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Daily meditation
April 23, 2021
HIS GIFTS TO STRENGTHEN US AND STRENGTHEN US
The God of all grace, who in Christ called you to his everlasting glory after you have suffered a little while, himself will perfect you, establish you, strengthen you, make you steadfast. (1 Peter 5:10)
HAPPY ONE who can say: “I am guilty before God, but Jesus is my Advocate. I have broken his law and cannot save myself. But I claim the precious blood of Christ which was shed for me. In Adam I am lost, but I am restored in Christ. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son and he will not let me perish, while my soul repents and is contrite. He will not look at me for I am not worthy of it, but he will look at the face of his Anointed One, he will look at my Substitute and Surety, and listen to the plea of my Advocate who died for my sins so that I can be justified in him by God. By contemplating him, I am transformed into his image. I cannot change my character unless I share in the grace of him who is goodness, justice, mercy and truth. By contemplating him, I can take hold of his Spirit and be transformed into his likeness. […] “The heart filled with the grace of Christ will be manifested in his peace and joy and, where Christ dwells, character is purified, lifted up, ennobled and glorified (55).
The Creator of all worlds proposes to love those who believe that his only begotten Son is their personal Savior, just as he loves his Son. Here and now his gracious favors are poured out upon us in wonderful measure. He gave men the gift of the Light and the Majesty of the heavens and bestowed on us all the treasures of heaven. Just as he has promised us to provide for eternal life, he also gives us invaluable gifts in this life. Beneficiaries of his grace, he wants us to enjoy everything that ennobles, strengthens and elevates our character (56).
The Lord makes available the most precious manifestations of his grace to strengthen and encourage (57).
(55. The Youth’s Instructor, November 8, 1894.
56. Fundamentals of Christian Education, chap. 30, p. 234.
57. Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, chap. 52, p. 413.)Hi To all,
Daily meditation
April 24, 2021
APPROACH US WITH ASSURANCE OF THE THRONE OF GRACE
Let us therefore approach with confidence the throne of grace, in order to obtain mercy and to find grace, in view of a timely help. (Hebrews 4:16)
JESUS KNOWS the needs of his children and loves to listen to their prayers. Let them keep silent about all words and things that might distract their thoughts from God and that they feel that they are alone with him, that his gaze probes the depths of the heart and that he reads the desires of the soul so that ‘they can speak freely with him. By faith and with humility, you will be able to claim his promises and know that, although you have nothing in yourselves to claim the favors of God, by the merits and the righteousness of Christ, you can approach with confidence the throne of grace and find support there when you need it. Nothing can give the soul so much strength to resist the temptations of Satan in the great conflict of life as to seek God with humility, entrusting your soul to him in all its weakness and relying on him to help you and you. defend (58).
Having the faith of a little child, we can draw close to Heavenly Father and entrust all of our needs to Him. He is already ready to forgive and help us. Divine wisdom is inexhaustible, and the Lord encourages us to draw upon it abundantly. Let us aspire to be blessed spiritually, as the psalmist puts it: “As a doe sighs for streams of water, so my soul sighs after you, God!” (Psalm 42.2) Let us be ever more hungry for the rich gifts that heaven has in store for us.
Let us hunger and thirst for justice.
May we have an intense desire to know God through practical knowledge, to draw near to him in the most holy place, grasping the hand of faith and entrusting our helpless soul to him who has the power to save us. His loving kindness is better than life (59).
He desires to grant men the riches of the eternal inheritance. His kingdom is eternal (60).
(58. The Youth’s Instructor, July 7, 1892.
59. The S.D.A. Bible Commentary, vol. 3, p. 1147.
60. The Review and Herald, December 26, 1907.)Hi to all
Daily meditation
April 25, 2021
REJOY THE RICH TREASURES OF HIS GRACE
Then you will rejoice, with the Levite, and with the immigrant who is in your midst, for all the good things the Lord your God has given you and your house. (Deuteronomy 26.11)
WE SHOULD EXPRESS our gratitude and praise to God for the temporal blessings and any consolation He grants us. He desires that all the families who are preparing to live in the eternal home give him glory for the rich treasures of his grace. If the children at home were educated and trained to be thankful to God for all good things, heavenly grace would be manifested in every family. Joy would reign in all families and, coming from such homes, young people would take away respect and reverence in school or in the Church. Many would go to the shrine where God meets his people. One would have reverence towards all the demands of his praise and songs of gratitude. Thanksgiving would be offered to him for all the good things of his Providence. […]
Any temporal blessing would be gratefully received, and any spiritual blessing would be doubly precious since the perception of each member would be sanctified by the Word of truth. The Lord Jesus is near to those who know how to appreciate his gracious gifts, attributing everything to the benevolence, love and good care of God, and to those who recognize that he is the great Source of all comfort and all consolation, inexhaustible source of grace (61).
If we expressed our faith more and rejoiced more in the blessings we recognize – the great mercy and love of God – our faith and joy would be greater. No language can express and no finite mind can conceive of what results from the appreciation of the bounties and love of God. We can already be filled here below with infinite joy because we are watered by the inexhaustible source which springs from the throne of God (62).
(61. Manuscript 67, 1907.
62. The Review and Herald, June 2, 1910.)Hi To all
Collaborators in creation,
Then God said: Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. … God created the, man in his own image, in the image of God created he him, he created them, male and female. Gen. 1:26, 27.
After the creation of the earth and the animals, the Father and the Son carried out the plan which had been conceived before the fall of Satan: that of creating man in their own image. They had collaborated in the creation of the earth and of every living being. Then God said to his Son: “Let us make man in our image.”
Adam and Eve came out of the hands of their Creator in the perfection of their physical, mental and spiritual qualities. God planted a garden for them and surrounded them with anything that could be pleasing and pleasing to the sight and met their physical needs. …
The holy couple saw in nature a work of unsurpassed beauty. The brown earth was covered with, a verdant carpet adorned with, an endless variety of flowers reproducing and propagating themselves. Groves, flowers, climbing vines charmed the senses with their beauty and fragrance. A great variety of majestic trees were loaded with all kinds of fruit, delicious flavor. …
Adam and Eve could admire the magnificence of the glory of God in every blade of grass, every grove, and every flower. The natural beauty that surrounded them mirrored the wisdom, excellence, and love of their Heavenly Father. And their hymns of love and praise rose with grace and reverence to heaven, with angelic hymns and melodious songs by which the birds fearlessly expressed their happiness. Wherever he went, the gaze met life. The atmosphere was imbued with it. …
Adam reflected the image of God according to which he had been created. He was like him in righteousness and holiness. His spirit was able to constantly develop, expand and refine, for God was his master, and the angels his companions.
Daily meditation
April 29, 2021
BARTIME’S FAITH REWARDED IN GOD’S GRACE
Jesus spoke and said to him, What do you want me to do to you? Rabbuni, said the blind man, let me get my sight back. (Mark 10.51)
ONLY WHEN the sinner feels his need for help, his heart turns to the One who can help him. When Jesus walked among men, it was the sick who needed a doctor. The poor, the afflicted, and the unhappy followed him for help and comfort that they could not find elsewhere. A blind man named Bartimaeus had been waiting for him for a long time on the side of the road.
The sight-seeing crowd came and went, but felt no desire to see Jesus. One look of faith would have touched his loving heart and brought them the blessings of his grace. But they ignored the weakness and the poverty of their soul. They didn’t feel the need for Jesus. It was not so with the poor and blind man. Jesus was his only hope. As he waited and watched, he heard the sound of many footsteps and hastened to ask, “What are these travel noises?” The passers-by answered him: “It is Jesus of Nazareth who is passing.” With the ardor of intense desire, he exclaimed: “Jesus! Son of David, have mercy on me! They tried to silence him, but he shouted even louder: “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus heard his call and his persevering faith was rewarded. Not only did he regain his physical health, but the eyes of his understanding opened. In Christ he saw his Redeemer, and the Sun of righteousness shone in his soul. All those who, like Bartimaeus, are aware of their need for Christ and show ardor and determination like him will be able, like him, to receive the blessings to which they aspire.
The afflicted and the sick who wanted Christ to help them were touched by divine perfection, as well as by the beauty of his holiness which emanated from his character (71).
Those who receive Christ by faith will also receive the power to become children of God (72).
(71. The Review and Herald, March 15, 1887.
72. The S.D.A. Bible Commentary, vol. 1, p. 1110.)Hi To all
Daily meditation
April 30, 2021
FROM A SLAVE OF SIN TO PRINCE OF GOD
He said again: Your name will no longer be Jacob, but you will be called Israel; for you have wrestled with God and with men, and you conquered. (Genesis 32:28)
THAT NIGHT Jacob, his mother’s favorite son, experienced the new birth and became a child of God. In his discouragement he realized the value of the light bestowed upon him, and the stone upon which his head rested became the most desirable thing on which it had ever rested (73).
What a happy man! He knew he had communicated with God himself. And the hearts of all of us who receive the light from the throne of God can only be filled with praise and thanksgiving, and honor the Lord, the God of heaven (74).
At the time of the great crisis of his life, Jacob retired aside to pray. He was imbued with an ideal that dominated him: the transformation of his character. But while he was wrestling with God, an enemy, he thought, came to lay his hand on him, and all night long he had to fight hand to hand to save his life, but his will did not falter for a single moment. He was on the verge of succumbing to exhaustion when the angel manifested his divine power by dislodging his hip. Then Jacob understood with whom he had struggled. Wounded and weak, he collapsed on the Savior’s breast, begging his blessing. He did not want to turn away from Christ, nor to cease begging him, and he answered the prayer of this overwhelmed and repentant soul. Jacob’s weeping cry: “I will not let you go if you do not bless me” (Genesis 32:26), was inspired by the invisible wrestler, who changed his name from Jacob to that of Israel, saying: “For you wrestled with God and with men, and you conquered. ”(Genesis 32:28). Through self-denial and firm faith, Jacob finally obtained what he had fought for so long (75).
(73. Manuscript 85, 1908.
74. Manuscript 29, undated.
75. Blessed are those who, “Love One Another,” p. 116.)Hi To all
Daily meditation
May 1, 2021
HE DEPENDED ENTIRELY ON DIVINE POWER
Jesus therefore answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, the Son can do nothing of himself, but only what he sees the Father doing; and whatever the Father does, the Son also does. (John 5:19)
JESUS is the perfect model, and each child, each young person has the duty and the privilege to develop this model. Let the children keep in mind that as a child Jesus took upon himself human nature, lived in flesh similar to sinful flesh, was tempted by Satan as any child is tempted. He was able to resist the temptations of the devil because of his dependence on the divine power of his Heavenly Father, subject to his will and obeying all of his commandments. He observed his Father’s statutes, his precepts and his laws. He continually sought God’s guidance and obeyed his will.
Every child has the duty and the privilege to walk in the footprints of Jesus. […] It will please the Lord Jesus that the children ask him for all the spiritual graces, submit to him their perplexities and their trials because he knows how to help children and young people for having also been a child subject to the same trials, to the same disappointments and the same perplexities. Whenever God makes a promise, it is addressed to children and young people as well as to those who are more mature. Let the children and young people make a request of it, pleading with the Lord to make it a reality in their experience, just as he did for Jesus, his only begotten Son, who turned to his Father for all his human needs. All the blessings he bestowed on adults he also bestowed on children and young people through Jesus Christ (1).
(1. The Youth’s Instructor, August 23, 1894.)
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Daily meditation
May 2, 2021
HE SUBMITS TO PARENTAL AUTHORITY
Then he went down with them to go to Nazareth, and he was subject to them. (Luke 2.51)
JESUS CLAIMS a filial relationship with the Lord. […] His first visit to the temple awakened new impulses. He lost sight of all his earthly obligations for a time, but even with the knowledge of his divine mission, and of his union with God, he did not resist the authority of his parents. At their request, he returned to them as a loyal and obedient son and assisted them in their life of toil. He buried in his own heart the secret of his future mission, awaiting with submission the arrival of the hour of his public ministry to announce to the world that he was the Messiah. He submitted to parental control, for a period of 18 years, after recognizing that he was the Son of God, and lived the simple and ordinary life of a Galilean, working in the carpentry shop. […] During thirty years, it remained subjected under the parental control. […]
At twelve years old, it is common for any child, even of Christian parents, to feel that they should be allowed to follow their own wishes. And parents are willing to let their children lead, instead of leading them. […] It is for this reason that many young people develop selfish and idle habits. They are conceited, proud and stubborn (2).
When we consider her patient self-sacrifice, her distance from all fame, devoting herself to her daily work in her humble sphere, what an admirable light shed on her life! With what clarity appears the path that children and young people should follow! […] Jesus was no less the Son of God in his humble home, in his submission to his parents, than when God speaking from his eternal throne declared: “This is my beloved Son (3). “(Matthew 3:17)
The life of Christ guarantees an everlasting blessing on a life joyfully subject to parental control and a physically and mentally skillful life (4).
(2. The Youth’s Instructor, September 1873.
3. Ibid., July 14, 1892.
4. Ibid., September 1873.)Hi To all
The Mystery of Sin,
You were a protective cherub, with outstretched wings …. You were Integral in your flights, from the day you were created Until the day iniquity was found in you. Ez. 28:14, 15.It is not possible to give an explanation of the appearance of sin that justifies its existence, but we know enough about its origin and its ultimate consequences to be able to admire the justice and love of God. in his manner, to act in the presence of evil. God is not responsible for the entry of sin into the world: nothing is more clearly taught by the Scriptures. No arbitrary denial of divine grace, no error in divine government, has given rise to discontent and revolt. Sin is a mysterious and inexplicable intruder; its presence is unjustifiable. To excuse is to defend it. If he could be excused, if he had a reason to be, he would cease to be sin. The only definition that we can give is that of the Word of God: “Sin is the transgression of the law” it is the manifestation of, a principle refractory to the great law of love, basis of divine government.
Sin has its origin in selfishness. Lucifer, the cherub with outstretched wings, coveted the first place in heaven. He strove to dominate the celestial beings, to distance them from their Creator and to obtain their homage for himself. … This is how he seduced angels and deceived men. He led them to doubt the word of God and to distrust his goodness. … He thus urged men to join him in rebellion against God and the darkness of calamity fell upon the world.
Sin made its appearance in a perfect universe. … The reasons for its origin and its development have never been given and will not even be on the last day, when the judgment will be held and the books will be opened. … In that day, everyone will be convinced that sin does not, does not and never has a cause. At the time of the final condemnation of Satan, his angels and all men who ultimately identify with him as transgressors of divine law, all mouths will be closed. When the rebels are asked, from their leader to the last of the transgressors, why they rose up against the law of God, no one will answer.
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This IS Ty Gybson reflection:
On the fragile nature of freedom and the passing phenomenon of democracy:
1. Love and freedom are so tightly woven together into the fabric of reality that the second cannot indefinitely exist without the first.
2. To the degree that freedoms—such as freedom of speech, freedom to bear arms, and free financial markets—are used to cause harm, the collective impulse will be to revoke those freedoms in favor of state controls.
3. The Internet has maximized free speech. But because that freedom is being abused by fake news, political propaganda, and hate speech, we are seeing a restricting of free speech. If enough people use their free speech to tell lies and spew hate, free speech will be restricted.
4. We currently live in a period of history with unprecedented freedoms, largely driven by communications technologies, the democratization of information, and free markets. But we also live in a time of unprecedented corruption by means of those freedoms.
5. Freedom is only sustainable by means of love (or moral responsibility). Where love ceases to be the end toward which freedom is exercised, a social order that restricts freedom will be imposed.
6. Because human beings inevitably abuse their freedoms by violating one another, democracy—a free state for the people, by the people—can only be a temporary historic phenomenon and will finally give way to some form of totalitarianism.
7. Bottom line: a society that normalizes deception, hate, greed, and violence as common uses of its freedoms will inevitably lose those freedoms to a police state. Moral corruption leads to bondage.
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Daily meditation
May 6, 2021
IN BAPTISM
As soon as he was baptized, Jesus came out of the water. And behold, the heavens were opened, he saw the Spirit of God descend like a dove and come upon him. And behold, a voice uttered these words from heaven: This is my beloved Son, in whom I have placed all my affection. (Matthew 3:16,17)
JESUS WAS OUR EXAMPLE in everything related to life and beauty. He was baptized in the Jordan, just as those who come to him must also be. The angels of heaven watched with intense interest the scene of the Savior’s baptism, and if the eyes of the spectators present had been opened, they would have seen the heavenly host surrounding the Son of God, as he knelt on the shore. of the Jordan. God had promised John that he would give him a sign by which he would recognize the Messiah, and now, as Jesus came out of the water, the promised sign was given to him. He saw the heavens open and the Spirit of God, in the form of a dove of polished gold, circling around the head of Christ, as a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son. beloved in whom I have put all my affection ”. […] Jesus, the Redeemer of the world, opened the way so that the most base of sinners, the most needy, the most oppressed and the greatest outcast could have access to the Father, having a place in eternal mansions. that Jesus went to prepare for those who love him (17).
Those who have risen with Christ to walk in newness of life are the elect of God. They are holy in the sight of the Lord and, as beloved of him, they are admitted into his presence. Thus, they entered into a solemn covenant, distinguished by their lowliness of mind. They are to put on the garments of righteousness, separate from the world, its spirit and its practices, and must reveal what they have learned from it. […] If they realize that they died with Christ, if they keep their baptismal vow, the world will have no power over them to draw them away from Christ, to deny him. If they live the life of Christ in this world, they participate in his divine nature (18).
(17. The Youth’s Instructor, June 23, 1892.
18. Letter 32, 1907.)Hi To all
Daily meditation
May 7, 2021
IN THE STUDY OF SCRIPTURES
And, beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he explained to them in all the scriptures what concerned him. (Luke 24:27)
AFTER JOSEPH and Mary had searched for him [Jesus] for three days, they found him in the courtyard of the temple, sitting among the doctors, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his knowledge, understanding, and answers. He asked his questions with a grace which charmed these scholars. […] His mother could only note his words, his spirit, his voluntary obedience to all his demands.
It is not correct to say, as many writers have done, that Christ was like all other children. He wasn’t. Many children are misguided and badly brought up. But Joseph, and especially Mary, kept the memory of the divine fatherhood of their child. Jesus was taught in harmony with the sacredness of his mission. His inclination to what is right was a constant gratification to his human parents (19).
His great familiarity with the Scriptures shows how he applied himself, from his earliest years, to the study of the Word of God (20).
Jesus explained the scriptures to his disciples. Beginning with Moses and continuing with the prophets, he showed them everything about him, and he explained the prophecies to them (21).
He called attention to the absolute authority of the Scriptures. This is what we should do ourselves (22).
Any child can learn like Jesus did. If we strive to get to know our Heavenly Father, by means of his Word, angels will approach us, to strengthen our spirits, to ennoble and uplift our characters (23).
Like Christ, we should be able to face the enemy and his temptations with an “It is written” (24).
(19. The Youth’s Instructor, September 8, 1898.
20. Jesus Christ, chap. 7, p. 53.
21. Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, chap. 97, p. 613.
22. The Parables of Jesus, “The Sower,” p. 26.
23. Jesus Christ, Op. Cit., P. 53.
24. The Youth’s Instructor, July 13, 1893.)God bless
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An alliance on new foundations
He is the mediator of a better alliance, which has been built on better promises.
Hebrews 8: 6 b.The Israelites had been specially advised not to lose sight of the commandments of God. If they observed them, strength and blessing would be their share.
A few weeks had scarcely elapsed since that scene of majesty and terror in which they had, with trembling, heard the proclamation of the law of God, when, breaking their covenant with the Lord, they bowed down to a metal image; therefore, they could no longer count on favor from above by virtue of a covenant which they had violated. On the other hand, realizing their moral misery and their need for forgiveness, they were prepared to understand the need for the Savior offered by the covenant with Abraham and foreshadowed by the sacrifices. From that moment, brought back by faith and gratitude to a God who could deliver them from the bondage of sin, they were ready to enjoy the benefits of the new covenant.
The terms of the old covenant were: Obey and you will live; “The man who fulfills (my laws) shall live by them” Ezekiel 20:11; Leviticus 18: 5. On the other hand, she said: “Cursed is he who does not put this law into practice!” Deuteronomy 27:26. The new covenant, on the other hand, was “established on better promises”, namely: the promise of the forgiveness of sins and that of the gift of divine grace which renews the heart and brings it into harmony with the principles of divine law. .
All who are humble of heart, who confess their sins, will find mercy, grace and assurance. By showing mercy to the sinner, has God ceased to be righteous? Has he dishonored his holy law, and therefore does he disregard when the law is broken? God is true. It doesn’t change. The conditions for salvation will always be the same. Life, eternal life is for all who obey the law of God. … Under the new covenant, the condition of eternal life is the same as under the old: perfect obedience. … In the new and better covenant, Christ obeyed the law in place of his transgressors, inasmuch as they accept him by faith as their personal Savior. … In this covenant, we are washed from sin by the blood of Christ.Hi To all
The revelation of God’s character,
But God shows his love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Rom. 5: 8.
The fall of man with all its consequences was not ignored by the Almighty. Redemption was not an afterthought, nor a plan developed after the fall of Adam. It is an eternal purpose whose accomplishment was accepted to make it a source of blessing not only for this atom that is our world, but also for all the worlds created by God.
When the man sinned, the whole of heaven was filled with sorrow. …
The human race, at odds with the nature of God, no longer satisfying the requirements of his law, had no other perspective than annihilation. As the divine law is as immutable as the character of God, no hope was allowed to man, unless, a means was found to allow the forgiveness of his transgression, the renewal of his nature and the restoration of his spirit to the image of God. Divine love had devised such a plan. ..
In the work of creation Christ was with God. He was one with him, equal to him. … He alone, the creator of man, could be his Savior. No angel in heaven could reveal the Father to sinners and bring them back into submission to God. But Christ could manifest the love of the Father, for God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself. Christ could be the intermediary between a holy God and a lost humanity and lay his hand on both of us ”(Job 9:33).
He proposed to take upon himself the guilt and shame of sin, of this sin so repulsive in the eyes of God that it would entail his separation from, with the Father. Christ agreed to descend into the depths of degradation and abjection of man in order to restore harmony between God and the repentant and believing soul. Christ, the lamb slain from the foundation of the world, offered himself as a sacrifice and substitute for the fallen children of Adam.
Creation, redemption, nature and Christ reveal the glory of divine character. By the marvelous expression of his love in the gift of his only begotten Son … God has revealed his character to the intelligences of the universe.
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Christ, the mystical ladder
And behold, a ladder was resting on the earth, and its top reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending by that ladder. Gen. 28:12.
The mystical ladder that was shown to Jacob as he fled from his home … teaches us a great truth about the plan of salvation.
The ladder represents Christ. He is the means of communication between heaven and earth through which the angels come and go, maintaining a continual relationship with the fallen race. Christ’s words to Nathanael are in harmony with the image of the ladder: “Verily, verily, henceforth you will see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man. ” (John 1: 51.) In this declaration, the Redeemer identified himself with the mystical ladder which makes communication between heaven and earth possible. …
In putting on humanity, Christ firmly placed the ladder on the earth. It reaches the highest place in heaven, where the glory of God shines, illuminating its entire length as angels ascend and descend, bearers of messages from God to man or of requests and of praise of, man to God. … The union of mankind and divinity in Christ was represented in this vision of Jacob. As the angels ascend and descend on the ladder, God stands at the top, looking with favor upon the children of men because of the merits of his Son.
It is not easy to obtain eternal life. We must move forward with living faith, making the necessary arrangements to move up step by step; however we must be convinced that no holy thought or selfless action can come out of the self. It is only through Christ that there can be any virtue in humanity. … But, while we cannot do anything without it, we have something to do with it. At no time can we relax our vigilance, for we are, so to speak, suspended between heaven and earth. We must cling to Christ, ascend with his help, and become workers with him to save our souls.
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Daily meditation
May 12, 2021
BY DEMONSTRATING GOD’S PARENTAL ATTRIBUTES
As a father has compassion on his sons, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him. (Psalm 103.13)
IN ALL OF THE GRACIOUS ACTS that Jesus did, he sought to draw the attention of men to the parental and benevolent attributes of God. In all of his teachings he sought to instill in them the wonderful truth that “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him may not perish but have eternal life” John 3.16). Jesus wanted us to understand the Father’s love and he seeks to draw us to him by presenting his fatherly grace to us. He would like the entire field of our vision to be filled with the perfection of God’s character. In his prayer on behalf of his disciples, he declared: “I have glorified you on earth: I have completed the work which you gave me to do. […] I have manifested your name to the men whom you have given me out of the world ”(John 17.4,6).
Jesus came into the world to illustrate the character of God in his own life. He swept aside the defamations advanced by Satan and revealed the glory of God. It was only by living among men that he could reveal the mercy, compassion and love of his Heavenly Father. Indeed, it was by his acts of beneficence that he was able to expose the grace of God. The unbelief of men was deeply rooted and yet they could not resist the power of the testimony of his divine example, his acts of love and truth (39).
The goodnesses of divine providence speak to every soul, confirming the testimony of Christ concerning the supreme goodness of his Father. The Lord wants His people to realize that the blessings poured out on every element of creation are in proportion to their place on the scale of creation. If even the needs of the smallest animals are met, can we appreciate the blessings that God will shower upon beings formed in his image (40)?
God is love and cares about us. “As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him (41). ”
(39. The Youth’s Instructor, December 15, 1892.
40. The General Conference Bulletin, October 1, 1899.
41. The Youth’s Instructor, December 14, 1893.)Psalms 107:8
Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!Our devotional exercises should not consist wholly in asking and receiving. Let us not be always thinking of our wants and never of the benefits we receive. We do not pray any too much, but we are too sparing of giving thanks. We are the constant recipients of God’s mercies, and yet how little gratitude we express, how little we praise Him for what He has done for us.{SC 102.2
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The smitten rock
Behold, I will stand before you on the rock of, Horeb; thou shalt strike the rock, and water will come out of it, and the people shall drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. Ex. 17: 6.
It was from the rock struck in Horeb that the limpid torrent which refreshed Israel in the desert had first gushed out. Through all his steps, whenever he needed water, it reached him by a miracle of divine goodness. …
It was the Son of God who, by the power of his word, made these beneficial waves emerge. “They were drinking from a spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ.” (1 Cor. 10: 4) Source of all their temporal and spiritual blessings, step by step, the Savior accompanied them. “When he led them through the deserts, they weren’t thirsty; he caused water to flow out of the rock for them; he split the rock … and waters gushed out; they flowed through the desert like a river. ” (Isa. 48: 21; Ps. 105: 41.)
The rock of, Horeb was a symbol of rich, valuable teachings. Just as life-giving waters sprang from the rock struck by the staff of Moses, so from Christ “smitten by God”, “bruised and broken because of our iniquities” (Isa. 53: 4, 5), springs forth. the river of salvation called to save our lost race. Just as the rock had been struck once, the Messiah was to be “offered only once to bear the sins of many s. (Heb. 9:28) Our Savior was not to be offered as a sacrifice a second time. It is enough for those who seek the benefits of his grace to ask for them in the name of Jesus, with a sincere and tender heart. Our urgent prayers make the wounds of the Crucified one pass before the eyes of the Lord, and make flow again the salutary flood symbolized by the water which watered Israel.
Fresh and pure water gushing out of, a scorched and sterile earth … is the emblem of the divine grace that Jesus alone can bring to the souls that she purifies. The one in whom Jesus dwells possesses within himself an inexhaustible source of grace and joy.
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Daily meditation
May 14, 2021
BY WINNING VICTORY OVER APPETITE
The tempter approached and said to him: If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves. Jesus answered, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. (Matthew 4.3,4)
THE GREAT test of Christ in the wilderness over appetite was to leave man an example of self-denial. This long fast was to convince human beings of the sinful nature of things that professional Christians allow themselves. The victory he won in the wilderness was to show them the sinful nature of the things in which they place their pleasure. The salvation of man was at stake and was to be decided by the trial of Christ in the wilderness. If he won the appetite victory, then there was a chance for man to triumph. […]
Christians who understand the mystery of godliness, who have a high and holy sense of atonement, who realize that Christ’s sufferings in the wilderness were a victory won for them … would be greatly strengthened if they compared often and seriously their life to that of Christ, their true standard. […] The amusements which lead to the lightness and forgetting of God cannot be aligned with the example of Christ, the Redeemer of the world, the only sure model that man can develop to triumph as the said Christ. […] Man now has a certain advantage over Adam in this conflict with Satan because he has before him the experience of Adam’s disobedience and his subsequent fall to dissuade him from following such an example. Man also has before him, the example of Christ dominating the appetite, the multiple temptations of Satan, and consuming the defeat of the enemy in all respects, emerging victorious from all disputes (46).
Habits in eating and drinking are the most difficult to overcome because Satan ties you so tightly to his chariot (47).
All those who devote themselves to the service of Christ will follow his example and be perfect conquerors (48).
(46. The Review and Herald, October 13, 1874.
47. Manuscript 20, 1894.
48. Manuscript 176, 1898.)God bless
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THE WORD MADE FLESH
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; and we beheld his glory, a glory like the glory of the Only Begotten from the Father. John 1:14.
If we want to meditate on a solemn subject, let us fix our minds on the most wonderful fact that ever took place on earth and in heaven: the incarnation of the Son of God.
Christ was the only one capable of representing the divinity. … God must be revealed to man. To this end, our Savior clothed his divinity with humanity. He used human faculties to make himself known, for only humanity could reach humanity. He manifested the character of God in a human body prepared by God.
If Christ had come in his divine form, mankind could not have endured his sight. The contrast would have been too painful, and the glory too overwhelming. Mankind would not have supported the presence of a being radiant with the glory of angels. This is why Christ, instead of taking their nature, became like men.
Seeing him we contemplate the invisible God who has veiled his divinity through humanity in order to attenuate his glory so that our eyes can focus on him without our souls being dazzled. Thus, we admire God through Christ, our Creator and our Redeemer. We have the privilege of contemplating, by faith, Jesus who stands between our humanity and the eternal throne. He is our advocate and presents our prayers and offerings to God as spiritual sacrifices. Jesus is our propitiation, and by his merits man can enter into a relationship with God.
Christ introduced his humanity into eternity. He stands before God as the representative of our race. Clothed in the wedding garment of his righteousness, we become one with him and he says of us: “They shall walk with me in white garments, because they are worthy” (Rev. 3: 4). His redeemed will contemplate him without a veil, in his glory
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