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Berean……”soon comming”, wrong, those signs were here for the very start of the Church, and remain here to this day in all of modern Christendom as bad, if not worse today. What you believe and preach Jesus as , is a proof of it.
No one needs to look as if, it is to come , open your eyes man!, and realize it’s been here from the start of the Church, and most of it is about, who the real Jesus is and was, exactly as Jesus said it would be’, “for many will come in my name, saying i am the Christ , and Decieve many”. That has already happened, started a long, long time ago, and has blinded nearly all of Christendom . They have turned the “IMAGE” of Jesus Christ into, a God, making him, “a man if sin”, 2ths 2, that is the modern day “Christendoms” Jesus. Repent Berean.
Peace and love to you and your Berean………gene
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Daily Devotional
REPAIRING THE TEMPLE
AN AMAZING FACT: Carpenter ants damage wood in building construction. They prefer dead, damp wood in which to build nests. Unlike termites, they do not eat wood but leave behind sawdust-like material called frass. The most likely culprit in North American homes is the black carpenter ant. However, there are over 1,000 species of carpenter ants, including the famous “exploding ants” of Southeast Asia.
Whether it is carpenter ants, carpenter bees, or wood boring beetles, insects can cause a lot of damage to building structures. Termites, of course, rank at the top of the list of wood-damaging insects. There are more 4,000 species. Most are actually valuable to the environment, but about 10 percent are pests that destroy buildings and cost about $2 billion annually. They live in colonies of several hundred to several million and use “swarm intelligence” to find and consume food. Perhaps their damage is so great because they eat 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.Neglecting the care of a building for 100 years is a long time. That’s about how long Israel neglected to care for God’s temple since it was dedicated by Solomon. The new King Joash noticed the temple was in disrepair and decided to do something about it. “And Jehoash (Joash) said to the priests, ‘All the money of the dedicated gifts that are brought into the house of the Lord. … Let the priests take it themselves … and let them repair the damages of the temple, wherever any dilapidation is found” (2 Kings 12:4, 5).
Whether damage happens by termites or tornadoes, we should honor the Lord’s house by keeping it in good repair. It demonstrates our loyalty and respect for our places of worship when we keep them cleaned and in good condition. Let us have the spirit of Joash and repair our churches if they have been damaged. Follow the example of the boy-king of whom it is written, “Jehoash did what was right in the sight of the Lord” (2 Kings 12:1).
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the LORD’s offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments. Exodus 35:21God bless
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Daily Devotional
ARE WE READY FOR THE RETURN OF CHRIST?
She [the Light] was in the world, and the world was made by her, and the world knew her not. (John 1.10)
Jesus’ contemporaries found it difficult to tolerate our Redeemer during the few years he shared with them on earth. They wanted to get rid of him from the beginning of his ministry… We now ask ourselves the following question: “Am I ready for the return of the Son of man?” If you have accepted your Savior by living faith, if you have repented of your sins, then you are in a position to be admitted by God; so if Christ were to return today, you would be ready to meet him in peace…
Let us distinguish the steps that the Son of man takes in order to be able to finalize his plan of salvation. He descended from his royal throne, cast off his royal robe, clothed his divinity in humanity, and consented to come to earth. This world would become the battleground of Christ and Satan, the prince of the earth would engage in battle. Now a new question arises: “How could God demonstrate his justice and truthfulness to his law while justifying the sinner?” This could only come about through the sacrifice of the Son of God.
It was not difficult to snatch Satan from the affection of the heavenly angels. He opposed the law of God, because – according to him – it went against the celestial intelligences, also the war, opposing Christ to Satan, began – such in the sky and continues it still on the earth. This struggle was observed, not only from heaven, but by all the other worlds created by God. On this earth, the sinner rebels, because he wishes to obtain the right to change the weather and the laws. But does he have the power? No, because the laws of God are written on tablets of stone, engraved by his own finger and placed in the temple of God, in heaven. This great moral standard will be the criterion that will judge every human being, dead or alive, on the face of the Earth.
Christ went into the wilderness of temptation to face there the harshest temptations, he was tempted in every way as was Adam and trod the very ground where the latter staggered. Christ stood in the very place where Adam stood, bearing humanity and triumphing on behalf of the fallen race. Christ stood the test, point by point. He withstood the test of appetite. Then, tests having to do with ambition and presumption were submitted to him, he withstood the enemy. The Savior of the world overcame and won the victory at each of these stages.
(Ellen G. White – Manuscript 11, 1886.)
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Berean,
Why do they use the feminine pronoun for a neuter noun (light) that is applied to a male? Do you know?
Hi LU
Hi LU
The original of the letter is in English, but I consult it on a site in French.
(Ellen G. White Manuscript 11, 1886.)
verse 10 of John 1 in the Bible Segond 1901 renders thus:She was in the world, and the world was made by her, and the world did not know her.
On the other hand, the King James uses the masculine pronoun “he” because King James seems to refer directly to the Son of God, while Louis Segong refers to the “light“.All things were made by him(JESUS: masculin, THE WORD: feminine); and without him was not any thing made that was made.
[4] In him was life; and the life was the light of men.[5] And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
[6] There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
[7] The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
[8] He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
[9] That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
[10] He(Jesus) was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.Hi to all
Daily Devotional
<span style=”color: #ff9900;”>IT IS BETTER TO SUFFER THAN TO YIELD TO TEMPTATION</span>
<span style=”color: #ff00ff;”>He humbled you…to teach you that man does not live by bread alone, but that man lives by everything that comes out of the mouth of the Lord. (Deuteronomy 8.3)</span>
The duel between Christ and Satan was fought in the desert, Christ apparently had no friends to help him. Satan was subtle, falsehood being his trademark. He mustered all his strength to crush the humanity of Christ.
Satan charmed the first Adam with his sophistry, just as he seduces modern men and women into believing lies. Adam did not seek divine help beyond his humanity. He believed Satan’s words. But the second Adam was not going to become a slave to the enemy.
Adam had an advantage over Christ when he was assailed by the tempter, he still bore no trace of sin within him, evolving with the perfect vigor of a man with all his physical and mental faculties. Surrounded by the glory of Eden, he was in daily communion with celestial beings. It was not the same for Jesus when he went into the desert to confront Satan.
Satan addressed the most treacherous suggestions to Christ. Finding himself in an unfavorable situation after his long fast of forty days, Christ had to deal with the most brilliant angel of the fallen angels. The latter used the most seductive words to reduce the spirit of Christ to his mercy: “If thou be the Son of God,” he said, “manifest thy power and relieve thy pressing hunger.” “Ask this stone to turn into bread. »
When Christ said to Satan “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by everything that comes out of the mouth of the Lord. He repeated the words he had spoken over fourteen hundred years earlier to Israel.
In the desert, when all means of subsistence failed, God sent manna from heaven to his people, and an ample and constant provision was granted to them. This reserve taught him that as long as he trusted God and walked in his ways, he would not forsake him. The Savior was now putting into practice the lesson He had taught Israel. By the word of God, relief had been granted to the Hebrew people and by the same word, Jesus would benefit from it. He waited for this moment chosen by God. He moved in the desert and obeyed God. He would not get food by obeying Satan’s suggestions. He proved that it was far less important to suffer any evil than to stray from the will of God in the presence of the universe.
(Ellen G. White – Manuscript 113, 1902.)
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Daily Devotional
GOD’S MANY CHILDREN
Multiple births of humans are fairly common with two or three babies at a time, known as twins and triplets. Siblings of multiple births result either from a single egg (monozygotic) that splits into two or more embryos and are identical. Siblings from multiple eggs (dizygotic) are referred to as fraternal. Polyzygotic multiples represent a combination of identical and fraternal siblings. One way for a family to grow rapidly is through multiple births. Imagine mom coming home from the hospital with three babies instead of one!
Multiple births of as many as eight babies have been born alive, the first set on record to the Chukwu family in Texas in 1998; one died and seven survived. In 2009, a second set, the Suleman octuplets, was born in Bellflower, California. To date, all eight have survived. There have been a few sets of nonuplets (nine) in which a few babies were born alive, though none lived longer than a few days. Twins are the most common type of multiple births and happen in one out of 80 pregnancies. Triplets happen about every 8,000 births.
The book of 1 Chronicles begins with a genealogy of Adam’s family down through many generations. In this family tree the most popular set of twins in Scripture is identified, Esau and Jacob. The list culminates with the most important figure, Jacob, who is considered the most prominent patriarch. Why? The 12 tribes of Israel were established from his children. Chronicles relates the history of Israel from its ancestral roots, showing how God has a plan for His children.
Whether you were born as a singleton (single birth) or a quintuplet (five births), you are a precious child of God and are part of a royal lineage that will live forever. As you read through the family tree lists in Scripture, remember that you are part of a very large family!
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 1 John 3:1God bless
Gene,
You
Berean……”soon comming”, wrong, those signs were here for the very start of the Church, and remain here to this day in all of modern Christendom as bad, if not worse today. What you believe and preach Jesus as , is a proof of it.
No one needs to look as if, it is to come , open your eyes man!, and realize it’s been here from the start of the Church, and most of it is about, who the real Jesus is and was, exactly as Jesus said it would be’, “for many will come in my name, saying i am the Christ , and Decieve many”. That has already happened, started a long, long time ago, and has blinded nearly all of Christendom . They have turned the “IMAGE” of Jesus Christ into, a God, making him, “a man if sin”, 2ths 2, that is the modern day “Christendoms” Jesus. Repent Berean.
Peace and love to you and your Berean……
Me
You are wrong about CHRIST.
CHRIST IS GOD AND MAN.
JOHN 1:1
PHILIPPIANS 2:5-8
COLOSSIANS 1:15-17
COLOSSIANS 2:9Hi to all
Daily Devotional
OUR GOD OF DETAIL
AN AMAZING FACT: Hair is one of the fastest-growing tissues in the body, second only to bone marrow. In fact, the average adult scalp grows more than 100 feet of hair per day!
Though this fact seems incredible, consider that the average adult scalp has 100,000 hairs. That means that each hair only needs to grow about a third of a millimeter per day to reach a total of over 100 feet. The average life of a hair is four to seven years. Each time a hair falls out, a new one usually grows in its place. This can happen up to 20 times for each hair follicle.Another interesting fact is that redheads have an average of only 80,000 hairs, while black- and brown-haired persons average 100,000. Blondes top the list at 120,000. Though you might feel alarmed after brushing to see your brush full of hair, it is doubtful that the average 100 hairs that you lose per day would make any visible difference. In fact, a person must lose over 50 percent of his hair to have any noticeable difference in his appearance.
At times we might feel that God is distant or takes little notice of the affairs of our lives. But this is a lie from the enemy. Our loving heavenly Father knows all about us. We are told that He not only “knows our frame” (Psalm 103:14), but He has numbered the very hairs of our head (Luke 12:7). Not only does He know and understand the big picture—what makes us who we are, but He is fully aware of the little details of our lives.
By telling us that He knows the number of hairs we have, He is letting us know that He is also aware of the bigger, more difficult details of our lives. When we are tempted to feel alone or unimportant, let’s remember that God loves us with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3), and is just waiting for us to experience the joy of total dependence upon Him.
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. Matthew 6:8God bless
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Daily Devotional
THE DECEIVER (THE AUSTRALIAN LYREBIRD)
AN AMAZING FACT: The Australian lyrebird is a copycat (or shall we say “copy bird”?). It is best known for its superb ability to mimic the sounds of other birds in the forest. It has also been heard to copy the sounds of chainsaws, car alarms, barking dogs, crying babies, and even camera shutter clicks.
In the 1930s, a Mrs. Wilkinson befriended a lyrebird in her back yard (“James”) by feeding him scraps. The bird bonded with her and would often perform long courtship dances accompanied by the calls of a dozen or more birds whenever she was around. Included in his repertoire were the sounds of automobile horns honking, a nearby rock crushing machine, and the sound of a hydraulic ram.How can the lyrebird make such an incredible array of sounds? Its secret is in a very complex syrinx (vocal organ), the most complex of all song birds, giving it an extraordinary ability to copy the sounds of other birds and noises. A researcher once recorded flute-like sounds of a lyrebird near the New England National Park, as did a park ranger in New South Wales. After doing some research they discovered that a flute player living near the park used to play his flute for his lyrebird. This happened about 40 years earlier!
The Bible warns us of a deceiver who will appear to be what he is not. “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God” (2 Thessalonians 2:3, 4). But he is not God.
The apostle Paul warns us this deceiver seems like the real thing. “The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders” (v. 9). He might sound “just like the real thing,” but we are told not to be led astray. Study the call of the True Master. You will recognize His voice.
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Ephesians 5:6God bless
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Daily Devotional
BELOVED
According to one contest and survey, the longest-married couple in the United States has been married for 82 years! Worldwide Marriage Encounter, a faith-based marriage enrichment program, recently sponsored this contest to find the longest-married couple in America. More than 300 couples were nominated.
About 150 couples had been married for 60 to 69 years; 100 couples had been married for 70 to 79 years; and three couples had been married for more than 80 years! The winning couple, Marshall and Winnie Kuykendall, has been married for 82 years. They reside in New Mexico where they celebrated their 82nd anniversary on February 14, 2011. In our divorce-ridden culture, their marriage stands out as an example of faithfulness!
In the Song of Solomon, the Shulamite woman is asked by her friends, “What is your beloved more than another beloved, O fairest among women?” In other words, how is your love different than anyone else? Her response is certain: “My beloved is white and ruddy, chief among ten thousand.”
She goes on to describe her beloved’s beauty and ends by stating that he is her friend. There are many men, but for the Shulamite woman, hers stood out among ten thousand. She had made her choice, and her eyes did not stray from him. Her beloved was hers, and none could compare. It is this kind of faithfulness that God can give a marriage that has built its foundation on Him.
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women? what is thy beloved more than another beloved, that thou dost so charge us? Song of Solomon 5:9My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand. Song of Solomon 5:10God bless
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Daily Devotional
The Dead Sea in Israel is one of the most unusual spots on the planet. At 1,312 feet below sea level, it’s the lowest water surface on Earth. The Dead Sea receives over 6 million tons of water every day from the Jordan River alone, but even though it has no outlet the water level never rises. The old geographers used to think there was an enormous chasm in the bottom of the Dead Sea, and that its water poured itself down into the center of the earth. But Lieutenant Lynch of the United States Navy sounded every part of the Dead Sea and disproved that theory.
The sea bed is 47 miles long and an average of 9 miles wide. Therefore, evaporation in that seething desert basin exceeds the input, making the Dead Sea seven times as salty as the ocean. Because of its high mineral content, no one can ever sink or drown while bathing there. It was said that Vespasian, the ancient Roman commander, heard of this fact. He tested it by ordering slaves to be thrown into the sea with their hands and feet tied. The slaves floated.
The high concentration of minerals also makes the Dead Sea one of the most valuable spots on Earth. Among the precious minerals in the Dead Sea is potash. Often used for explosives, potash is also a potent fertilizer. It has been estimated that the Dead Sea has enough potash to provide the entire world’s fertilizer needs for 2,000 years.
This body of water contains an estimated 22 billion tons of magnesium chloride, 12 billion tons of common salt, six billion tons of calcium chloride, two billion tons of potassium chloride, and one billion tons of magnesium bromide. The value of these chemicals comes to the staggering figure of $1,270,000,000,000. All the goods exported from Israel are nothing in comparison with the enormous mineral wealth in the Dead Sea.
Who would dream that a place that is so outwardly lifeless could be so valuable? Perhaps you have also underestimated your worth before God. Scripture tells us, “… you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold … but with the precious blood of Christ …” (1 Peter 1:18, 19). In this way, God has placed immeasurable value on each one of us.
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. 1 Corinthians 6:20God bless
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Daily Devotional
JESUS IS AN EXAMPLE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE
And Jesus grew in wisdom, in stature, and in favor with God and with men. (Luke 2.52)
By observing the sacrificial offerings in the temple, Christ learned by the Holy Spirit that his life would be sacrificed for the life of mankind. Since his early years, he had been protected by the celestial angels, nevertheless, his existence was a long succession of struggles with the powers of darkness. Satan did all he could to tempt and try him. He encouraged people to misinterpret his words so that they would not be able to receive the salvation he had come to offer them. He knew misunderstanding both in his home and outside, not that he was a sinner, but his immaculate life condemned all impurity.
His spotless life was a living reproach to others, so many shunned his company. On the other hand, some sought his presence, they felt a feeling of serenity at his side. He was gentle and did not fight to win his case. His own brothers bullied and despised him, openly displaying their distrust and hatred of him. He evolved beyond the difficulties of life, as if he were in front of God. He bravely endured insults and humiliations and became an example for all children and young people.
His life was like leaven, rising within society. Innocent and undefiled, he walked alongside the careless, the impertinent, the rough and filthy people. He frequented publicans, spenders, Samaritans, pagan soldiers, simple peasants and crowds of all origins. He treated everyone as valuable. He taught the people around him that they possessed precious talents which would elevate and ennoble them if they knew how to use them, and which would guarantee them eternal riches. He taught them, by his example and his character, that each moment of life is precious, because it is suitable for sowing in view of eternity.
Jesus charged his heart with the salvation of the human family. He knew that if individuals did not receive it and change their goals and their lives, they would be lost for eternity. It was a burden he carried alone. Since his adolescence he wanted to be a lamp for the world and his goal was that his life become “the light of the world”. He became so and this light continues to shine for all who evolve in darkness. Let us walk in the light that he transmitted to us.
(Ellen G. White – Youth’s Instructor, December 12, 1895; January 2, 1896.)
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Daily Devotional
JESUS PRESENTED THE TRUTH USING FAMILIAR OBJECTS
Jesus tells the crowd all these things in parables. (Matthew 13.34)
The great Teacher spoke the truth to mankind, many of them could not be educated in rabbinical schools or study Greek philosophy. Jesus transmitted the truth to them in a simple and direct way, giving life force and a deep imprint to all his teachings…
The rabbis and doctors had virtually closed the celestial kingdom to the poor and the afflicted, leaving them to their fate. In his speech, Christ did not present them with too many elements at once so as not to confuse their minds. He made every point clear and bright…
Christ was the originator of all precious ancient truths. Because of the undermining of the enemy, all these truths were displaced, transferred onto a canvas of errors. Christ set out to readjust and restore these precious gems to the canvas of truth. The principles of truth which he had offered to the world had been buried and no longer prevailed. Christ unearthed them from the depths of error, restored them to their full brilliance, and made them sparkle, like precious jewels, to shine forever. Christ, having created them all, he could use any of these ancient truths without altering the least particle…
Presenting these truths, Christ was careful not to upset their thinking too much… Thus, he awakened their minds by presenting the truth through associations familiar to them. He used illustrations depicting habitual activities and evocative memories to enter the inner temple of their souls. Identifying himself with their centers of interest, he drew his illustrations from the great book of nature using elements that were familiar to them. The lily of the field, the seed sown by the sower, the harvest, the birds of the sky, he used all these examples of daily life to present divine truth, for they would always remember his lessons, whatever the circumstances…
Although Satan has misrepresented God’s purposes, falsifying his character and offering to view God in the wrong light, God’s love for his earthly children never dries up through the ages. Christ’s work was to reveal his Father as a compassionate, merciful, overflowing being of goodness and truth… God’s only-begotten Son swept away the satanic shadow in which the enemy had enveloped him , and declared, “I and the Father are one. Look at me and see God. »
(Ellen G. White – Manuscript 25, 1890. (Ellen G. White Manuscript Releases 13, pages 240-243.))
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Daily Devotional
SOME PREFER TRADITION OVER OBEDIENCE TO THE LAW
He said to them again: You very well reject the commandment of God, to keep your tradition. (Mark 7.9)
The most educated and learned men of the time of Christ – the philosophers, the legislators and the priests – could not interpret the character of God, in spite of their superiority and their pride. When Christ came to the earth at the appointed time, it was dark and bore the marks of apostasy and spiritual treachery. The Jews had wrapped themselves in a cloak of unbelief and did not keep the commandments of God.
Those to whom it was addressed considered themselves superior and exalted themselves. According to them, the oracles of God spoke to them, so they were proud of it. The earth longed for a teacher sent from God, but when he came, as foretold by the prophets, the priests and teachers of the people could not discern that he was their Savior nor understand how he would come. Unfamiliar with accepting the Word of God as it reads or as its own interpreter, they read it in the light of their maxims and their traditions. They had neglected to study and taste the Bible for so long that its pages had become foreign to them. They turned in aversion from God’s truth to their human traditions.
The Jewish nation had reached a critical epoch in its history. Many elements were at play. Would human ignorance prevail? Would an intense thirst for the knowledge of God arise? Would this thirst turn into a spiritual thirst, like that of David, who longed to drink water from the well in Bethlehem? Would the Jews turn away from the influence of false teachers perverting their senses, and call on God to offer them His divine instruction?
When Christ came as a man, a flood of light poured over the world. Many would have gladly received it, choosing to walk in the full light, if the priests and rulers had been honest with God and guided the people into giving them the right interpretation of the Word. But the people had gone astray, for the rulers had, for too long, been misapplying the Scriptures.
The Jews, as a nation, refused to accept Christ. They turned away from the one who could save them from eternal ruin. A similar situation also prevails in our so-called Christian society today. Those who claim to understand the scriptures reject the law of God, exerting a powerful and determined influence against it. What’s the result of it? Observe the actions of young people evolving around us.
(Ellen G. White – Manuscript 24, 1891. (Ellen G. White Manuscript Releases 19, pages 252-254.))
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Daily Devotional
AN AMAZING FACT: According to legend, Gordius was a Greek peasant who became king of Phrygia—because he was the first man to drive into town after an oracle had commanded his countrymen to select as ruler the first person who would drive into the public square in a wagon!
In gratitude, Gordius dedicated his wagon to the god Zeus and tied the tongue of the wagon securely in the temple grove with a thick strong rope. The knot was so intricately entwined that no one could undo it. Many tried, but all failed. Yet a prophet said that whoever succeeded in loosing the difficult knot would become the ruler of all Asia.Hearing this, Alexander the Great unsuccessfully attempted to untie the complex Gordian knot, so he drew his sword and cut it through with a single stroke. Alexander, of course, went on to become the ruler of Asia and beyond. The expression “to cut the Gordian knot” is now used for resolving a difficult problem by a quick and decisive action.
But Alexander the Great had another difficult problem. He was ruler of Macedonia at age 16, a victorious general at 18, and king at 20—and then what happened to the great king? After Alexander began a second night of carousing in Babylon with 20 guests, he drank to the health of every person at the table.
For Proteas, a Macedonian in his company, Alexander called for Hercules’ cup, which had a huge capacity. After filling it, he drank it all down. Soon he fell to the floor, was fever stricken, and—a few days later—dead. He had conquered the then-known world, but not himself.
There is little to praise in the kings of the Earth. David looked forward to a future time when, “All the kings of the earth shall praise You, O Lord, when they hear the words of Your mouth. Yes, they shall sing of the ways of the Lord, for great is the glory of the Lord” (Psalm 138:4, 5).
Join your voice in praising the Ruler of our universe and make the Lord the king of your heart.
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Revelation 15:3God bless
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Daily Devotional
JESUS LOOKS OVER PROBLEMS AND THEIR PERPLEXITIES
As soon as the master of the feast had tasted the water changed into wine (he did not know where this wine came from, unlike the servants who had drawn the water), he called out to the bridegroom and said to him: Every man first serves the good wine and, after having drunk abundantly, the less good; but you have kept the good until now. (John 2.9-10)
The festivities of a Jewish wedding were preceded by solemn religious ceremonies. In anticipation of their new status, the betrothed engaged in a ritual of purification and confessed their sins.
The most pleasant moment of the ceremony took place in the evening, when the fiancé met his fiancée and brought her home. In the house of the bride, a group of guests watched for the arrival of the bridegroom. As he approached, people shouted: “Attention, here comes the fiancé, go join him!” The bride, all dressed in white, her head crowned with flowers, received her fiancé and, accompanied by her guests, she left her father’s house. It was a captivating spectacle. The procession progressed slowly towards the bridegroom’s house, by the light of torches and the sound of songs and musical instruments. A banquet awaited the guests.
The best dishes and unfermented wine were served at this banquet. Custom dictated that the wedding festivities last several days. On this occasion, before the party was over, it was discovered that the supply of wine had run out. However, the guests were still asking for wine. Jesus’ mother thought that her son might make a suggestion to avoid embarrassment to his hosts. She approached him and said: “They have no more wine.” This allegation seems to indicate that Marie was not just a guest, but probably a relative of one of the two families. Speaking authoritatively to the servants, she said, “Do whatever he tells you. »
Jesus said to them, “Fill these vessels with water. And they filled them to the brim. Then he said to them, “Draw out now and take it to the master of the feast. This miracle of Christ will remain recorded forever. It allows us to realize that Jesus never gives up the reins, even on this particular occasion. He never performs miracles for himself. A few days earlier, he had refused to satisfy his own hunger by turning a stone into bread, at Satan’s request.
(Ellen G. White – Manuscript 126, 1903.)
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Daily Devotional
BY TURNING WATER INTO WINE, CHRIST TAUGHT LESSONS
Such was, at Cana in Galilee, the first of the miracles that Jesus performed. He manifested his glory, and his disciples believed in him. (John 2.11)
Jesus Christ is the origin of the missionary work done on this earth. He performed miracles to heal the sick, but did none for himself. He performed his first significant miracle at a wedding banquet in Cana, when he turned water into wine. He did not approach the vases and did not touch the water. He simply gave some orders for the vases to be filled with water. The servants filled them to the brim and he said to them, “Draw out now and take it to the master of the feast. »…
By performing this miracle, Christ wished to teach that unfermented wine is preferable to fermented wine. Christ never made fermented wine. The wine produced on this occasion was similar to that obtained when pressing a bunch of grapes. Christ knew the effects of fermented wine and by offering them pure, unfermented wine, he presented them with the best recipe for grape juice.
Christ did not want to draw attention to himself by performing this miracle. He wished, however, to teach an important lesson. He did not make or use fermented wine. Christ turned this water into wine; he used wine from freshly pressed bunches of grapes and only this beverage. He is our example in all things. Before his death, he bequeathed bread to his church, evoking his body offered for the sins of the world, and wine, symbolizing his shed blood. But only unleavened bread and unfermented wine were approved. No fermented element can be used during the communion service, because the fermented wine would destroy the symbol of the blood of Christ. We can take this as an established principle forever.
Christ also wanted to teach us another lesson. He had not yielded to the enemy when the latter urged him to turn a stone into bread. But on the occasion of this wedding banquet, he wished to express his sympathy to those who were organizing this party. Christ did not come to earth to forbid marriage, to break or to destroy the ties existing in the domestic circle. He came to restore, uplift, purify and ennoble every pure element of affection, so that the earthly family would become a symbol of the heavenly family. In a Christian home, the grace of God must soften and transform the human character, so the church will become active and alive. In such homes the following hymn may be sung: “Angels soar, angels soar all around. Take this good news home! »
(Ellen G. White – Manuscript 22, 1898.)
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Daily Devotional
GOD PROTECTS THE VULNERABLE
In 1799, the American sailing vessel Nancy was seized by the British and taken into Port Royal, Jamaica, under suspicion of carrying contraband. Before the Nancy was boarded, her captain had the crew throw the forbidden freight and the ship’s cargo papers into the sea. At the trial, the captain and officers were about to be acquitted for lack of evidence when the captain of another ship walked into court with the Nancy’s original cargo papers. His men discovered them in the stomach of a shark they harpooned. Consequently, the defendants were convicted.
Today, these remarkable documents, called The Shark’s Papers, are on exhibit in Kingston, Jamaica. The Shark’s Papers story is one of the most unusual court cases in history. Captain Briggs of the Nancy was quite unhappy with the turn of events and complained of being condemned by a shark. He had defiantly claimed that no papers were burned or tossed overboard, but that was a big lie.
Psalms 82 stands as a plea for justice. “God stands in the congregation of the mighty; He judges among the gods” (v. 1). God then condemns rulers and judges with judging unlawfully, unjustly, or partially. “How long will you judge unjustly, and show partiality to the wicked? Defend the poor and fatherless; do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy; free them from the hand of the wicked” (vs. 3, 4). In essence, the Lord tells these judges, “Pronounce fair sentences. Defend the vulnerable and needy.”
John writes of a day when nothing shall be hidden. “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away… And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. … And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books” (Revelation 20:11, 12).
We mayh ave our records cleaned by the blood of Jesus Christ. But for those who turn away from God, the papers will be laid out. They cannot be hidden, not even in the belly of a shark.
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations. Psalms 82:8God bless
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