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Hi To all
At all times, God’s witnesses have exposed themselves
stigma and persecution for the sake of the truth.
Joseph was mistreated and imprisoned, because he kept
his faithfulness and integrity (see Genesis 39: 1-23). David, the
chosen messenger of God, was driven out by his enemies as
a beast of prey (see 1 Samuel 24.1.12). Daniel was cast
in the lion’s den, because of his faithfulness to God
(see Daniel 6.1-28). Job was stripped of all his
earthly possessions and so tormented in his
body he was in abomination to his family and his
friends; however, he remained steadfast (see Job 1: 1-42.16).
Jeremiah couldn’t help but say the words
that God had commanded him to say, and his testimony
irritated the king and the princes so strongly that he was shot down
in a filthy pit (see Jeremiah 38: 1-13). Etienne was
put to death, because he preached Christ, the Savior
crucified (Acts 6.1-7.60). Paul was imprisoned, stoned and
finally condemned, because he was, with the
Gentiles, a faithful messenger of God (see 2 Timothy 4: 6-
8). And John was exiled to the island of Patmos, “because of the
word of God and of the testimony of Jesus ”(see
Revelation 1.9). These examples of human firmness
testify in favor of the love of the Lord, of his
permanent presence and his life-giving grace. They
prove that faith can resist the powers of
world. It is she who allows us to remain in God at
the darkest hour and to feel, although cruelly
tried and shaken by the storm, that our Father is
at the rudder. Only the eye of faith can look beyond
earthly contingencies to estimate their true
value eternal riches.
The Acts of the Apostles, p. 575; Conquerors
peaceful, p. 513.God bless
Hi To all
According to the principles,
July 1st
How I love your law! She is the object of my meditation all day. Psalm 119: 97.
Let those who speak of principles as if in no way deviate from them be very sure that they understand these principles as they are presented in the Word of God to guide us. Some follow false principles. Their conception of the principles is fallacious. Following the principles of righteousness means faithfully obeying the first four and the last six commandments. As we obey these divine commandments, we eat the flesh and drink the blood of Christ, appropriating to ourselves all that is included in the atonement made at Calvary. Christ will stand with all who will accept him for their Savior. He will give them the power to become children of God. “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, full of grace and of truth; and we beheld his glory, a glory like the glory of the Only Begotten from the Father. ” John 1:14.
The one designated here by the Word is the Son of God, who was the Head of the heavenly courts, and who came into this world to reveal heavenly things to fallen human beings. He is the way, the truth, and the life. He’s the Word that was with God before the world was. By putting on his divinity of humanity, he became the possessor of two natures, divine and human. Thus he was fully able to provide for the total redemption of the human race, its restoration to the privileges of the higher life.
His life on earth began in the same way as that of human beings; he came to this world in the form of a helpless baby. And here on earth, he lived the life that every human being can live if he accepts the great gift that the Lord gave to our world by sending his Son to fulfill the plan of salvation.
Christ took upon himself the wages of sin; he was struck by divine justice, so that human beings would no longer be condemned to perish. He carried in his body the condemnation pronounced against sinners. It is the science of salvation, which can be safely studied, and which is beneficial to seek to understand. …
Those who persist in transgression will be judged according to their denial of the light. They chose to stand alongside the prince of darkness, to become auxiliaries to one who, if possible, would deceive even the elect. They refuse the wonderful gift of heaven; although they profess virtue, and speak of “adherence to principles”, at the same time they follow laws opposed to the noble laws of heaven, teaching others to follow the same corrupting principles. – Manuscript 161, 1903 (July 1, 1906), “Dangers incurred by rejecting the light”.
Hi To all
July 2, 2021
STUDY THE SCRIPTURES
Now, everything that has been written in advance has been written for our instruction, so that, by patience and by the consolation of the Scriptures, we may have hope. (Romans 15.4)
THE HOLY BOOK RESISTED the assaults of Satan, who endeavored, with the help of wicked men, to throw a dark cloud over all that has a divine character. But the Lord has preserved the holy Book, by its miraculous power, in its present form, as a charter or guide indicating to the human family the way to heaven. […] This Word […] serves as a guide for the inhabitants of a fallen world, bequeathed to them so that through study and obedience to its precepts, no soul on the way to heaven gets lost (5).
It has never been more important for Christ’s followers to study the Bible as it is now. Deceptive influences are everywhere and it is essential that you listen to Jesus, your best friend. […] David declares: “I keep your word in my heart, so as not to sin against you. (Psalm 119.11) How many indulge in sin and fail to realize its gravity through the study of the Word of God and through prayer, through which they would discover a way to resolutely resist it! When temptation assails them, they are caught off guard and ignore the enemy’s tricks. We live in perilous times, and as we approach the end of earth’s history, there will be no security for those who are not familiar with the Word of God. […] Everything that can be shaken will be shaken. […] The children of God have reached the most critical moment of their pilgrimage because the nets and traps of the enemy are set everywhere. Yet, under the Lord’s guidance and because of what is clearly revealed in His Word, we can walk safely and not stumble. […] A voice from heaven speaks to us through its pages (6).
Obedience to the Word of God is the only safeguard against the evils which lead the world to perdition (7).
(5. The Testimony of Jesus, chap. 2, p. 11,13.
6. The Youth’s Instructor, May 18, 1893.
7. Child Guidance, chap. 82, p. 556.)Hi to all
Global Christianity is governed by one or the other of two different and opposing principles, which originate from two different conceptions of Jesus Christ.
One system takes the Bible as the supreme source and without appeal of the truth, to see in it the revelation of the divine will, and to be itself the maximum revelation of the person of Jesus Christ. The basic and fundamental teaching is that “God so loved the world that he GIVEN his only begotten Son” (he did not lend him for a few years), so that Christ continues to be present on earth at the same time. within his Church. This presence is manifested by the one and only authentic Vicar that he himself designated: the Holy Spirit given to every believer (John 14:16 to 18). In contrast, the other system sincerely believes that a man (the same as any other man), is the vicar of Christ.
Between these two conceptions as distant from each other as the North and the South, centuries of history and millions of people have passed. Many of them persecuted, and others persecuted.
A system places authority in the hands of a man, a human apparatus. He is inherently power hungry and he is based on a PATERNALIST schema. History has borne witness that he often pushed for imposition and the use of force. In fact, the Bible unambiguously reveals that the Second Coming of Christ will surprise “Christians” persecuting others to death.
The other system is based on a pattern of BROTHERHOOD (Matthew 23: 8 and 9), and it knows no other power but the power of love. The only imposition he knows is this: “the love of Christ urges us, because we hold that if one died for all, then all are dead; and that he died for all, so let those who live no longer live for themselves, but for him who died and rose from the dead “(2 Corinthians 5:14 and 15).
You will not be able to stay on the sidelines of these two options. Each of them has its own specific brand, and one excludes the other.
The love of Christ will “impose” on you the need to follow him with all its consequences (the most important of them: eternal life). Otherwise, you will be caught by the imposition of the other system, either by deception or convenience (Revelation 13:14 to 17). You cannot be forgotten. A voice from heaven said: “Come out from among her, my people, that you may not share in her sins, and have no share in her plagues” (Revelation 18: 4). Go out, for where? Here are those “who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus”. “The Spirit and the Bride say, Come. And let him who thirsts come; let him who will take the water of life free of charge” (Revelation 14:12; 22:17).
R.J.W.
Hi To all
Daily meditation
Wednesday 07 July 2021,
A presence that inspires
And behold, I am with you every day, until the end of the world.
Matthew 28:20 b.As he ascended to the Father, Christ did not leave his disciples helpless. Its representative, the Holy Spirit, and the spirits destined to serve, the heavenly angels, are sent to those who, in difficult conditions, fight the good fight of faith. Always remember that Jesus is your helper. No one understands your specific character traits better than him. He watches over you; if you are willing to be led by him, the healthy influences he will surround you with will enable you to accomplish whatever he wants for you.
Christian life is a state of war. “For we are not to wrestle against flesh and blood, but against rulers, against authorities, against the princes of this dark world, against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” Only divine help can assure us victory in the struggle of justice against injustice. Our limited will must be subject to that of the Infinite; the human will must ally itself with the divine will. This will assure us of the intervention of the Holy Spirit. …
The Lord Jesus works through his representative, the Holy Spirit. By his means he introduces spiritual life into souls, quickening their energies for good, purifying them from all moral stain and qualifying them for the kingdom. Jesus has great blessings to bestow, great gifts to bestow upon men. He is the admirable Counselor, endowed with infinite wisdom and strength; if only we want to recognize the power of his Spirit and be shaped by it, we will be made perfect in him. What a wonderful thought! In Christ “dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. You have everything fully in him. ” There is no real happiness for the human heart unless it allows it to be obediently shaped by the Spirit of God. The Spirit makes the renewed soul conform to the pattern, Jesus Christ. Through the influence of the Spirit, enmity against God gives way to faith and love, pride to humility. The soul sees the beauties of truth, it bows down to the excellence and perfection of Christ’s character.Hi To all
Daily meditation
July 9, 2021
THE FEELING OF GOD’S PRESENCE BANISHES FEAR
Strengthen yourself and take heart. Do not be afraid or afraid, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1.9)
ONLY THE FEELING of God’s presence will overcome the fear of the fearful child for whom life would be a burden. Let us help him to engrave in his memory this promise: “The Lord’s Lange encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them” (Psalm 34.8). Let him read the wonderful story of Elisha who, in the city on the mountain, was protected from the enemy horses, chariots, and troops by the horses and fiery chariots of the Lord. The story of Peter, imprisoned, condemned to death, to whom the angel of God appeared and who was guided by him to a safe place, far from armed guards, heavy doors, the huge entrance gate with bars and locks. And this passage where, on the raging sea, Paul, prisoner, called to be judged and executed, addressed to the soldiers and sailors exhausted by the efforts and the lack of sleep and food these words of encouragement and hope: ” I urge you to take courage; for none of you will lose your life. […] An angel of God, to whom I belong and worship, approached me that night and said to me: Have no fear, Paul; you must appear before Caesar, and behold, God grant you the grace of all who sail with you ”(Acts 27: 22-24). Confident in this promise, Paul exhorted his companions: “None of you shall lose a hair of his head” (verse 34). So it was. Because there was a man in that boat who was going through God’s work, all the pagan soldiers and sailors were saved. […]
“Let those who do not trust themselves and who, because of it, shrink from responsibility, learn to trust in God. Many of them, who otherwise would have been only a registration number or an unnecessary burden, will be able to say with the apostle Paul: “I can do everything through him who strengthens me. “(Philippians 4:13) (22)
(22. Education, chap. 30, p. 288.)
Daily meditation
July 10, 2021
GOD’S GOODNESS AND MERCY INSPIRE COURAGE
Yes, happiness and grace will be with me all the days of my life, and I will return to the house of the Lord for the duration of my days. (Psalm 23.6)
CHRIST did not assure us that perfection of character would be easy. It is a conflict, a battle and a march, day by day. It is through many tribulations that we will enter the kingdom of heaven. To share with Christ in his glory, we must share in his suffering. […] He conquered for us. So will we be timid and cowardly because of the trials that await us? […]
When we have a deeper appreciation for God’s mercy and goodness, we will praise him, instead of complaining. We will speak of the Lord’s attentive vigilance, of the tender compassion of the Good Shepherd. The language of the heart will not be selfish whispers and complaints. Like a clear, singing stream, praise will flow from the lips of true believers in God. They will say: “Happiness and grace will be with me all the days of my life, and I will return to the house of the Lord for the duration of my days” (Psalm 23.6). […]
Why not awaken the voice of spiritual song during the days of our pilgrimage? […] We must study the Word of God, meditate and pray. We will then have the spiritual sight to discern the interior courtyards of the heavenly temple. We will hear the notes of gratitude sung by the celestial choir around the throne. When Zion rises and shines, its light will be most penetrating, and songs of praise and thanksgiving will be heard in the assembly of saints. Small disappointments and difficulties will be overlooked.
The Lord is our help. […] No one has ever believed in God in vain. He never disappoints those who place their trust in him. If only we would do the work the Lord wants us to do, walking in the footsteps of Jesus, our hearts would become sacred harps with every chord resounding with praise and thanksgiving to Him who was sent by God to take away. the sin of the world (23).
(23. The Review and Herald, May 5, 1910.)
Hi To all
DOESN’T THE SENTENCE “FLASHING FIRE” INDICATE THAT THE FIRES OF HELL WILL NEVER EXTINGUISH?
Daily devotions
A fire that does not go out is a fire that cannot be put out. Once he has started his labor, nothing can stop him. Likewise, when the fires of hell begin, no amount of water can extinguish the flames. The question to ask is: “Will it ever go out?” Yes, of course, when his job is done. When sin and sinners are consumed, the fires will cease. Isaiah 47:14 describes this work as ending with “stubble.” Once the fires of hell have done their work of destruction, the flames will be extinguished.
The “fire” mentioned in Matthew 3 speaks of the punishment of the wicked. Since God is described in the Bible as a consuming fire (Deuteronomy 4:24), sin cannot exist in his presence. It is consumed and destroyed. And so, at the end of time, when all have made their final choice to accept or reject the Lord, His glorious coming to this earth will certainly destroy and consume sinners who refuse to forsake sin.
The three verses of the above text present two categories of people: the saved and the lost. Verse 10 compares the lost to a tree that bears no fruit and is thrown into the fire and consumed. Verse 12 describes sinners as chaff that “will burn”. Like the fire of a refiner, the sin in our lives will either be burnt up or it will burn us with it if we don’t want to hand it over to God.
KEY BIBLICAL TEXTS
And now also the ax is put at the root of the trees: therefore every tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Indeed, I baptize you with water for repentance. but he who comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to wear: he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire; whose fan is in his hand, and he will completely purge his ground, and gather his wheat in the barn; but he will burn the chaff with unquenchable fire. Matthew 3: 10-12Hi To all
Daily meditation
July 12, 2021
WALKING IN LIGHT BRINGS COURAGE
In fact, you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk like children of light. (Ephesians 5.8)
“WALK IN THE LIGHT. To walk in the light means to be determined, to resort to reflection, to exercise will power, in a earnest effort to represent Christ in meekness of character. It means putting all gloom aside. You shouldn’t just say, “I am a child of God.” Do you contemplate Jesus? Are you transformed into his likeness by contemplating him? To walk in the light means to grow and progress in one’s spiritual realizations. Paul said: “It’s not that I have already won the award or that I have already achieved perfection; but […] forgetting what is behind “constantly contemplating the Example,” I run towards the goal “(Philippians 3: 12-14). Walking in the light means “walking straight”, “walking in the way of the Lord”, “walking in faith”, “walking in the Spirit”, “walking in the truth”, “walking in love”, ” to walk in newness of life ”. It is“ to complete our sanctification in the fear of God ”.
How terrible it is to darken the path of others by casting shadow and sadness on ourselves! Let each be careful with himself. Don’t blame others for weaknesses in your character. […] Speak of light; walk in the light. “God is light, there is no darkness in him” (1 John 1.5). […] Gather for your souls all the courage that can only come from the Light of the world (25).
When the light of heaven shines on the human agent, his face expresses the joy of the Lord who shines in him. The absence of Christ in the soul makes you sad and makes you doubt. It is the absence of Christ that makes the face sad and that makes life a pilgrimage of sighs. The dominant message of the Word of God for all who receive it is to rejoice. Why? Because they have the Light of life. Light brings joy and joy, and this joy is expressed in life and in character (26).
(25. Letter 98, 1902.
26. Manuscript 96, 1898.)God bless
Hi To all
Daily Devotional
AN AMAZING FACT: Nearly everyone in the Western world has heard of “The Lord’s Prayer.” Even if they don’t remember all the words, most people would certainly recognize it. Here it is, from Matthew 6:9-13 (KJV): “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”
In the late 1800s, a convicted forger named A. Schiller spent many years at the notorious Sing Sing prison in New York. One day the guards discovered he had died in his cell. Among his personal effects were seven straight pins, six silver and one gold. They were typical-size pins, yet something about them caught the attention of one of the guards, so he examined them more closely with a magnifying glass.
To everyone’s amazement, under 500X magnification, they saw that Schiller had etched on the head of all seven pins the entire Lord’s Prayer with 65 words and 254 letters. The surface measured only 47/1000 of an inch in diameter. That’s pretty small. Of the seven pins, the prayer etched on the gold pin was flawless and a true masterpiece. No one is sure why there were seven. Perhaps he carried a silver one for each weekday and the gold one for the Sabbath.
Schiller had spent many years of his life placing the prayer on each pin, using a powerful magnifying glass and tools so small you couldn’t see them with your naked eye. It is estimated that it took 1,863 separate strokes to etch out each prayer. Before his death, Schiller went blind, perhaps partly due to the incredible eyestrain of his astonishing artwork. Though he’s long gone, the prayers on the pins remain.
Schiller etched a prayer on the head of a pin; the Bible tells us we should allow God to write His law in our own hearts. God promises to those who do so, “I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. Jeremiah 31:33Hi To all
GOLDEN GATE JUMPER
Daily Devotional
AN AMAZING FACT: Have you ever heard your parents say, “If your friends told you to jump off a bridge, would you do it?” Apparently some do. On March 11, 2011, a California high school student visiting the Golden Gate Bridge on a morning field trip climbed over a railing and jumped. He was evidently urged on by a dare from fellow classmates. Miraculously the teenager survived the 220-foot plunge into San Francisco Bay that kills dozens of people each year. Landing on water after a 220-foot fall feels like landing on concrete after a 100-foot drop.
Most jumpers die a grisly death with massive internal injuries, broken bones, and skull fractures. Some die from internal bleeding, while others drown in the cold water. But amazingly the 17-year-old lived. A statement from his school said he suffered no severe injuries beyond bruising and tenderness. He was rescued by a surfer who paddled over and towed him ashore.
California Highway Patrol Officer Chris Rardin said, “It’s a miracle in itself. The majority of folks do not survive this type of fall.” Windsor Unified School District Superintendent Bill McDermott said he didn’t think the teen was trying to commit suicide, but instead jumped after other students from the high school in Sonoma County dared him. Suddenly his shocked classmates saw the teen go over the railing.
Someone leaps off the iconic bridge an average of once every two weeks. In 2010, 32 jumpers died, most of those deaths suicides. About 98 percent of those plunges end up being fatal. The other 2 percent are seriously injured.
Did you know the Bible says the devil once dared the Savior to jump from a high precipice, but Jesus did not fall for the temptation? “Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, ‘If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: “He shall give His angels charge over you,” and, “In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.”’ Jesus said to him, ‘It is written again, “You shall not tempt the Lord your God”’” (Matthew 4:5-7).
Don’t ever fall for the taunting of the devil.
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
Ye shall not tempt the LORD your God, as ye tempted him in Massah. Deuteronomy 6:16https://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/daily-devotional
Hi To all
WHAT DOES THE APOSTLE PAUL MEAN WHEN HE SAYS HE WOULD RATHER BE “ABSENT FROM THE BODY” AND “PRESENT WITH THE LORD”?
Daily Devotional
In verses 1–8, Paul is simply comparing our present mortal state with our future immortal life in heaven. He is showing us the difference between our earthly bodies that will someday perish and the new, perfect bodies that will be ours in heaven. Notice the expressions he uses for the two conditions:
– earthly house building from God
– this tent house not made with hands
– mortality our house which is from heaven
– in the body absent from the body
– absent from the Lord present with the Lord
The idea of being “absent from the body” does not teach that some immaterial part of us instantly floats up into heaven at the moment of death. It means to be absent from the infirmities of our earthly bodies, such as disease, sickness, and death. To be present with the Lord means to have our glorious immortal bodies that we’ll receive when Jesus comes.
Because we have no consciousness of time in death, it is true that for the believer, following the moment of death, their next conscious thought is inhabiting his or her glorified body. But that does not happen until the return of Christ and the resurrection.
Indeed, Paul is very clear precisely when the change from mortality will take place. In 1 Corinthians 15:52, 53, he writes, “For the trumpet will sound … and this mortal must put on immortality.” That will happen when Jesus comes.
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:6-8Hi To all
Great good news that raises our burdens!
Come to me all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest … My yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28 to 30.
Under the reign of grace it is just as easy to do good as it was easy to do evil under the reign of sin. It must be so, for if there is no more power in grace than in sin, one cannot be saved from sin in any way.
But we can be saved from sin. No one who gives credit to Christianity can deny it.
The basis of being saved from sin is that there is more power in grace than in sin. It cannot be otherwise. Wherever the power of grace can be in control, it will be easy to do good.
No one has ever found it naturally difficult to do evil, because human beings are naturally a slave to the power of sin which reigns with absolute power. However, as long as this power dominates, it is not only difficult, it is impossible to practice the good that one knows and that one would like to do.
But if one is under the influence of a greater power, then isn’t it obvious that it will be just as easy to be of service to that greater power, as it was easy to serve? the other power when it reigned?
And grace is not only more powerful than sin. If that was all, there would already be something to comfort every sinner in this world. But there is much more power in grace than there is in sin. For “where sin abounded, grace increased”, Romans 5:20.
So there is all the more hope for every sinner in this world! Where does grace come from? Of God. “Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ”. Romans 1: 7. Where does sin come from? From the devil, of course. So, as sure as 2 and 2 is 4, there is much more power in grace than in sin, since God has more power than the devil!
A. T. Jones, Review and Herald, 9/1/1896
Hi To all
Daily meditation
July 17, 2021
The courage to obey manifested
The angel said, Do not stretch out your hand on the young man, and do nothing to him; for I have now recognized that you fear God and that you have not refused me your son, your only one. (Genesis 22.12)
ABRAHAM […] to obey the divine order […] continued his journey accompanied by Isaac. He saw in front of him the mountain that God showed him to be the one on which he was to sacrifice his son. He took the wood his servant was carrying and loaded it with Isaac, the victim. He stiffened in an austere attitude, and with death in his soul, he prepared to do what God required of him. Heartbroken, he took the fire with a trembling hand, as Isaac asked, “Father, here is the fire and the wood; but where is the offering? But Abraham couldn’t tell him yet. The father and the son raised the altar. And behold, the terrible moment came for Abraham to make known to Isaac what tormented his soul during this long journey: it is Isaac himself who must be the victim. Now Isaac was not a child, but a young man in all his strength. He could have refused to submit to what his father asked him. But he doesn’t accuse his father of insanity and doesn’t even do anything to dissuade him. He submits. He trusts his father’s love and believes that he would not make the terrifying sacrifice of his only son if God had not asked him to.
The unhappy father, with his trembling hands, binds Isaac, because God willed it so. But when everything is ready, when the faith of the father and the obedience of the son are made evident, the angel of the Lord stops the raised hand of Abraham about to sacrifice his son (34).
Voluntary obedience to God in all circumstances requires great courage (35).
“We can only know Christ by loving and obeying him. The Lord calls for courageous men, who will not fail and will not be discouraged. “(36)
(34. Testimonies for the Church, chap. 71, p. 405.
35. Manuscript 146, 1902.
36. Manuscript 19, 1892.)Hi To all
What is Jesus doing now? Considering that he is the Son of God, and that he suffered indescribable agony on this earth, until the cross, it seems right that he can enjoy a long vacation. We can imagine him enjoying a deserved rest, receiving the praises of the heavenly armies, and also that of a few faithful on earth.
But the book to Hebrews does not show him resting. On the contrary, he works 24 hours a day, 365 days a year without interruption, as our High Priest. The infinite Son of God is fully occupied and consecrated to his ministry. And the Holy Spirit is the one and rightful Vicar of Christ, who continually officiates for the millions and millions of human beings in need of salvation. Christ is the great High Priest, the great Physician of our souls, always on call for those who decide to exercise their faith in him. He devotes the fullness of his attention to each soul, as if it were the only one existing on all the earth.
The book to Hebrews draws attention to the ministry of the high priest, symbolized by its two phases or apartments in the heavenly sanctuary (Hebrews 9: 1-14). As there was an annual day of atonement or reconciliation (Yom Kippur) in this Hebrew earthly sanctuary, which was a figure of the true, so also there must be a day of atonement in the actual sanctuary of heaven, in that “true tabernacle, which was set up by the Lord, and not by a man” (8: 2). Yom Kippur of old symbolized the cleansing of all the sins of Israel accumulated in the sanctuary throughout the year. Each annual day of atonement results in a total and complete reconciliation of Israel with God, in an obliteration of sins which figuratively passed to the scapegoat, who was forever removed from the encampment of Israel.
Since the ministry of the heavenly High Priest is the great reality represented by the symbol, what is the difference between the ministry of Christ in the first apartment, and his ministry in the second? There is an important key in Hebrews 9: “And as it is reserved for men to die only once, after which comes judgment” (27). This gives us a vision of his ministry in the first apartment: the preparation of people for death, for “judgment”. This has been his ministry for most of the 2,000 years since his sacrifice. But he “will appear without sin a second time to those who wait for him for their salvation” (28). The cosmic day of atonement -reconciliation- has for its end the preparation of people for the translation, at its second coming.
In Leviticus 4 is described the process by which the sinner obtains forgiveness, under the corporate ministry of the second apartment, described in Leviticus 16 (verses 19 and 30-33), for purification, to obtain the security of salvation and the success of the divine plan for the eradication of sin.
The Bible contains a colossal promise, full of good news. It is found in Daniel 8:14: “Two thousand three hundred evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be cleansed.” Amen!
J.R.W.
Hi To all
Public health publications predict for the start of the next millennium an AIDS plague causing more victims than World War II, or any scourge that afflicted Europe at the beginning of the 14th century. Two thirds of people infected with AIDS live in Africa. In two of the most affected countries, life expectancy has dropped below 40 years, largely because of the scourge of the disease. Here is bad news which called “Seeds of Life”. If we could have an antidote for this sore, wouldn’t that be great news?
The point is, THERE IS a cure, but it is implicit in a rather unpopular and abused truth: obedience to the seventh of God’s wonderful Ten Commandments.
Experts in public education suggest that a life of purity on this subject is impossible for the majority of people, and in the case of Africa, the general opinion is that strict obedience to the seventh commandment is nothing. more than an obsession worthy of idealistic missionaries and old games. But disobedience to God’s law is at the root of this deadly plague. Some feel that it is impossible for a teenager to resist the temptation to fornicate. A significant portion of African youth believe in Satan’s lie that for all of us who inherited the sinful nature from our predecessor Adam, obedience is impossible.
But there is ONE who has demonstrated the fallacy of such an accusation. The Son of God came down from heaven, he stripped himself of the prerogatives of the Godhead, he took upon himself the fullness of the genetic heredity of fallen Adam, and in that nature he lived a life of obedience. perfect at the seventh commandment. “He was tempted like us in all things, without committing sin” (Hebrews 4:15). “Since children participate in blood and flesh, he also participated in them himself … Accordingly, he had to be made like in all things to his brothers.” (2: 14-17).
What was the use of this wonderful victory over the desires of our flesh? “That he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make atonement for the sins of the people; for, being himself tempted in what he suffered, he can help those who are attempted “(17 and 18). The assumption that the Virgin Mary, his mother, was “exempt” from the inheritance of our fallen human nature implies the same exception for Jesus, which alienates him from the human race in the need for redemption. Such teaching deprives the church of the power to proclaim obedience to the seventh commandment, which explains the immorality that prevails in “Christian” Africa.
The enemy of Christ readily recognizes the sacred origin of Jesus, as long as he can keep him away from man. He says through the demonic: you are “Jesus, Son of the Most High God”. But there is one truth which is the object of his most bitter hatred: “Many deceivers have entered the world who do not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. He who is such is the deceiver. and the Antichrist. ” (2 John 7). Have you been blessed by the discovery that this Jesus is not far away, but near, within reach? Do not allow anything or anyone to deprive you of this extraordinary good news.
RJW
Hi To all
What does Jesus do for us?
(1) Does he offer us the gift of salvation?
(2) He GIVEN us salvation?
Is there a difference between these two ways of believing?
Yes. If you believe (1), you will feel that your salvation begins with YOUR act or choice to accept what He offers you. If you choose not to accept it, then you will think that Jesus is doing nothing for you. This undeniably affects your heart. Never will a feeling of deep gratitude touch you, at the sight of the gift already granted. But you’ll put that appreciation into what you did: it’s like signing an accident insurance policy. Maybe it will be a good deal, but your heart will not be deeply involved in it, and it is too bad, “for it is by believing with the heart that one comes to righteousness” (Romans 10:10) .
Results? What the Bible calls “warmth”: neither cold nor hot. Devotion to Christ, which at best will be middling and mediocre (Revelation 3: 14-21). Something unworthy of what a true Bridegroom deserves from his bride (Revelation 19: 7 and 8).
But if you believe the (2), you will feel seized by the understanding of what Jesus has done for you, for what he has already given you, and your gratitude will know no bounds. The love of Christ will urge you, so that you no longer live for yourself, but for Him who willed to suffer the horrors of the second death in your place (2 Corinthians 5: 14-21; Hebrews 2: 9) . Then there will be no limit to your devotion to him. It will be impossible for you to be lukewarm!
So we say: What does the Bible say about this? Is Jesus simply making an offer of salvation, or has he already given us the gift of salvation? John 3: 14-19 comes to mind: “God so loved the world that he HAS GIVEN his only begotten Son”. The only way we can get lost is through our INCREDULITY, that is, our willful refusal of the gift. And disbelief is like flipping the switch.
Think about your house. You are saturated with devices that run on electricity. There are cables everywhere. Electrical energy is present throughout the house, ready to light up every room, to operate the computer, the refrigerator, the radio, the television, almost everything! Maybe you think without thinking that the switch turns on all these devices. But it is not. What turns each device on is the electrical energy that is generated in the plant. All the switches in your house can do is interrupt it! (or not to interrupt it).
The Gospel says that Christ is already your Savior. He gave you the gift of salvation; he has placed it in your hands. Your disbelief would be nothing but the deliberate rejection of the gift: turn off the switch. We Christians need to rethink our understanding of the gospel. This lukewarm devotion of which Jesus speaks is the result of having ceased to appreciate that the gospel “is a power of God for the salvation of whoever believes” (Romans 1:16).
The good news is better than we have thought. It is time for the world to hear them.
R.J.W.
Hi To all
Daily meditation
July 23, 2021
STAY FIRM, DESPITE RIDICLE AND CONDEMN
Happy is the man who does not walk according to the counsel of the wicked, who does not stand in the way of sinners, and who does not sit on the bench of scoffers. (Psalm 1.1)
THE IMPIES are those who do not love the commandments of God, who do not obey them and who act against them. This is the category of counselors that you are urged to avoid: the category that Satan uses to lead the young astray. Their advice and suggestions are likely to lessen sin and ridicule righteousness. […] They are represented as standing in the path of sinners to divert them from the straight path of duty and obedience to the commandments of God towards the paths of disobedience. Without these people who do evil and tempt others to do the same, many sinners would have chosen the path of duty, the life of purity and piety (51).
The fear of ridicule pushes many young people to give in to temptation and to follow in the footsteps of unbelievers (52).
Jesus would not put himself in danger to please the devil. But how many today can bear an affront (53)?
Do not allow any taunts, threats, or mocking remarks to make you violate your conscience in any situation, and thus open a door through which Satan can enter and control the mind. […]
You must be an enthusiastic Bible student. […] Carefully studied, his Word is a sure guide and the danger of yielding to the power of the temptations which assail the youth is removed (54).
Some may ridicule you for being so strict. They may call you smug, but be sure to start off right and stick with it. If the details of Daniel’s story had been written, they would have exposed us to the temptations he faced, the ridicule, envy and hatred, but … he got the better of the ridiculous, and it will be the same for the one who is victorious (55).
(51. The Youth’s Instructor, October 20, 1886.
52. The Christian Home, chap. 74, p. 448.
53. Manuscript 17, 1893.
54. The Youth’s Instructor, September 10, 1884.
55. Ibid., August 25, 1886.)I To all
Daily meditation
July 24, 2021
TAKE A RESOLUTELY POSITION FOR TEMPERANCE
Every wrestler imposes on himself any kind of abstinence; them to receive a corruptible crown, we to an incorruptible crown. (1 Corinthians 9:25)
IN THE FAMILY CIRCLE and in the Church, we must give Christian temperance an important place. It must be a living and active element which reforms habits, inclinations and character. Intemperance is at the root of all the ills from which the world suffers (56).
Children need to be taught lessons that will cultivate in them the courage to resist evil. […] Parents should be very careful about the foods they serve their children. Drunkards become drunk too often because of lessons in intemperance learned at home. Let children receive foods that will uplift mind and body, but keep them away from very spicy foods that will arouse a desire for even stronger stimulants.
The use of tobacco and strong drinks has a lot to do with the increase in disease and crime. Tobacco is a slow and insidious poison, but very clever, and its use causes untold harm. […]
No need to argue to show the harmfulness of intoxicating drinks. Human wreckage, troubled and stupefying souls for whom Christ died and over which angels weep – are everywhere. They are a stain on our much vaunted civilization. […]
If those who ran in ancient times for a prize realized the importance of temperate habits, how much more should we who run for a crown of heaven? We must do everything possible to overcome evil (57).
At all times and in all circumstances, it takes moral courage to respect the principles of strict temperance (58).
“Remember that you weave a web of habits every day. […] The better you observe the laws of health, the more clearly you can discern and resist temptations, and the more clearly you can also discern the value of eternal things (59). ”
(56. Temperance, section 8, p. 128.
57. Manuscript 29, 1886.
58. The Youth’s Instructor, September 24, 1907.
59. Ibid., August 25, 1886.)
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