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The child of Bethlehem
A Savior was born to you, who is Christ the Lord. And this is what sign you will recognize it by: you will find a child swaddled and lying in a manger. Luke 2:11, 12.
We cannot understand how Christ became a puny little child. He could have descended on earth in such splendor that he would not have resembled the children of men. Her face would have shone with light and her body with majesty and grandeur. He would have charmed his admirers. But it was not in this form that God had decided that He would come among the children of men. He must have resembled the members of the human family, especially the Jews. His face had to be like that of other men, with no extraordinary beauty to attract attention. He would come as a man and present himself in that capacity before earth and heaven. Come to take the place of man, he would give himself in his favor and pay the debt contracted by sinners. Living a pure life on earth, he would prove that Satan lied by claiming that mankind was forever his and that God could not snatch him out of his hands.
The first vision that men had of Christ was of, a baby, and then, a child. His parents were poor and only had on this land what the poor had. From his birth and during his childhood, his adolescence and his maturity, he knew all the living conditions of the unfortunate and the humble ….
The more we reflect on the coming of Christ as a child, the more wonderful it appears to us. How is it that this weak child in the Bethlehem manger is the divine Son of God? Although we cannot understand this, we can believe that he who made the worlds became, out of love for us, this weak being. Greater than, any of the angels, equal to the Father on the throne of heaven, he became one with us. Therein lies the hope for our fallen race. Seeing Christ in the flesh, we encounter God in humanity, the splendor of divine glory, the imprinted image of God the Father.
Daily meditation
May 17, 2021
INSULATED, HE DIDN’T MAKE THE INSULT
He who, insulted, did not return the insult; suffering, did not make threats, but relied on Him who judges righteously. (1 Peter 2.23)
SO MANY TIMES we have felt that we have been treated unfairly, slandered and painted in a completely false light in the eyes of others! In the face of such an ordeal, we must maintain a strict protective barrier around our mind and our words. We will need the love of Christ so that we do not have to cherish a ruthless spirit. Do not believe that we are justified in refusing to forgive our offenders, unless they publicly confess the wrongs done. We should not pile up our grievances, keeping them close to our hearts to force those we consider guilty to humble their hearts in repentance and confession. […] No matter how deep the wounds they inflicted on us, we must not fondle our grievances, feeling sorry for ourselves but, just as we hope to be forgiven of God for all our trespasses against him, we also must forgive those who wrong us. […] Before the insult, how great is the temptation to give it back! But in doing so, we reveal ourselves to be like the offender. If we are tempted to insult, let us raise a silent prayer to God. It will fill us with his grace and keep our tongue silent. […]
Jesus left us an example so that we could follow in his footsteps and show compassion, love and goodwill towards all. Let us cultivate a courteous, tolerant spirit of tender and gentle love towards those who, driven by temptation, seriously hurt others. If possible, let’s apply a healing balm to these wounds, close the door of temptation by removing any barrier erected by the offender between him and us. […] The Lord takes pleasure in pouring out his blessings on those who honor him, recognize his mercy and show that they have appreciated his love for them by manifesting the same characteristics of grace around them (54).
(54. The Youth’s Instructor, June 1, 1893.)
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Daily meditation
May 18, 2021
HE WAS MISUNDERSTANDED AND OFTEN ABANDONED BY ALL.
I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: (Isaiah 63.3)
WHAT SUPPORT would not Christ have found in his earthly parents if they had recognized his heavenly origin and had granted him their collaboration in the accomplishment of the work of God! Their unbelief cast a shadow over Jesus’ early years. It was a portion of the cup of pain that he had to empty for us. […] Their narrowness prevented them from understanding the mission with which he was responsible and from sympathizing with him in his trials. Their derogatory words proved that they did not recognize his true character and did not see the divine element which mingled in him with the human element. They often saw him deeply distressed; instead of comforting him, the spirit they manifested through their words only hurt him. […]
All this helped to fill his path with thorns. The incomprehension he encountered in his family was so painful to him that he found relief in going where he did not have to feel it. […] He found relief only in solitude and fellowship with his Heavenly Father.
Are you called to suffer for Christ’s sake, to endure incomprehension and mistrust? Comfort yourself in thinking that Jesus had the same experience. He pities you. He invites you to take refuge in his company, to find comfort where he himself found it, in the communion of the Father. Those who accept Christ as their personal Savior are not orphans condemned to endure their trials alone. He introduces them into the heavenly family; he invites them to consider his Father as their Father. They are his little ones, dear to the heart of God, linked to him by tender and permanent bonds. As much as the divine surpasses the human, so much his tenderness towards us surpasses that which our father and our mother felt for us when we were unable to walk (55).
(55. Jesus Christ, chap. 33, p. 316, 317.)
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Daily meditation
May 19, 2021
HE HAS NOT INTERFERED WITH THE AUTHORITIES
Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have fought for me, so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but now my kingdom is not here. (John 18.36)
THERE ARE MANY, in today’s religious world, those who believe they must be busy establishing the kingdom of Christ in an earthly and temporal form. Their ambition is to make Christ Lord of the kingdoms of this world, exercising his authority in courts and military camps, in parliaments, palaces and in market places. They expect to see him rule by laws sanctioned by human authority. Christ being absent, they take his place in order to carry out the laws of his kingdom. […] The establishment of such a kingdom is just what the Jews wanted in the time of Christ. […] But he declared: “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). He refused an earthly throne.
Jesus lived under a corrupt and tyrannical government; everywhere one saw blatant abuses, extortions, intolerance, horrible cruelties. However, the Savior did not attempt any political reform. He did not attack national abuses, he did not condemn the enemies of his nation. He did not interfere in the affairs of the authority and the administration of the power in office. He who is our role model has kept away from earthly governments. Not that he was indifferent to the evils of men, but because the remedy did not lie solely in human and external measures. To be successful, it is necessary to reach individuals and regenerate hearts.
The kingdom of Christ will not be established by legal decisions or councils or legislative assemblies, nor by the influence of great men of the world; it will be by the action of the Holy Spirit communicating the nature of Christ to mankind. “To all who received her [the Word] she gave power to become children of God, to those who believe on her name and who are born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God (56). “(John 1.12,13)
(56. Jesus Christ, chap. 55, p. 505, 506.)
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Daily meditation
May 20, 2021
OUT OF LOVE FOR OTHERS
Therefore be imitators of God, like beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up to God for us as an offering and as a sacrifice like a sweet-smelling fragrance. (Ephesians 5.1,2)
CHILDREN DEAR TO GOD, you must follow him, obey all his demands and walk in his love after the example of Christ who loved us. […] Love was the element by which Christ lived, walked and worked. He came and embraced the world with his arms of love. […]
Let us follow the example he left us, make him our model until we too are animated towards others with the same love that he has shown us. He seeks to engrave in us this profound lesson of love. […] If your hearts tend to selfishness, let Christ imbue you with his love. He wants us to love him fully and encourages us, yes, and even commands us, to love others according to his example. He makes love the banner of our discipleship. […] This is the height to be reached: “Love one another; as I have loved you ”John 13:34). What height, what depth, and what breadth characterize this love! This love should not be for a few favorite individuals, but should reach the most humble and the simplest of God’s creatures. Jesus said: “Inasmuch as you did this to one of these least of my brethren, you did it to me” (Matthew 25:40). […]
The love and sympathy that Jesus wants us to show for others is not sentimental, which is a trap for the soul. It is a love taken from heaven, exemplified by Jesus, both by word and by example. But, instead of showing this love, how many times have we not mutually alienated and estranged from one another! […] The result is an estrangement from God himself, a stunted experience, a stunted Christian growth. […]
The love of Jesus is an active principle, uniting hearts among themselves, in the bonds of Christian brotherhood. All those who aspire to enter heaven must live in this love here below because, in heaven, the Redeemer and the redeemed will be the objects of our interest (57).
(57. The Youth’s Instructor, October 20, 1892.)
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The Meaning of Christ’s Baptism,
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. Mast. 3:13.
Many people went to him (John) to receive the baptism of repentance and confess their sins. … Christ also went, not for his own sins, but because of the guilt that rested on him as the sinner’s substitute. He went not to repent of his personal life, but in favor of the sinner. … Christ honored the institution of baptism by submitting to this rite. By this act he identified himself with his people, as his representative and his leader. Being his substitute, he took upon himself his sins, placing himself among the number of transgressors, taking the steps that the sinner should take and fulfilling the duties of the guilty …
After Christ had come out of the water … he walked to the bank of the Jordan and bowed down in the attitude of prayer. As a model of the believer, in his immaculate humanity, he implored the grace and strength of his Heavenly Father as he began his public ministry as Messiah. …
Never had the angels heard a prayer like that which Christ said at his baptism, and they were eager to be the bearers of the Father’s message to his Son. But it is from the Father himself that the light of his glory proceeded. The heavens opened and rays of splendor surrounded the Son of God and took the form of a dove resplendent as polished gold. The dove was the emblem of the humility and grace of Christ. … From the open heavens resounded these words: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I have placed all my affection.” … Although the Son of God had clothed mankind, Jehovah, with his own voice, assured him of his sonship with the Most High. By this manifestation towards his Son, God accepted the humanity exalted by the excellence of his Beloved.
The prayer of Christ on the banks of the Jordan extends to everyone who believes in him. You receive the promise of, to be accepted in him. Does not God say: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I have placed all my affection?” Christ has cleared the way for you to the throne of the Infinite God.
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Then Jesus was taken by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Matthew 4: 1.
How is it that, at the beginning of his ministry, Christ was led into the desert to be tempted there? … He did not go there on his own initiative, but in our favor, to win in our stead. … He had to be tempted and tried as a representative of our race. In a personal encounter, he would face the enemy and defeat the one who claimed to be the head of the kingdoms of this world.
Satan approached him and tempted him on the same subjects as man. Our Substitute and our Guarantor passed by the path where Adam stumbled and fell. The question regarding Christ was: Will he succumb like Adam over the commandments of God? No, he repelled the temptation several times with these words: “It is written!” and Satan forsook the battlefield like a vanquished enemy. Christ redeemed the unhappy fall of, Adam; he achieved perfect character through complete obedience and set an example for the human family. … If he had failed on one point of the law of God, it would not have been a perfect offering. Adam, in fact, fell in transgressing one command of God. …
Our Savior resisted every temptation, and in so doing He enabled man to overcome. This thought is enough to fill our hearts with gratitude every day of our life. Jesus being accepted as our substitute and our guarantor, we too will be accepted if we emerge victorious from the trial. … He took our nature in order to know the temptations which beset man, and he is our mediator and our intercessor before the Father.
Those who want to win must muster all their strength. They must beg God, on their knees, to grant them his help … To resist evil, men can have a power that neither earth, nor death, nor hell can overcome, a power through which they will be able to gain victory like Christ. Divinity and humanity will be united in them.
A life without sin
For we have not a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses; on the contrary, he was tempted like us in all things, without committing sin. (Hebrews 4:15)
Consider what it cost the Savior to fight in the wilderness of temptation on our behalf against the evil and cunning enemy.
Satan knew that the success or failure of his efforts to overcome Christ by his temptations would have endless consequences. He knew that if Christ were to win where Adam had succumbed, the plan of salvation would be carried out, that his power would be taken from him, and his destruction would be certain. The temptations of the Adversary were more powerful in weakened human nature, and man was unable to resist them. But Christ, in his place, relying entirely on the help of God, overcame the terrible test and became a perfect example for us. There is hope for the man. … Our task is to overcome as Christ did. He fasted forty days and endured the pangs of hunger. He suffered on our behalf beyond comprehension, and we should welcome the sorrows and trials that come upon us for the love of Christ in order to overcome like him and to be lifted up before the throne of our Redeemer. …
We have everything to gain by fighting our enemy. We cannot afford to give in to its temptations. We know that it is impossible for us to achieve victory by our own strength. But Christ, who humbled himself by taking our nature and experienced our needs, triumphed over the most subtle temptations. He conquered the enemy by pushing back his solicitations so that man himself could be the victor. In a body like ours, it has suffered what we can take, and more.
We will never be called to suffer like him, who bore the sins not of one person, but of the whole world. He accepted humiliation, shame, suffering and death so that by his example we could inherit all things.
God bless
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Daily Devotions
The question of the covenants has been greatly distorted and misunderstood. Let’s begin by noticing what the old covenant was not. It was not the Ten Commandments. Why? Because God’s eternal law did not grow old and vanish away (verse 13). They did not have poor promises (v. 6), and they were not faulty (v. 7).
Then what was the old covenant, and how was it ratified? It was an agreement between God and Israel. When Moses shared the covenant with Israel, they replied, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do” (Exodus 19:8). The people promised to keep the Ten Commandments. It was ratified by the sprinkled blood of an ox (Exodus 24:7, 8). The promises of the people failed because they tried to obey in their human strength alone.
In comparison, the new covenant was instituted and ratified by the blood of Jesus at His death (Hebrews 12:24; 13:20; Matthew 26:28). It went into effect when He died. “For a testament (covenant) is in force after men are dead, since it had no power at all while the testator lives” (Hebrews 9:17).
In speaking of the new covenant, the apostle Paul writes: “Though it is only a man’s covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it” (Galatians 3:15). This means that after the death of Christ, nothing could be added to or taken away from the new covenant. Jesus introduced the Lord’s Supper on Thursday night before He died, so it came under the new covenant (Matthew 26:28).
Here’s a question worth asking: “When did Sunday-keeping begin?” Everyone answers, “After the resurrection.” If that is the case, then it cannot be part of the new covenant since it took place after the death of Jesus. Can anything be “added” after the death of Jesus, the testator?
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: Hebrews 8:7-8
https://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/daily-devotionalHi To all
Daily meditation
May 25, 2021
ACKNOWLEDGING GOD AS PROVIDER OF ALL GIFTS
Blessed be the Lord every day! He takes charge of us, that God is our salvation. (Psalm 68.20)
UNDER THE JEWISH SYSTEM, at the birth of a child, an offering was brought to God, in accordance with his prescriptions. Nowadays, we see some parents making real sacrifices to give birthday gifts to their children. They make this day an occasion to honor their child, as if the human being should be honored. […] We are indebted to the great Provider for all his gifts: life, health, food, clothing and above all the hope of eternal life. We must therefore recognize its many benefits and present our offerings to it. These anniversary gifts are approved by heaven.
If Christian parents had accustomed their children to presenting offerings to God in recognition of the ineffable gift of salvation to mankind, how different the character of young people would have been. Their minds would have separated from themselves to focus on the blessed Savior. They would learn that he loves them and that he is the source of all blessing, that he is their hope for happiness and eternal life.
If this kind of education had been given to our children, today we would have much less selfishness, envy and jealousy. We would have many more virile young men and perfectly feminine young women around us. We would see young people grow in moral strength, with principles of purity, a well-balanced mind and loving characters because the Model would have been constantly before them. They would have been influenced by the importance of reproducing the excellence of Jesus, the Model. […] God wants the young and the old to look to him to believe in Jesus Christ whom he sent, and to open their hearts to him. Then a new life will activate all the faculties of being. The Divine Comforter will be with them to strengthen them where they are weak and guide them in their perplexities. […] He will level before them the path of life (71).
(71. The Review and Herald, December 9, 1890.)
Daily meditation
May 26, 2021
IN FORGIVENESS
Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. (Luke 23:34)
CHRIST is our example. He himself placed himself at the head of the human family to accomplish a work of which men do not know the importance because they do not realize what privileges, nor what possibilities are placed before them as members of the human family of God. […] His mercy was not weakness, but a terrible power to punish sin […] and at the same time a power to attract the love of humanity. Through Christ, righteousness is empowered to forgive without sacrificing a single strand of his high holiness (72).
Christ taught us to pray: “Forgive us our trespasses, as we also forgive those who trespass against us”; “If you forgive men for their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you” (Matthew 6.12; Matthew 6.14). […]
If someone has offended you and is too proud or stubborn to approach you and say, “I’m sorry,” would you not go to him and say, “I love you for Christ’s sake and forgive you? ‘offense you have inflicted on me’? Jesus will witness and approve this act of love. And, as you have done for others, so will you (73).
We must have a spirit of pity and compassion for those who have wronged us, whether or not they confess their faults. If they do not confess and repent of their sins, they will remain in the books forever and these people will have to face them on the day of judgment. But, if they say, “I’m sorry,” then […] we are free to forgive them from the bottom of our heart (74).
True happiness does not come from the possession of riches or from the position occupied, but from the possession of a pure heart, sane and purified by obedience to the truth. […] Everyone is given the opportunity to live the principles of heaven. Forgiveness of offenses, and not revenge, is a demonstration of that wisdom which is true godliness. A Christian love for men for whom the Lord has given everything is a manifestation of an authentic transformation of character (75).
(72. The General Conference Bulletin, October 1, 1899.
73. The Youth’s Instructor, June 1, 1893.
74. Id.
75. Letter 229, 1905.)God bless
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A life without sin
For we have not a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses; on the contrary, he was tempted like us in all things, without committing sin. 4:15.
Consider what it cost the Savior to fight in the wilderness of temptation on our behalf against the evil and cunning enemy.
Satan knew that the success or failure of his efforts to overcome Christ by his temptations would have endless consequences. He knew that if Christ were to win where Adam fell, the plan of salvation would be carried out, power would be taken away from him, and his destruction would be certain. The temptations of the Adversary were more powerful in weakened human nature, and man was unable to resist them. But Christ, in his place, relying entirely on the help of God, overcame the terrible test and became a perfect example for us. There is hope for the man. … Our task is to overcome as Christ did. He fasted forty days and endured the pangs of hunger. He suffered on our behalf beyond comprehension, and we should welcome the sorrows and trials that come upon us for the love of Christ in order to overcome like him and to be lifted up before the throne of our Redeemer. …
We have everything to gain by fighting our enemy. We cannot afford to give in to its temptations. We know that it is impossible for us to achieve victory by our own strength. But Christ, who humbled himself by taking our nature and experienced our needs, triumphed over the most subtle temptations. He conquered the enemy by pushing back his solicitations so that man himself could be the victor. In a body like ours, it has suffered what we can take, and more.
We will never be called to suffer like him, who bore the sins not of one person, but of the whole world. He accepted humiliation, shame, suffering and death so that by his example we could inherit all things.
The sufferings of Christ in temptation.
For assuredly it is not to angels that he helps, but it is to the seed of Abraham. Heb. 2:16.
We are not to regard the obedience of Christ as being proper to his divine nature. He stood before God as the representative of man, and it was in this capacity that he was tempted. If Christ had had a special power that was not available to man, Satan would have benefited unmistakably from it. Christ’s mission was to rob him of his claim to rule over man, and he could do this only by coming as a man, tempted and obedient like himself.
May we understand the meaning of these words: “Having been tempted in that which he suffered.” (Heb. 2:18) While he was clean from all traces of sin, the sensitivity of his holy nature made his contact with evil exceedingly painful. However, he faced in single combat, in the human nature he had clothed, the supreme enemy who sought to steal his throne from him. Christ could not be made to give in to temptation, even in thought.
Satan seeks in the human heart some place where he can enter: a bad and nurtured desire over which temptations exercise their power. Now, Christ could say in this regard: “The prince of the world is coming. He has nothing in me. ” (John 14:30) The assaults of temptation swept over him, but they could not get the better of his faithfulness to God.
All of Christ’s followers must meet the same cunning enemy who attacked their Master. With surprising skill he adapts his temptations to circumstances, to their temperament, to their mental or moral weaknesses, to their strong passions. He flatters the ears of the children of men and causes pleasures, gains, or worldly honors to shine before them. “All these things, I will give them to you if you bow down.” We must look to Christ, resist, pray, beg like him if we, like him, want to gain victory.
God bless
Daily meditation
June 1, 2021
CHOOSE TODAY TO ALWAYS SERVE CHRIST
And if you don’t think you should serve the Lord, choose today who you want to serve: or the gods your fathers served beyond the river, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live. I and my house will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24.15)
WE WERE redeemed at the cost of the precious blood of Christ as a pure and unblemished lamb. What a price, unbelievably infinite! But, although Christ redeemed us and invites us to come to him, the world still retains a power of attraction over us and strives to control us. In this conflict, will love for God triumph over our love for the world? Satan and his evil angels stand at the entrance to every avenue leading to the human heart, seeking to persuade souls to follow their evil suggestions. The enemy gives us bait to draw us into the world, just as he did with Christ, into the wilderness of temptation. Unless under the control of a power outside and superior to us, the enemy will succeed in causing our ruin. But, as we look to Jesus, study his life and character, and earnestly desire to be like him, our minds will be balanced and pointed in the right direction so that we overcome selfishness and choose to follow the path of righteousness. […]
I appeal to all young people: “Choose today who you want to serve”. A decisive choice is needed because Jesus said: “You cannot serve God and Mammon” (Matthew 6:24) […]
If your heart is filled with love for Christ, it will become evident, and it will prove to be stronger than the passions which hitherto have dominated you, and whose satisfaction has undermined every noble impulse, leaving the soul at the mercy. temptations of Satan. […]
When a sinner’s heart is touched, he submits his will to that of God. […] He recognizes in Jesus incomparable charms, and his heart is then captivated (1).
(1. The Youth’s Instructor, October 27, 1892.)
God bless
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Daily meditation
June 2, 2021
CHOOSE CHRIST AS YOUR CAPTAIN
He said: No, but I am the captain of the host of the Lord, I am coming now. Joshua fell on his face to the earth, bowed himself down, and said unto him, What hath my lord saith to his servant? (Joshua 5:14)
JOSUE EXITS EARLY the morning before the capture of Jericho and, looking up, saw a warrior standing in front of him, ready for battle. Joshua asked him: “Are you for us or for our enemies?” 2 And he answered: “I am the captain of the host of the Lord, I am coming now”. If Joshua’s eyes had been opened … and if he had been able to endure the scene, he would have seen the angels of the Lord encamped around the children of Israel. For the trained army from heaven had come to fight for the people of God, and the captain of the army of the Lord was present to command them. […] It was not Israel, but the captain of the Lord’s army who captured Jericho. But, the children of Israel had their part to play to show their faith in the captain of their salvation.
Battles must be fought every day. A great war is raging between the Prince of Darkness and the Prince of Life. A great battle will be fought […] but, you are not the main warrior. As an agent of God, you must rely on him. He will plan, direct and wage the battle for you, with your cooperation. The Prince of Life is at the head of his work. He must be with you in your daily struggle against the self so that you are a person of principle and that the passion, waging war to dominate the soul, can be subjugated by the grace of Christ, and so that you come out more than victor by him who loved us. Jesus walked the battlefield and he knows the power of every temptation. He knows exactly how to deal with every emergency and how to guide you through every dangerous passage (2).
The one who gave his precious life out of love for you and who wants to see you happy will be your captain, always mindful of your interests (3).
(2. The Review and Herald, July 19, 1892.
3. The Youth’s Instructor, October 20, 1886.)Daily meditation
June 3, 2021
THE ADVICE OF A TRUE FRIEND JOYS THE HEART
Oil and perfume rejoice the heart, and the sweetness of a friend is better than the advice one gives to oneself. (Proverbs 27.9)
EVERYONE FACES difficult situations from time to time. Sadness and discouragement take hold of everyone. Also, a personal presence, a friend who consoles and comforts will turn aside the destructive traits of the evil one. Christian friends are not as many as they should be. In times of temptation, in the midst of a crisis, how precious is a sincere friend! At such times Satan sends his agents to trip trembling legs but the loyal friend who will counsel and share a magnetic hope, a reassuring faith that uplifts the soul. Yes! Such help is much better than precious pearls (4).
The life of Samuel, from his earliest childhood, was a life of piety and consecration. He was very soon placed in the care of Eli, and the charm of his character developed, nourished by the tender affection of the old priest. He was kind, courteous, generous, hardworking, obedient and respectful. […] The friendship that developed between Eli, the main leader of the nation, and the young child was a singular thing. Samuel was very helpful and loving, and no father has ever loved a son so dearly as Eli loved this youngster. […]
How touching it was to see old age and young age supporting each other in this way: the young one seeking the advice and wisdom of the old man, while the latter sought the affection and sympathy of the young. It should always be so! God would have liked the young to have such a character, which leads them to delight in the friendship of the elders, united in sweet bonds of affection with those who approach the grave (5).
A firm handshake from a loyal friend is better than silver and gold (6).
(4. The S.D.A. Bible Commentary, vol. 3, p. 1163.
5. The Signs of the Times, October 19, 1888.
6. Letter 16, 1886.)God bless
Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Psalm 24:7, 8.
Christ came to earth as God in the guise of humanity. He ascended to heaven as the King of saints. His ascension was worthy of His exalted character. He went as One mighty in battle, a conqueror, leading captivity captive. He was attended by the heavenly host, amid shouts and acclamations of praise and celestial song.19SDA Bible Commentary 6:1053.
The disciples not only saw the Lord ascend, but they had the testimony of the angels that He had gone to occupy His Father’s throne in heaven…. The brightness of the heavenly escort, and the opening of the glorious gates of God to welcome Him, were not to be discerned by mortal eyes. Had the track of Christ to heaven been revealed to the disciples in all its inexpressible glory, they could not have endured the sight….
Their senses were not to become so infatuated with the glories of heaven that they would lose sight of the character of Christ on earth, which they were to copy in themselves. They were to keep distinctly before their minds the beauty and majesty of His life, the perfect harmony of all His attributes, and the mysterious union of the divine and human in His nature…. His visible ascent from the world was in harmony with the meekness and quiet of His life.20Spirit of Prophecy 3:254, 255.
What a source of joy to the disciples, to know that they had such a Friend in heaven to plead in their behalf! Through the visible ascension of Christ all their views and contemplation of heaven are changed…. They now looked upon it as their future home, where mansions were being prepared for them by their loving Redeemer. Prayer was clothed with a new interest, since it was a communion with their Saviour….
They had a gospel to preach—Christ in human form, a Man of sorrows; Christ in humiliation, taken by wicked hands and crucified; Christ resurrected, and ascended to heaven, into the presence of God, to be man’s Advocate; Christ to come again with power and great glory in the clouds of heaven.21Spirit of Prophecy 3:262, 263.
From God’s Amazing Grace – Page 49
Hi To all
Why isn’t God destroying our wicked world now? The answer is found in the Israelite sanctuary service:
(a) Each day two lambs were offered on the burnt offering altar, one in the morning and one in the evening, for the benefit of each of those who lived within the boundaries of Israel. Foreigners and good guys were also included. They were not based on repentance and confession. No question was asked. the lambs were offered as a continuous burnt offering (Exodus 29: 38-42). To be a human being was all that was needed to come under the protection of God’s abundant grace.
(b) This is the Gospel in “shadow”, the “moon” of Revelation 12: 1. The meaning becomes clearer when the “sun” of the New Testament rises: “God was in Christ, reconciling the world with itself “(2 Corinthians 5:19). “By the ineffable gift of his Son, God has surrounded the whole world with an atmosphere of grace just as real as the air that circulates around our globe” (The Best Way, p. 66). The daily service of the two lambs was a ministry for the benefit of the whole world. When Jesus came to ask John to be baptized, he refused. Jesus had to give him a Bible study there, in the water, to make him understand that He was the Lamb symbolized by the daily sacrifice. “And John resisted him no more” (Matthew 3:15).
(c) The next day John introduced Jesus as “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Not “probably” or “maybe” or “he would like”. Nor “the Lamb who takes away the sin of some”. Why this universal sacrifice of atonement? “He himself is an atoning victim for our sins, not only for our own, but also for those of the whole world” (1 John 2: 2).
(d) The incense offered on the altar of incense, which burned continuously or daily, was also a type or representation of the universal ministry of intercession. Only the unbroken blood of Christ can keep this wicked world from destruction (Revelation 8: 3-5). When he stops presenting his blood, the time of distress will come.
Thank God for “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world”! There can’t be better news. Good news for you and for me if we respond to his ministry in the Most Holy Place “as long as we can say today”.
R.J.W.
God bless
ARE WE STILL UNDER THE OLD TESTAMENT LAWS REGARDING CLEAN AND UNCLEAN MEATS?
Daily Devotions
Many people asking this question quote Romans 6:14 or Colossians 2, saying, “It seems we can eat anything we want to eat now.” It’s a fair question, but we need to be careful to distinguish what the Bible is really teaching in these passages. If we aren’t careful, we can jump to conclusions and connect two points that aren’t actually related—and end up distorting God’s will.
First, let me clarify that the reference in Colossians 2 speaks of the ceremonial law of types and shadows that pointed forward to the death of Jesus; this law has no further meaning beyond the cross. Verse 14 states, “Having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” The sanctuary rituals associated with Christ’s sacrifice were fulfilled at Calvary. They are no longer necessary.
However, health laws actually preceded the time of Moses and the sanctuary system; they can be found going all the way back to Noah and the flood. During this time, God clearly identified a difference between clean and unclean animals. “You shall take with you [into the ark] seven each of every clean animal [and] … two each of animals that are unclean” (Genesis 7:2). They were to take more clean animals so they could eat them, as all the vegetation was destroyed following the flood; the unclean animals were not at risk to be consumed by Noah’s family.
Finally, Paul’s warning in Romans 6:14 is given in the context of those who attempt to gain salvation by keeping the law. Christians realize they are only saved by the merits of Christ. Attempting to gain heaven through one’s efforts is a sure way to miss this gift. Yet when Jesus is received into the heart, we should desire to keep the commandments in order to show our love to Him (John 14:15).
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31God bless
Hi To all
What do you think of modern faith healing movements? There are people who claim to have received the “gift of healing” so they can lay hands on and heal the sick. Many say they have witnessed unparalleled miracles. Is Faith an Important Part of Healing?
The Bible responds with a categorical “yes”.
But we have to understand what faith is, because we read in the Bible that “the demons also believe, and they tremble” (James 2:19). The account of the Roman centurion in Luke 7: 2-10 can help us better understand this. This Gentile military officer believed that Jesus would speak only the necessary word, and that his dying servant would be healed. Jesus admired the centurion, and, turning to the crowd that followed him, he said: I tell you, even in Israel I have not found such great faith. ”
What was this faith? Was it just the belief that Jesus had the power to heal by his word alone? If we say yes, we are faced with an important problem, because demons also believe that Jesus can be healed by his word. Such trust does not contain the full definition of faith, because demons have it too!
But reading the story in context, we begin to see that the faith of the Roman soldier went much further.
(1) He had begun to understand his guilt in the light of the righteousness of Christ, since he said two things: “I am not worthy that you come under my roof” and “I did not believe myself worthy of go to you in person. ” Demons don’t have such feelings of humility, do they? The centurion’s faith was not mere moral consent, but an appreciation of the heart.
(2) An unusual love permeated the heart of this officer, since he was preoccupied with his servant (or slave), and not with himself. The faith he possessed had already begun to transform him, and freed him from his selfishness. It is not the experience of demons.
This story therefore helps us understand the essential ingredient of any true healing miracle: faith, as a heartfelt appreciation of Christ’s sacrifice.
And as soon as I say this, I realize how weak and immature my faith still is, how much it needs to grow.
And yours?
RJW
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