Satan took away all that Job possessed: his flocks, his male and female servants, his sons and daughters; “Then he struck Job with a malignant ulcer, from the sole of the foot to the crown of his head” (Job 2: 7).
But his cup of bitterness was not yet full. His friends, considering his misfortune to be nothing but retribution for his sin, pursued his bruised and overwhelmed mind with their accusations. […]
“When he puts me to the test, I will come out as pure as gold” Job 23.10). This is what happened. By his patience, his endurance, he successfully defended himself and thereby defended the one he represented. And “Jehovah restored Job’s condition, … and Jehovah gave him double of all that he had. […] The Eternal blesses the last part (of the life) of Job more than the first (75). “(Job 42.10,12)
(75. Education, chap. 16, p. 176-178.)
Daily meditation
March 30, 2021
PAUL BLIND TO BE ABLE TO SEE CHRIST
Ananias departed and, When he arrived in The house, he laid his hands on Saul and said: Saul, my brother, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on The way by which you came, sent me so that you recover your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. (Acts 9.17)
IN THE MILITARY SCHOOLS of Egypt, Moses had learned to follow the law of might, and this law had taken such a hold on him that it took him forty years … to prepare to rule Israel according to a rule of love. Paul was to learn the same lesson.
At the gates of Damascus, the vision of Jesus crucified changed his life. The persecutor became a disciple, the master became a pupil. The dark and lonely days spent in Damascus weighed down like years of experience. Under Christ’s direction, Paul studied the Old Testament, which he treasured in his memory. For him, too, solitude in the midst of nature served as a school. He left for the Arabian desert and there, devoted himself to the study of the Scriptures, learned from God. He emptied his soul of all the prejudices, of all the traditions that had shaped his life, to fill it at the source of truth.
From then on, his life was guided by the sole principle of self-giving, by the ministry of love. “I owe myself,” he said, “to the Greeks and the barbarians, to the learned and to the ignorant” (Romans 1:14). […]
He possessed great intellectual qualities and his life bears witness to rare wisdom. Principles of prime importance, unknown to the greatest minds of his day, are proclaimed in his teaching and exemplified in his life. He had that extreme wisdom which refines insight, opens the heart, puts man in contact with other men and allows him to awaken what is best in them and to encourage them to live nobly. […]
“Insulted, we bless; persecuted, we endure; calumniated, we console; […] [we are regarded] as saddened, and we are always joyful; as poor, and we enrich many; as having nothing, and we own everything (76). »(1 Corinthians 4:12,13; 2 Corinthians 6:10)
(76. Education, chap. 7, p. 75-78.)
Hi To all,
Daily meditation
April 3, 2021
GOD PROMISES US A HEART OF FLESH
I will give you a new heart and I will put a new spirit within you; I will take away the heart of stone out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 36.26)
YOUNG PEOPLE often have difficulty understanding the expression “a new heart”. They don’t understand what it means. They think that a particular change is going to take place in their feelings. This is how they conceive of conversion. Due to this mistake, many people fall and fail because they do not know what “You must be born again” means. […] When Jesus speaks of a new heart, it is a question of life, of the spirit, of the whole being. To have a new heart means to detach yourself from the world and look to Christ. To have a new heart means to have a new spirit, new goals, new motivations. What is the sign of a new heart? It is a transformed life. It is a matter of dying to oneself, to our pride and to our selfishness, every hour and every day (7).
Then a spirit of kindness can manifest in us, not occasionally, but constantly. We adopt a different attitude, we behave in a very different way in words and actions towards everyone we hang out with. We do not highlight their shortcomings, nor do we view them in an unfavorable light. We act in accordance with Christ’s will. […]
Instead of exposing the faults of our fellow human beings and criticizing them, we make every effort to heal and restore relationships. […] A hard mind is crude and coarse. He is not spiritual because his heart is not of flesh, but as hard as stone. Their only help is to fall on the Divine Rock and crash into it. The Lord will place such hearts in a crucible and will test them with fire, as gold is. When the Lord sees that they reflect his image, he will remove them. […] The religion of Christ means letting him take possession of our entire being, give strength and vigor to all our faculties, restore us, purify us and transform us. It manifests itself silently and without noise, but those who submit to Christ in this way lead a righteous and selfless life (8).
Only the power of God can change our heart of stone into a heart of flesh (9).
(7. The Youth’s Instructor, September 26, 1901.
8. Letter 15, 1895.
9. Manuscript 95, 1903.)Hi To all
A TRANSFORMED HEART IS A PURE HEART
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God! (Matthew 5.8)
THE WISDOM which comes from above is “first pure” (James 3:17). Nothing defiled will enter the city of God. Anyone who wants to dwell there must have purified their heart here below. Those who want to follow Jesus will show an ever greater aversion both to improper manners and language as well as rude thoughts. When Jesus enters a heart, he brings there purity of mind and conduct.
But the words of Jesus, “Blessed are the pure in heart” (Matthew 5: 8), have an even deeper meaning. It is not simply a question of being pure in the sense that the world usually understands purity, that is to say the opposite of sensuality and pleasure, but of that purity which implies loyalty in the motives the innermost secrets of the soul, humility, disinterestedness, childish candor. […]
The Creator appears in a new light to those whose hearts are pure; their Redeemer becomes dearer to them, and the more they discern the purity and beauty of his character, the more they aspire to be like him. They see in God a Father who would hug a repentant son, and their hearts are filled with ineffable joy […].
Those whose heart is pure recognize the Creator in the works of his mighty hand and in the beauties spread throughout the universe. In his written word they read in clearer lines the revelation of his mercy, goodness and grace. The truths which are hidden from the wise and intelligent are revealed to children. The beauty and value of this Word […] is constantly manifested to the humble who sincerely desire to know and obey God. […]
Those whose heart is pure live as in the visible presence of God during the time that he grants them to spend on this earth. Then later, when they have put on immortality, they will see him face to face, like Adam when he was walking in the Garden of Eden and conversing with God. “Today we see through a mirror, in a confused way, but then we will see face to face (14). “(1 Corinthians 13.12)
(14. Blessed are those who, “The Beatitudes,” pp. 28-30.)
Daily meditation
April 7, 2021
THE PEACE OF GOD REIGNS IN TRANSFORMED HEARTS
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4.7)
WHEN WE ALLOW Christ to dwell in our souls, the peace of God that passes all understanding will keep our hearts and minds in him. Although taking place in the midst of strife, the life of Jesus on earth was a life of peace. Pursued by furious enemies, he said: “He who sent me is with me; he did not leave me alone, because I always do what pleases him ”(John 8:29). No manifestation of human or satanic anger could disturb the calm of his perfect fellowship with God. He tells us: “I leave you in peace, I give you my peace” (John 14.27). “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart; and you will find rest for your souls ”(Matthew 11:29). Carry with me the yoke of service for the glory of God and for the upliftment of mankind, and you will see how sweet it is and how light this burden is. […]
Earthly happiness is fleeting. It essentially depends on the circumstances which produce it; but the peace of Christ is an enduring peace. Neither the circumstances of life, nor the goods of the earth, nor the number of our earthly friends have an influence on it. Christ is the fountain from which springs the water of life, and the happiness we draw from it will never run dry (15).
Everyone’s experience confirms the truth of these words of Scripture: “The wicked are like the stormy sea, which cannot be quiet. […] There is no peace for the wicked, says my God ”(Isaiah 57.20,21). Sin has destroyed our peace. No rest, until our selves have submitted. No human power can contain the strong passions of the heart. In this we are as helpless as the disciples in the midst of the raging sea. But he who spoke a word of peace to the waves of Galilee also has a word of peace for every soul. No matter how violent the storm, those who turn to Jesus and cry out […] to him will obtain deliverance. His grace […] calms the conflicts of human passions; the heart finds its rest in his love (16).
(15. Blessed are those who, “The Beatitudes,” p. 22.
16. Jesus Christ, chap. 35, p. 327.)Daily meditation
April 10, 2021
ALL THOUGHTS OBEY CHRIST
We overturn reasonings and all haughtiness that rise up against the knowledge of God, and we bring all thought captive to obedience to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10.5)
THE LORD PURIFIES our hearts the same way we air a room. We do not close doors or windows or diffuse sanitizing substance, but we open doors and windows wide and let in the air and heavenly atmosphere that purify. […] The windows of impulses and feelings must be opened to heaven, and the dust of selfishness and love of earthly things must be cast out. The grace of God must sweep the chambers of our spirit, the imagination must contemplate heavenly themes, and every element of our nature must be cleansed and strengthened by the Spirit of God (23).
We are urged to ensure that we control and subdue our thoughts so that they do not wander off and focus on matters that weaken and degrade the soul. Our thoughts, as well as everything that is important to us, must be pure. […] The Lord has granted us great abilities and we must use them in order to contemplate heavenly things. God gives us in abundance what we need so that our soul can progress unceasingly in the direction of eternal life. […]
We devote a lot of time and energy to the mundane things of this world and too often neglect matters relating to eternal life. The noble capacities of our mind are weakened and affected as we lose the habit of focusing our attention on matters that are worth it. “Let whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is righteous, whatever is pure, whatever is lovable, whatever merits approval, whatever is righteous and worthy of praise, be the object of your thoughts ”(Philippians 4: 8). As we meditate on the perfection of our Divine Model, we increasingly feel the desire to be transformed and renewed into his perfect image. We are called to come out of the world and to separate ourselves from it, soon to become the sons and daughters of the Most High (24).
(23. Manuscript 3, 1892.
24. The Review and Herald, June 12, 1888.)WEREN’T THE TEN COMMANDMENTS PART OF THE OLD COVENANT THAT WAS ABOLISHED AT THE CROSS?
Bible Study / Daily DevotionalSome Christians teach that the Ten Commandments are a core part of the old covenant, which was abolished. Yet even though the Ten Commandments were indeed a commanded covenant, they did not constitute the old covenant that vanished away (Hebrews 8:13). Here are some reasons:
1. The old covenant was faulty, had poor promises, and vanished away (Hebrews 8:7, 8, 13). None of those points apply to the perfect law of God (Psalm 19:7).
2. The old covenant was made based on the Israelites’ promise to keep God’s commandments in their own strength (Exodus 24:7, 8). It was not the law itself.
3. Referring to the Ten Commandments, God said to Moses, “According to the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel” (Exodus 34:27, 28). It was not the law itself but the promise to keep the law.
4. Moses referred to the golden calf as “your sin, the calf which you had made” (Deuteronomy 9:21). The calf was not the sin, but the sin took place concerning the calf. In the same way, the old covenant was not the law, but it was concerning the law. Thus it is called the covenant.
5. Romans 9:4 shows that the old and new covenants were different from the law itself: “… who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises.” Here the law is listed, as well as the covenants (plural). This would include both old and new covenants, plus the “giving of the law,” which are the Ten Commandments.
6. To demonstrate how the law is not the old covenant, let’s interchange some words in Romans 3:31 and see what happens: “Do we then make void the (old covenant) through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the (old covenant).” That obviously doesn’t make much sense, does it?
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone. Deuteronomy 4:13WHAT DOES ISAIAH 45:7 MEAN WHEN IT SAYS GOD CREATES CALAMITY?
Bible Study / Daily DevotionalYou can couple this verse with the Bible story in which Micaiah the prophet reports that he saw the Lord send a lying spirit to the prophets of Ahab. In these passages and in others, it appears that evil is proceeding from God, yet the Bible says that every good and perfect gift comes from God.
In the book of Job, you find the key that unlocks this relationship between good and evil and God’s involvement. The devil is asking permission of God to tempt and torment Job. The devil cannot do anything without God allowing it. The Lord must withdraw His protection, He must lift the hedge, and He must pull back His protective forces. In that sense, it appears that God is allowing evil. The Lord is the one who placed the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in Eden. That doesn’t mean the Lord wants us to “eat” evil. It means that He gives us the freedom to choose.
Sometimes the Lord withdraws His angels that protect us, and in that sense, you could say that He is allowing evil to come. But the book of James tells us that the Lord Himself does not tempt anyone, neither can He be tempted. The devil is an individual being, roaming about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may destroy and devour. God is constantly putting him in check, to the degree of what He allows the devil to do.
From time to time, the Lord draws back His hand of protection to accomplish some purpose. This is why Paul says, “God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able” (1 Corinthians 10:13). So when Isaiah says that evil comes from the Lord, it simply means that the devil can’t do anything unless God allows it in His sovereign plan.
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things. Isaiah 45:7Berean…..God created man right? He knew all along what man would do , doesn’t scripture say “God knows the end from the beginning”? God himself created both good and evil.
It was God the Fathers intention from the start for man to fail, and come “to know” for himself by, experiencing for himself , “BOTH” “good and evil” . How else where we to become like him?
Gen 3:22….And the LORD God said, behold, the man is become as , “ONE OF US”, to “Know” , good and evil: God the Father intended for us to “experience “both” good and evil, to come to love, the good, and hate the evil. God the Father knew it was needful, for us to “experience”, first hand, both “good and evil’.
He used Satan as a “CATALYST” to speed up the reaction, that would have taken place in time anyway.
All of what happened from the start to the finish, was from the very beginning, in the plan and will of the “one, and “only” true God . To make us more like him, because we are his children, we needed to learn things he knew. In order for us, to become more like him. God the father is still teaching us all. Didn’t Jesus clearly say, “you shall all be taught of (by) God” .
peace and love to you and yours………..gene
THE HONEY CRISIS
Daily Devotions
AN AMAZING FACT: To produce about 1 pound of honey, bees must make 25,000 trips between their hive and the flowers from which they gather precious nectar. Furthermore, that same pound of honey contains the essence of about two million flowers! In the process of making this honey, bees provide a crucial service to nature—pollination. Albert Einstein once remarked that “If bees were to disappear, man would only have a few years to live.” This statement is especially sobering when you consider the recent decimating plague among U.S. bee colonies called colony collapse disorder (CCD).
Just before the beginning of 2007, beekeepers from all over North America began reporting colonies of their bees dying off in unprecedented numbers. Twenty-four U.S. states reported honeybees vanishing at an alarming rate, leaving beekeepers struggling for survival and farmers worried about pollination of their crops. The mysterious disappearance of bees ranges from 30 to 70 percent in some states. Blooming orchards that used to roar with buzzing bees are now strangely silent. One California beekeeper said, “I have never seen anything like it. Box after box after box is just empty. There’s nobody home.”Experts are exploring several theories to explain the losses from CCD. These include viruses, mites, pesticide contamination and, strangely enough, poor bee nutrition. The mysterious colony collapse disorder highlights the fundamental role that honeybees play in the natural chain of God’s economy, providing fruit and vegetables. Honeybee pollination contributes more than $14 billion worth of North American harvests each year.
A broad assortment of crops like apples, peaches, avocados, soybeans, pears, pumpkins, cucumbers, cherries, kiwis, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, and many more, depend on honey bee pollination. Some have suggested that if all honeybees suddenly died off, it would bring their vital work of pollination to an end. This environmental breakdown could easily cause an agricultural and economic chain reaction leading to a financial collapse and possibly a national famine.
Who would have guessed the work of these little creatures was so important! Maybe that’s why the Bible has so much to say about honey! David writes about God’s law: “How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Psalm 119:103). And Solomon says, “Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones” (Proverbs 16:24).
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion? and he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle. Judges 14:18Hi To all
Daily meditation
April 18, 2021
FROM AN OBSTINUED WILL TO A SANCTIFIED WILL
[Be] servants of Christ, doing the will of God with all their souls. (Ephesians 6.6)
LET NO ONE SAY, “I cannot overcome the flaws in my character” because, if that is what you decide, you cannot have eternal life. It is a question of will. If you don’t want to, then you can’t.
The real problem is the corruption of an unsanctified heart and the unwillingness to submit to the will of God. When you decide deep down to win, you yourself will be ready to win. You will cultivate those character traits which are admirable, and you will engage in the struggle with determined and persevering efforts. You will relentlessly watch over the flaws in your character and cultivate the habit of doing well, even the little things. It will be less difficult for you to overcome insofar as your heart will be sanctified by the grace of Christ (44).
What work we could individually accomplish if our proud and stubborn will were subject to that of God, and if our soul turned away from all that is earthly and turned to the high and pure atmosphere of heaven (45)!
Selfish will and pride are evils which turned angels into demons and closed the doors of heaven to them (46).
You may not be in control of your impulses and emotions; you can, however, control your willpower and thereby achieve a complete change in your life. If you bend your will before Christ, you will possess the life which is hidden with Christ in God, and you will have as an ally the one who sits above all principality and all power. You will come under the embrace of divine power; a new light will come to enlighten you, that of a living faith. […] It will sometimes be necessary to requisition all the force of will of which you are capable, but God will act in your favor and will fashion you, so that you are a vessel of honor (47).
(44. The Youth’s Instructor, September 7, 1893.
45. Ibid., July 26, 1894.
46. Pacifie Health Journal, January 1890.
47. Messages to youth, chap. 40, p. 150.)Hi To all
Daily meditation
April 19, 2021
TURNING OUR CONSTANT COMPLAINTS INTO PRAISE
May they praise the Lord for his benevolence and for his wonders for mankind! (Psalm 107.8)
WE ARE BOUND in heaven and should show the good side of faith. We are not to go in a row lame and murmuring, growling and complaining all the way to our Father’s house (48).
Those who call themselves Christians but constantly complain and seem to think that happiness and expressions of joy constitute sin do not have the attributes of true religion. Those who admire the wonderful landscapes of nature as if observing a picture of desolation, who choose to regard dead leaves rather than put together beautiful flowers, who experience morbid pleasure in all that is gloomy in what their communicates the natural world, who do not see the beauty of green valleys and high mountains covered with lush vegetation, who close their senses to the joyful voices of nature that speak to them […], all these people are not in Christ (49).
Suppose you make the effort to change. […] Suppose you are trying to count all your blessings. You have thought of them too rarely, when there were so many. So when trials and difficulties arise, you are dejected and think that God is unjust. You don’t remember how ungrateful you were for all of his blessings. You did not deserve them but, because they were granted to you day after day, year after year, you took them for granted and that it was your right to receive all the benefits, without giving anything. it is in return. […] The blessings of God are more than the number of hairs on your head, are more than the grains of sand on the beach. Meditate on the love of God and on the concern he has for us, and may this inspire in you love that trials cannot interrupt, nor affliction extinguish (50).
If we could see all the dangers from which the angels of heaven protect us, instead of complaining about our trials and misfortunes, we would talk endlessly of the bounties of God (51)!
(48. The Youth’s Instructor, August 25, 1898.
49. Ibid., August 24, 1898.
50. The Review and Herald, December 23, 1884.
51. Ibid., November 19, 1908.)Hi To all
Daily meditation
April 22, 2021
THE GRACE OF GOD IS SUFFICIENT FOR ALL OUR NEEDS
My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is accomplished in weakness. So I will boast much more readily of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Corinthians 12.9)
IF YOU HAVE DEDICATED YOURSELF to the service of God, no need to worry about tomorrow. He whose servant you are knows the end from the beginning. The events of tomorrow, invisible to our eyes, are present to those of the Almighty.
When we take charge of our personal affairs, rely on our own wisdom for success, and seek to carry them without His help, we are taking on a burden that God did not intend for us. We are thus putting ourselves in his place and accepting the responsibility that falls to him. It is then that we can seriously worry and apprehend troubles and losses, for they will certainly come. But if we truly believe that God loves us and desires our good, we will stop fussing about the future. We will abandon ourselves to him as a child abandons himself to his father who loves him. Our worries and our torments will then disappear because our desires which have become in conformity with the will of God will merge with it.
Jesus did not promise to help us today to carry the burdens of tomorrow. He said: “My grace is sufficient for you”. But, like manna in the desert, her grace is given to us every day for the needs of the day. Like the multitude of Israel during its nomadic life, we can count day after day on the bread we need.
God only gives us one day at a time, during which we must live for him. It is for that day that we must submit to the Savior our plans and our needs for faithful service, unloading all our worries on Him because He takes care of us. “I know the plans that I have formed for you,” says the Lord, “plans for peace and not for misfortune (54). “(Jeremiah 29.11)
(54. Blessed are those who, “The True Motive of the Christian Life,” p. 82.)
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
