new

After seeing all the coverage for the birth of the "royal baby", I was reminded of a story I read years ago about Queen Victoria's visit to a local paper mill.

"Queen Victoria once paid a visit to a paper mill. Without knowing who this distinguished visitor was, the foreman showed her the workings of the mill. She went into the rag-sorting shop where employees picked out the rags from the refuse of the city. Upon inquiring what was done with this dirty mass of rags, she was told that it would eventually be made into the finest white writing paper. After her departure, the foreman found out who it was that had paid the visit.

Some time later, Her Majesty received a package of the most delicate, pure white stationery, bearing the Queen's likeness for a watermark. Enclosed was a note saying that the stationery had been made from the dirty rags she had recently inspected."

This story illustrates Christ's work in us as well. He takes us, filthy as we are, and makes us into new creatures. After receiving Jesus, we are spiritually different from what we were before, just as pure white paper is radically different from the filthy rags from which it is made.

"Therefore, if any man is in Christ, he is a new  creature. Old things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)

-author unknown

rough

Last summer when my husband was on a fishing trip with some other men, he phoned and said it was windy and really rough out. I could picture the boat getting slammed with the waves.

He was explaining to me later that calm waters are usually close in to shore, near the land which protects it. The rougher waters are out farther, in between the shallow and the deep, over the reefs. 

Apparently the depth of the water isn't what matters in how rough it is. Interestingly, also, is more fish are usually caught in these rougher waters. 

That day they were offshore several miles, and they did get a banner catch.

I doubt anyone wants to get banged up and bruised from 'rough waters' we encounter in life....nor be nervous, suffer from angst, or be fearful. The rough waters we all experience at times can be calmed by the protective shore of Jesus. The Lord, Jehovah Shammah (Ezekial 48:35) is always there.

Jesus spoke to the elements, in nature, and they obeyed. 

He can also speak to our hearts, and supernatural calm can replace our rough waters. 

That is good news.

still

"Be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10) .

Do you find yourself in a place of nothingness? There is a time and place in our walk with God in which He sets us in a place of isolation and waiting.  It is a place in which all past experiences are of no value. It is a time of such stillness that it can disturb the most faithful if we do not understand that He is the one who has brought us to this place for only a season. It is as if God has placed a wall around us. No new opportunities - simply inactivity.

During these times, God is calling us aside to fashion something new in us.  It is a place of nothingness designed to call us to deeper roots of prayer and faith. It is not a comfortable place, especially for a task-driven workplace believer. Our nature cries out, "You must do something" while God is saying, "Be still and know that I am God." You know the signs that you have been brought into this place when He has removed many things from your life and you can't seem to change anything.  Perhaps you are unemployed.  Perhaps you are laid up with an illness.

Many people live a very planned and orchestrated life where they know almost everything that will happen. But for people in whom God is performing a deeper work, He brings them into a time of quietness that seems almost eerie. They cannot see what God is doing. They just know that He is doing a work that cannot be explained to themselves or to others.

Has God brought you to a place of nothingness? Be still and know that He really is God. When this happens, your nothingness will be turned into something you will value for the rest of your life.

-Os Hillman

contentment

There was a father who was known by his family to be a chronic growler. He complained about everything.  He was sitting one day with his family in the presence of a guest in the living room when the subject of food came up.

     One of the children, a little girl, was telling the guest what food each member of the family liked best.

     Finally,  it came to the father's turn to be described.  "And what do I like, Nancy?" he asked.

     "You," said the little girl slowly, "well, what you like most is anything we haven't got."

There are some people like that, who simply are never content.  If they're served one food, they want something else.  If it's hot outside, they want it to be cold.  If it's cold, they want it to be hot.  And they'd rather be ANYWHERE else other than where they're living right now!

To the young man Timothy, Paul wrote, "Now godliness with contentment is great gain.  For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.  And having food and clothing, we shall be content." (I Timothy 6:6-8).  Since most of us seem to need far more than that to be content, we are challenged by Paul's words!

But, to Paul, they weren't just words to be spoken and discussed.  They were words to be lived out.  Despite the fact that Paul was writing from prison, he was able to say, "I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content." (Philippians 4:11).  In the next verse, he said that he had learned to be content with a lot (which would be easy for most of us), but he was also content with little.  The reason he could be content because he had Jesus Christ, and that was all he needed to bring contentment.

Do you have food?  Do you have clothing?  More importantly, do you have Jesus?

-allan smith

embroidery

When I was a little boy, my mother used to embroider a great deal. I would sit at her knee and look up from the floor and ask what she was doing. She informed me that she was embroidering. I told her that it looked like a mess from where I was.

As from the underside I watched her work within the boundaries of the little round hoop that she held in her hand, I complained to her that it sure looked messy from where I sat. She would smile at me, look down and gently say, "My son, you go about your playing for awhile, and when I am finished with my embroidering, I will put you on my knee and let you see it from my side."

I would wonder why she was using some dark threads along with the bright ones and why they seemed so jumbled from my view. A few minutes would pass and then I would hear Mother's voice say, "Son, come and sit on my knee." This I did only to be surprised and thrilled to see a beautiful flower or a sunset. I could not believe it, because from underneath it looked so messy.

Then Mother would say to me, "My son, from underneath it did look messy and jumbled, but you did not realize that there was a pre-drawn plan on the top. It was a design. I was only following it. Now look at it from my side and you will see what I was doing."

Many times through the years I have looked up to my Heavenly Father and said, "Father, what are You doing?"

He has answered, "I am embroidering your life." I say, "But it looks like a mess to me. It seems so jumbled. The threads seem so dark. Why can't they all be bright?"

The Father seems to tell me, "'My child, you go about your business of doing My business, and one day I will bring you to Heaven and put you on My knee and you will see the plan from My side."

-author unknown

....perish

 The young people in one church had been studying the Book of Esther.  It was obviously that one boy had been paying attention when his family had Brussels sprouts for supper.  Spearing one and looking at it distastefully, he placed it in his mouth, saying, "If I perish, I perish."

     The story of Esther is one of the greatest stories of courage in the Bible.

     When Mordecai realized that there was a plot to kill the Jews in Persia, he saw only one possibility to save them, and that was through Esther.  He asked Esther to go before the king and request that he rescind the decree and save the Jewish people.  But Esther was hesitant to do that because there was a law that said that anyone who went into the king's court without an invitation could be put to death, and she hadn't been invited for a month!

     Mordecai sent another message to Esther that said, in effect, "Think, Esther.  The decree says all Jews.  It doesn't exclude anybody in the king's household.  You are a Jew and that means you've already been condemned to death.  If the king receives you, you've got a chance.  But even if he doesn't, you're no worse off."

     One of the most powerful verses in all the Bible is found in verse 14.  It's a question that I believe every Christian should ask himself when he's facing a difficult situation:  "Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"

     "Esther, have you ever thought that maybe this is the reason why God put you in the position of being queen?  Did you think he did it just so you could have an easy life?  This is the reason God has brought you where you are.  Your presence in the palace is not by accident but by divine appointment."

     The time had come for Esther to make a choice.  She could approach the king and possibly lose her life, or she could remain silent and allow the annihilation of herself and her people.  She decided to stand for what was right.  And with the heroic words, "If I perish, I perish!" (4:16), she went to the king.

     Has God put you in a position to make a difference to the people around you?  Like Esther, will you have the courage to respond, regardless of what the consequences may be?

-Alan Smith

.......something

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him .  Whatever you do, work at it wholeheartedly as though you were doing it for the Lord and not merely for people." (Colossians 3:17, 23)

 

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31)

I was thinking . . .

In a recent interview, Amy Grant said that several years ago she was on her way to get on a tour bus when she went by to see her mother who had Alzheimer's disease. As she was leaving, Amy said, "I've got to go sing, mom." Her mother said, "you sing?" Amy said, "Yes. I sing and I write songs." Her mom asked about the kinds of songs she sings and if she would sing for her.

Then, as Amy was walking out the door, her mom called after her. "Hey, would you do me a favor?" Amy said, "Yes, what?" And her mom said "when you walk out on that stage, sing something that matters."

 

It seems that Amy Grant’s mom, though not even in her right mind, was on to something. If you’re going to sing, sing something that matters. I’ve been thinking a lot about that statement the last few days. It has struck me that since God is right and life is a vapor, we all have a very limited amount of time on this planet. So it seems that while we’re here, we might as well make it count.

If you’re going to preach, preach something that matters.

If you’re going to teach, teach something that matters.

If you’re going to write, write something that matters.

If you’re going to work, do some work that matters.

How many people are just meandering aimlessly through life, wasting precious time, and doing nothing that really matters? All the while, there is a great big world out there with incredible opportunities for someone who is willing to invest the time and effort to do something that matters.

Fortunately, that doesn’t mean everyone has to do something big or famous. Some things that matter are small and little-known. But they still matter. They matter to family members and to friends and even to strangers. Most of all, they matter to God.

Amy Grant’s mom was right. If you’re going to sing, sing something that matters.

-Stan Buckley

hanging

The cheerful girl with bouncy golden curls was almost five. Waiting with her mother at the checkout stand, she saw them: a circle of glistening white pearls in a pink foil box.

"Oh please, Mommy. Can I have them? Please, Mommy, please?" Quickly the mother checked the back of the little foil box and then looked back into the pleading blue eyes of her little girl's upturned face.

"A dollar ninety-five. That's almost $2.00. If you really want them, I'll think of some extra chores for you and in no time you can save enough money to buy them for yourself. Your birthday's only a week away and you might get another crisp dollar bill from Grandma."

As soon as Jenny got home, she emptied her penny bank and counted out 17 pennies. After dinner, she did more than her share of chores and she went to the neighbor and asked Mrs. James if she could pick dandelions for ten cents. On her birthday, Grandma did give her another new dollar bill and at last she had enough money to buy the necklace. Jenny loved her pearls.

They made her feel dressed up and grown up. She wore them everywhere - Sunday school, kindergarten, even to bed. The only time she took them off was when she went swimming or had a bubble bath. Mother said if they got wet, they might turn her neck green.

Jenny had a very loving daddy and every night when she was ready for bed, he would stop whatever he was doing and come upstairs to read her a story. One night when he finished the story, he asked Jenny, "Do you love me?"

"Oh yes, Daddy. You know that I love you." "Then give me your pearls." "Oh, Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have Princess - the white horse from my collection - the one with the pink tail. Remember, Daddy? The one you gave me. She's my favorite."

"That's okay, Honey. Daddy loves you. Good night." And he brushed her cheek with a kiss. About a week later, after the story time, Jenny's daddy asked again, "Do you love me?"

"Daddy, you know I love you."

"Then give me your pearls."

"Oh Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have my baby doll. The brand new one I got for my birthday. She is so beautiful and you can have the yellow blanket that matches her sleeper."

"That's okay. Sleep well. God bless you, little one. Daddy loves you."

And as always, he brushed her cheek with a gentle kiss. A few nights later when her daddy came in, Jenny was sitting on her bed with her legs crossed Indian-style. As he came close, he noticed her chin was trembling and one silent tear rolled down her cheek.

"What is it, Jenny? What's the matter?"

Jenny didn't say anything but lifted her little hand up to her daddy. And when she opened it, there was her little pearl necklace. With a little quiver, she finally said, "Here, Daddy. It's for you."

With tears gathering in his own eyes, Jenny's kind daddy reached out with one hand to take the dime-store necklace, and with the other hand he reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case with a strand of genuine pearls and gave them to Jenny. He had them all the time. He was just waiting for her to give up the dime-store stuff so he could give her genuine treasure.

Jenny's father is like our heavenly Father. He also is waiting for us to give up our dime store stuff and seek Him first ... so He can fling open the windows of Heaven and pour us out such a blessing that we will not have room enough to hold it.

What are you hanging on to?

-author unknown

speech

By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. Matthew 12:37.

We all know what mischief an unruly tongue will do if left to run at will. Those who have been brought together in church capacity have bound themselves by their act in joining the church to keep evil speaking out of their ranks. It is the duty of those in responsible positions in the church to closely guard this matter to see that order and harmony are preserved in the church....

Never are you to tear one another down, for you are doing Satan's work. Day by day you are to help one another to grow up to the full stature of men and women in Christ. In this work you close the door to the enemy. The power of speech is a great talent to bless others or a great curse to cause dissension and strife.

The one who gives himself up to finding fault with this one and that one is neglecting his own precious soul. And those who allow such a one to carry on his un-Christlike work unrebuked are themselves accountable before God of injury to their brethren....

Can we expect the blessing of God to rest upon a church when the members are cherishing bitterness against one another?... Those in whose hearts Christ abides will show in their lives the fruits of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness. Those who are controlled by the enemy will be filled with envy, strife, malice, and evil-surmising....

If one of those of whom these cruel words are spoken were tonight lying cold in death, how different would be the words spoken of him. How often this is the case: While a person is living and could be blessed by kind words, unkind, bitter words are spoken of him, but when his work is ended, and his hands are folded in death, words of love and appreciation are spoken. 

But the words of love fall upon ears that hear not. 

They are spoken to hearts that cannot be comforted. It is too late! 

Oh, if some of these words of love could have been spoken in life, how much better it would have been....

God desires His people to bring into their homes all the peace and joy and love that it is possible for them to have. The love that they bring into the home, they will bring into the church. My brethren and sisters, you can bring the peace of heaven into the home and into the church, if you will sanctify to God the talent of speech.—Manuscript 26, July 15, 1886, "Evil-speaking," a sermon preached in Oslo, Norway.

development

And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. Psalm 37:6.

Humility is greatly needed. If cherished, it would be an ornament of great value in the sight of God. It is essential in the work. But there is no virtue in thinking that humility consists in cheap inefficiency. While humility is always essential in the service of God, while it must always be cultivated, be careful that it does not degenerate into the timidity which leads men to waver when circumstances require them to stand stiffly for the truth. There must be no half-and-half service offered to God. To every man the Lord has given his work. Everyone is to be a channel through which the Lord can work to communicate the will of Heaven....

Arduous and unpleasant duties have to be performed. None are to place themselves where they will sanction wrong by silence. They aid and abet the schemes of the enemy by keeping their lips closed when they should speak decidedly, though not in a boasting, self-sufficient manner. They are to speak the truth in love....

God in His great mercy will give to all His believing people efficiency and power for His work and service, even as He gave power to Joseph, Samuel, Daniel, Timothy, and scores of others who availed themselves of His promises. They believed Him and relied upon Him, and this was their righteousness. Men and women have to move by faith. They have to press their way through the cloud of objections which Satan brings up to hinder their progress. When God sees that they will trust Him as their helper and their efficiency, they may pass safely through the great darkness of men's unconsecration....

Without the constant help which comes only from God, even those who are looked upon as the most eminent believers are in danger of falling into the sins which Satan has prepared to dishonor God. Bear in mind, all who claim to be believers, that it is only when you have that faith which works by love and purifies the soul, only when you have the joy of Christ's salvation in the heart, that you are qualified to guide sinners to repentance and reformation. It is the genuine believer, who not only assents to the truth, but believes and practices the truth, who is not satisfied unless he has with him the presence of God, that is a power for good in the world....

Christ, the One who gave His life for the life of the world, that all who believe in Him may not perish, but have everlasting life, is the true Watchman of the house.... We are kept by the power of God. The presence and grace of Christ is the secret of all life and light.

—Letter 79, July 11, 1901

teacher

When he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth. John 16: 13.

The Comforter is called "the Spirit of truth." His work is to define and maintain the truth. He first dwells in the heart as the Spirit of truth, and thus He becomes the Comforter. There is comfort and peace in the truth, but no real peace or comfort can be found in falsehood. It is through false theories and traditions that Satan gains his power over the mind. By directing men to false standards, he misshapes the character. 

Through the Scriptures the Holy Spirit speaks to the mind, and impresses truth upon the heart. Thus He exposes error, and expels it from the soul. It is by the Spirit of truth, working through the Word of God, that Christ subdues His chosen people to Himself.

God intends that even in this life the truths of His Word shall be ever unfolding to His people. There is only one way in which this knowledge can be obtained. We can attain to an understanding of God's Word only through the illumination of that Spirit by which the Word was given. "The things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God;" "for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God" (1 Cor. 2: 11, 10).

From God, the fountain of wisdom, proceeds all the knowledge that is of value to man, all that the intellect can grasp or retain. The fruit of the tree representing good and evil is not to be eagerly plucked because it is recommended by one who was once a bright angel in glory. He has said that if men eat thereof, they shall know good and evil; but let it alone. The true knowledge comes not from infidels or wicked men. The word of God is light and truth. 

The true light shines from Jesus Christ, who "lighteth every man that cometh into the world" (John 1: 9). From the Holy Spirit proceeds divine knowledge. He knows what humanity needs to promote peace, happiness, and restfulness here in this world, and to secure eternal rest in the kingdom of God.

Never should the Bible be studied without prayer. Before opening its pages we should ask for the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, and it will be given. . . . The Spirit of truth is the only effectual teacher of divine truth.

-God's Amazing Grace - Page 198

quiet

When the electricity went out recently, I was impressed with how quiet it was.  We live with continual background noise. Indoors we have the sounds of air conditioning units, washers and dryers, tv's, computers, telephones, computers, fax machines, answer machines, stereos, and kids.  Outdoors are lawnmowers, leafblowers, trains, airplanes, insects, birds, animals, cars and cell phones.

We have all kinds of noise inside our heads, too.  Past tapes, what others have said and done, things we have done or told ourselves.  And what about the noise our hearts make? They laugh, cry, remember, and talk to us too!

I don't think of myself as somebody who leads a fast-paced, jet-set life.  That is until I notice how long it takes me to relax and unwind.   Getting quiet doesn't happen quickly  for me.  Sometimes I even have to consciously work at it.  Even David, songwriter extroadinaire, wise warrior, and anointed King of Israel, needed to be reminded by God to "Be still, and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10)

It's a noisy world.  And we all need a quiet place in the midst of all the noise.  A safe place, where we can BE STILL, and hear the Lord.  He very much wants to tell us how much he loves us, and how unique and special we are to him.

Ask him to help you find a safe place, a place where you can go and listen to the quiet.  Thank God he provides places for us, whether inside our mind and heart, or in a physical spot. Journey there and see what wonderful surprises Jesus has planned to share with you in this brand new day of Today that you've never seen before

-Sally Ireland Kennedy

illumination

But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 1 Cor. 2: 10.

God has been pleased to communicate His truth to the world by human agencies, and He Himself, by His Holy Spirit, qualified men and enabled them to do this work. He guided the mind in the selection of what to speak and what to write. The treasure was intrusted to earthen vessels, yet it is, none the less, from Heaven. The testimony is conveyed through the imperfect expression of human language, yet it is the testimony of God; and the obedient, believing child of God beholds in it the glory of a divine power, full of grace and truth.

In His Word, God has committed to men the knowledge necessary for salvation. The Holy Scriptures are to be accepted as an authoritative, infallible revelation of His will. They are the standard of character, the revealer of doctrines, and the test of experience. . . . Yet the fact that God has revealed His will to men through His Word, has not rendered needless the continued presence and guiding of the Holy Spirit. On the contrary, the Spirit was promised by our Saviour, to open the Word to His servants, to illuminate and apply its teachings.

Those who dig beneath the surface discover the hidden gems of truth. The Holy Spirit is present with the earnest searcher. Its illumination shines upon the Word, stamping the truth upon the mind with a new, fresh importance. The searcher is filled with a sense of peace and joy never before felt. The preciousness of truth is realized as never before. A new, heavenly light shines upon the Word, illuminating it as though every letter were tinged with gold. God Himself has spoken to the mind and heart, making the Word spirit and life.

The Holy Spirit is implanting the grace of Christ in the heart of many a noble seeker after truth, quickening his sympathies contrary to his nature, contrary to his former education. "The light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world" (John 1: 9), is shining in his soul; and this Light, if heeded, will guide his feet to the kingdom of God.

-God's Amazing Grace - Page 197

reality

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her.  She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up.  She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen.  She filled three pots with water. In the first, she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans.  She let them sit and boil without saying a word.  In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners.  She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl.  She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl.  Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.

Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me what do you see?"

"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied.  She brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots.  She did and noted that they had gotten soft.  She then asked her to take an egg and break it.  After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg.  Finally, she asked her to sip the coffee.  The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma, and then asked, "What's the point, Mother?"

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity - boiling water - but each reacted differently.  The carrot went in strong, hard and unrelenting.  However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.  The egg had been fragile.  Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior.  But, after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened.  The ground coffee beans were unique, however.  After they were in the boiling water they had changed the water.

"Which are you?" she asked her daughter.  "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond?  Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?"

The question today is, "Which one are you?".  Are you the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity, do you  wilt and become soft and lose your strength?

Are you the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat?  Did you have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have you become hardened and stiff?  Does your shell look the same, but on the inside are you bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and a hardened heart?

Or are you like the coffee bean?  The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor.

If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you.  When the hours are the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate to another level?  How do you handle adversity?

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:2-4) 

free

"Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance."  (Psalms 33:12)

Throughout the United States tomorrow, everyone will be celebrating the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence — a document through which leaders of the colonies in the New World broke free from the King of England.

 

The declaration begins: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

 

While revisionist historians are working hard to remove any trace of Christian/Biblical ideals from the foundations of America, tomorrow's celebration finds its basis in a foundational document which appeals to the authority of a Divine Creator, one whom most of the founding fathers fully believed to have been the author and main subject of the Holy Bible, and who was the guarantor of certain "inalienable rights".  So the Fourth of July – more than just a celebration of independence, ought also to be a day which recognizes God's participation in the nation's birth.

 

I've read and heard all kinds of advice about how America ought to be transformed, while a simple recognition of God's covenant offer to a nation goes ignored. The words found in 2 Chronicles 7:14 could be claimed and applied to any nation, but particularly one whose foundational documents and institutions have drawn their inspiration substantially from Biblical monotheism. "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

 

IF we truly want to see healing brought to any nation, then this conditional covenant is for US and the restoration of our land will require our part in the covenant: humility, prayer and repentance, so that God can forgive our sin and heal our land!

True restoration and healing only comes through true repentance and God's grace! With so much work to be done — may restoration begin with us!

-george whitten

role

When he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. John 16: 8.

The Spirit was to be given as a regenerating agent, and without this the sacrifice of Christ would have been of no avail. The power of evil had been strengthening for centuries, and the submission of men to this satanic captivity was amazing. Sin could be resisted and overcome only through the mighty agency of the Third Person of the Godhead, who would come with no modified energy, but in the fullness of divine power. It is the Spirit that makes effectual what has been wrought out by the world's Redeemer. 

It is by the Spirit that the heart is made pure. Through the Spirit the believer becomes a partaker of the divine nature. Christ has given His Spirit as a divine power to overcome all hereditary and cultivated tendencies to evil, and to impress His own character upon His church.

The Spirit was to be given as a regenerating agent, and without this the sacrifice of Christ would have been of no avail. The power of evil had been strengthening for centuries, and the submission of men to this satanic captivity was amazing. Sin could be resisted and overcome only through the mighty agency of the Third Person of the Godhead, who would come with no modified energy, but in the fullness of divine power. 

It is the Spirit that makes effectual what has been wrought out by the world's Redeemer. It is by the Spirit that the heart is made pure. Through the Spirit the believer becomes a partaker of the divine nature. Christ has given His Spirit as a divine power to overcome all hereditary and cultivated tendencies to evil, and to impress His own character upon His church.

While we yield ourselves as instruments for the Holy Spirit's working, the grace of God works in us to deny old inclinations, to overcome powerful propensities, and to form new habits.

The Spirit of God, received into the soul, quickens all its faculties. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the mind that is devoted unreservedly to God, develops harmoniously, and is strengthened to comprehend and fulfill the requirements of God. The weak, vacillating character becomes changed to one of strength and steadfastness. . . .

It is the Spirit that causes to shine into darkened minds the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness; that makes men's hearts burn within them with an awakened realization of the truths of eternity; that presents before the mind the great standard of righteousness, and convinces of sin; that inspires faith in Him who alone can save from sin; that works to transform character by withdrawing the affections of men from those things which are temporal and perishable, and fixing them upon the eternal inheritance. The Spirit recreates, refines, and sanctifies human beings, fitting them to become members of the royal family, children of the heavenly King.

-ellen g white, God's Amazing Grace - Pg 193

real

Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. John 16: 7.

The Comforter that Christ promised to send after He ascended to heaven, is the Spirit in all the fullness of the Godhead, making manifest the power of divine grace to all who receive and believe in Christ as a personal Saviour.

With the consecrated worker for God, in whatever place he may be, the Holy Spirit abides. The words spoken to the disciples are spoken also to us. The Comforter is ours as well as theirs.

There is no comforter like Christ, so tender and so true. He is touched with the feeling of our infirmities. His Spirit speaks to the heart. Circumstances may separate us from our friends; the broad, restless ocean may roll between us and them.

Though their sincere friendship may still exist, they may be unable to demonstrate it. . . . But no circumstances, no distance, can separate us from the heavenly Comforter. Wherever we are, wherever we may go, He is always there, one given in Christ's place, to act in His stead. He is always at our right hand, to speak soothing, gentle words; to support, sustain, uphold, and cheer. The influence of the Holy Spirit is the life of Christ in the soul. This Spirit works in and through every one who receives Christ. Those who know the indwelling of this Spirit reveal its fruit-- love, joy, peace, long- suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith.

The Holy Spirit ever abides with him who is seeking for perfection of Christian character. 

The Holy Spirit furnishes the pure motive, the living, active principle, that sustains striving, wrestling, believing souls in every emergency and under every temptation. 

The Holy Spirit sustains the believer amid the world's hatred, amid the unfriendliness of relatives, amid disappointment, amid the realization of imperfection, and amid the mistakes of life. 

Depending upon the matchless purity and perfection of Christ, the victory is sure to him who looks unto the Author and Finisher of our faith. . . . He has borne our sins, in order that through Him we might have moral excellence, and attain unto the perfection of Christian character.

-ellen g white, God's Amazing Grace

debris

After some friends lost their home in a tornado, I helped them clean up what was left. There wasn't much. Where their house had once stood was a refrigerator. That's all. Destruction was everywhere.  Debris covered the yard and the nearby woods. All day we sorted through the rubble, hoping to find intact some piece of our friends' lives. We could rescue only a few belongings. We uncovered some important papers, a few small personal items, and a handful of photos - not very much to represent an entire lifetime. I'm sure the family treasures these mementos because they're all that remains from their pre-tornado life.

Like the devastating winds of a tornado, I've felt trouble beat against my life. Hardships blow into every life, threatening to knock down all that we value. In the wreckage, we can usually find some valuable treasures, if our eyes are open to recognize them and our hearts are open to receive them.

As long as we're in this world, we will have tribulation. (John 16:33)  But this Bible verse also says, "In me you may have peace." How can we have peace amid tribulation? Peace doesn't result from the removal of unpleasant circumstances. It comes from releasing our own plans and being open to God's plan. Rest comes from fixing our eyes on Him instead of on circumstances. It comes from giving up on living for myself and living for Him instead.

From God's vantage point, there is no true debris. I'm confident that He is in the midst of any storm, and I try to keep my eyes open to see the gift He gives with the rubble. He has promised that, for those who love Him, He'll bring blessings out of storms.

-Marsha Jordan

lifetime

     Unable to attend the funeral after his Uncle Charlie died, a man who lived far away called his brother and told him, "Do something nice for Uncle Charlie and send me the bill."

     Later, he got a bill for $200.00, which he paid.  The next month, he got another bill for $200.00, which he also paid, figuring it was some incidental expense.

     But, when the bills for $200.00 kept arriving every month, he finally called his brother again to find out what was going on.

     "Well," said the other brother, "You said to do something nice for Uncle Charlie.  So I rented him a tuxedo."

     That's not exactly the most appropriate gift for someone who has died!  But the story made me think about how we are often willing to give, even to sacrifice great amounts, and we are happy to do so once or twice.  But we don't want it to become something we have to do for the rest of our lives.

     For example, we're happy to have friends or family stay in our homes for a short while, but we don't want it to go on for years and years.  We'll agree to teach a Bible class at church for a quarter or two, but we don't want to be stuck in the class for the rest of our life.  We'll take a mission trip and live in squalid conditions for a week or two, but would never dream of moving there permanently.

     And our hesitancy in situations like those is perhaps understandable.  Unfortunately, we sometimes are tempted to have the same attitude when it comes to serving Christ.  We're willing to give up everything for Christ -- at least, for a while.  But for our whole lives?  Always seeking to put others first?  Always willing to forgive?  Always willing to suffer and sacrifice for the cause of Christ?

     We need to be reminded that Christianity is not a sprint, it's a long-distance marathon, and we must be willing to commit ourselves to run the race to the very end.  Be forewarned -- it can be tiring.  But "let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart." (Gal. 6:9)

-allan smith

4

Tell a child you have a secret and you have his undivided attention. All of us children - big and little, young and old - love secrets; love to hear them, love to tell them. Today, I am opening the vault and revealing four of the best-kept secrets in the Kingdom of God.

Secret #1 - God has big plans for you.

Jeremiah 29:11 says it best. "I know the plans I have for you: plans for your welfare and not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope." His plans for us fall into two categories - earthly and heavenly.

Secret #2 - He is not going to tell you what they are.

In His compassion, God makes big plans for us. In His wisdom, He does not tell us what they are. He protects us from knowledge of the future for two reasons...

   (1) We could not handle it.

   (2) We would mess it up.

Suppose you found out that your brothers were going to fake your death and sell you into slavery, and that you would end up forgotten and forsaken in a foreign prison for years. Who could handle such news? Most of us would grieve over such a future and grow bitter toward our brothers and angry at God. In the Old Testament book of Genesis, Joseph experiences precisely such a fate.

Suppose the Lord told you that one day you would become the king's second-in-command and live in power and luxury for the rest of your life. Who could handle news like that without becoming distracted? This, too, is the story of Joseph in Genesis.

 

Scripture promises the Lord will not put more on us than we can bear. One way He does that is by withholding details about our future. The burdens would rob us of our joy and threaten to destroy us in advance, while the blessings would distract us from our responsibilities of the moment.

Secret #3 - God is working on His plans this very moment.

He is getting you ready for the future and getting the future ready for you. Jesus said, "I go to prepare a place for you. If I go away, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there you may be also." (John 14:1-6). He is getting Heaven ready for us. He is getting us ready for Heaven.

One way God prepares us for future challenges is by giving us difficulties and hardships. He strengthens us the same way a personal trainer builds our muscles: by laying on stress. "It is good for me that I was afflicted," the psalmist said, "that I might learn thy statutes." (Psalm 119:71) That's how it works.

Secret #4 -- Your job is to be faithful today.

Bloom where you are planted, as the saying goes. The way to be ready for tomorrow's opportunities is to do our job today, no matter how insignificant or routine.

Writing in the Spring 2003 issue of "Columns," the alumni magazine of Louisiana College, Curt Iles pays tribute to science professor Charles Cavanaugh. Early in Curt's sophomore year, he paid Cavanaugh a visit to tell him he planned to drop chemistry.

"Prof," said the 19-year-old, "I thought it was God's will for me to become a science teacher. I enjoyed the biology classes you taught last year. But chemistry is killing me. That little rural high school I attended did not prepare me for this. I failed the test yesterday and I am not going to be able to pass this course. So, I plan to drop chemistry. Maybe God will have something else for me since I can't be a science teacher. I need to find His will."

Suddenly, the professor cut him off. "God's will? God's will? Son, I'll tell you what God's will is for you! Get in there, go to work, and pass chemistry. That's what God's will is for you!" And he stormed out of the office. Curt sat there in shock. Finally, realizing the professor was not returning, he went back to his dormitory. That night, he studied chemistry, and the next day, made a D on the test. At least, it was passing.

"That day," Curt Iles writes, "I decided that nothing was going to stop me from achieving my goal of teaching. I was going to pass this course or die trying." A month later, the chemistry professor said, "Iles, what's happened to you?" He was a student with a purpose.

Before leaving the disciples, Jesus began to prepare them for the future. Peter listened, absorbed all he could, then turned to the apostle John. "Lord," he said, "what about him?" Jesus said, "What is that to you? You follow me." (John 21:22)

 

God has big plans for you. He is mercifully not going to tell you what they are. At this moment, He is at work getting you ready for them and them ready for you. Your job is to do the work He has put on your plate today.

-Joe McKeever