Author Topic: The Desire of Ages--66--Controversy  (Read 35299 times)

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Richard Myers

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Re: The Desire of Ages--66--Controversy
« Reply #20 on: September 02, 2017, 06:27:46 AM »
Amen, Pastor Sean. The gospel message is very simple, but has a most amazing effect on all who will let Jesus into the heart. It is rare in today's world to find many who are willing to do this. But, soon we shall see multitudes who will give the whole heart to Christ.

Many already think they are converted and are going to heaven. They have been deceived as were the Jews about their need of God living in them. Many Evangelicals believe in the Spirit, but do not understand the Spirit in the heart transforms the life radically. Others deny the need for the living Spirit all together, just as did many of the Jews who thought they could keep the law independent of the Spirit.

They denied that the Spirit of God works through human efforts or natural means. Yet they still held that, through the proper employment of his natural powers, man could become elevated and enlightened; that by rigorous and austere exactions his life could be purified. 


The Apostle Paul thought the same before he was converted. We read of his experience in Romans seven. But, unlike many others, Saul wanted to serve God with the whole heart and pleaded for help outside of himself to empower him to keep the commands of God. Jesus in answer to his prayer revealed Himself to Saul on the road to Damascus. What a God we serve!!
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Pastor Sean Brizendine

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Re: The Desire of Ages--66--Controversy
« Reply #21 on: November 27, 2017, 02:56:43 AM »
Amen, Richard! The gospel of God's grace reveals His character in His law and in the everlasting gospel. We need to understand Christ IN the law. Christ's character is revealed in each of the Ten Commandments, but the power to do His commandments comes from Himself--and we receive Him into the heart by believing the gospel of His grace with ALL the heart, as we behold His loveliness of character and are drawn to Him, He implants in us a new nature. The law of God is the divine nature defined, and the gospel is the divine nature supplied!

"Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust" (2 Peter 1:4).

Jesus faced a question in His ministry that is very important:

Mark 12:28-34:
28 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?
29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
32 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:
33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.
34 And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.


I am SO thankful for The Desire of Ages as I read along in the gospels, and appreciate God's character of love more each day, as He wants us to be not near, but experientially IN the kingdom--that experience is an entire surrender of the heart to Christ for Him to indwell by His Spirit, so that all of the fruits of the Spirit are seen in our lives and we willingly follow all the light from God's law that we know because we love Him supremely and our neighbor as ourselves.

"The scribe was near to the kingdom of God, in that he recognized deeds of righteousness as more acceptable to God than burnt offerings and sacrifices. But he needed to recognize the divine character of Christ, and through faith in Him receive power to do the works of righteousness. The ritual service was of no value, unless connected with Christ by living faith. Even the moral law fails of its purpose, unless it is understood in its relation to the Saviour. Christ had repeatedly shown that His Father's law contained something deeper than mere authoritative commands. In the law is embodied the same principle that is revealed in the gospel. The law points out man's duty and shows him his guilt. To Christ he must look for pardon and for power to do what the law enjoins." {The Desire of Ages, page 608, paragraph 2}
"When we live by faith on the Son of God, the fruits of the Spirit will be seen in our lives; not one will be missing." {The Desire of Ages, 676.4}

Richard Myers

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Re: The Desire of Ages--66--Controversy
« Reply #22 on: November 27, 2017, 06:52:34 AM »
Amen, Pastor Sean.  I love that truth. How is the law involved with the gospel? Saul was convicted of sin, just like we all before conversion. Not all go through the same experience as Paul. Many when truly convicted as was Paul, know who will deliver them from their body of death (self).  Saul thought His Savior to be an imposter. So, he truly was left out in the dark because of how he had  been taught by the Jewish leaders.

The law convicts, but does not save unless it is connected with Christ. That is it plays a part in salvation by revealing we have need of help outside of ourselves. This is why Paul shared his conversion experience in Romans seven. He plainly teaches there is no good thing in man. We are evil (selfish) by nature. We must be born again of the Spirit. Then we can do all that is asked of us though Christ.

The law is the school master that points us to Jesus for help to keep the commandments. Apart from that understanding, the law cannot save us. When we learn of Jesus, we see His unmerited love for us while we were yet sinners. It is this grace that saves. We love Him because He first loved us. When we love God supremely, we will love our neighbor. Love to God is revealed by keeping all of the commandments to the degree we know them.

     And since all the commandments are summed up in love to God and man, it follows that not one precept can be broken without violating this principle. Thus Christ taught His hearers that the law of God is not so many separate precepts, some of which are of great importance, while others are of small importance and may with impunity be ignored. Our Lord presents the first four and the last six commandments as a divine whole, and teaches that love to God will be shown by obedience to all His commandments.   


Thus, those who teach that we may sin and retain salvation (justification), do not understand the gospel. Let us not look to man, but to God for our wisdom and grace. Do not quote me, nor any man when teaching the gospel of grace. Point all to Christ and His Word.
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

JimB

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Re: The Desire of Ages--66--Controversy
« Reply #23 on: February 22, 2018, 05:21:51 AM »
Their ideas of God molded their own character.

I find this a most interesting statement. Their own ideas of God changed who they were. Which applies to us today. So then how important is it that we get the correct understanding and correct ideas of God since these will in turn mold our character. I personally know someone who believes in and defends the idea that God burns people forever in hell. What I've also noticed about this man is that he seems to be ever ready to make sure that people get their punishment and sometimes more and you don't hear much about mercy or forgiveness from him. Why would he be this way? It appears to me that his idea about God has made him this way.

No wonder it's a good idea to read about the life of Christ every day and see for yourself who exactly is Christ who also reveals to us who God the Father is. This one thing we need to have correct.
By communion with God in nature, the mind is uplifted, and the heart finds rest.  {DA 291.1}

Pastor Sean Brizendine

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Re: The Desire of Ages--66--Controversy
« Reply #24 on: February 22, 2018, 08:08:29 AM »
Amen, Jim! By beholding the true character of God we will be changed into that very image--to reflect more fully each day the loveliness of Jesus, manifest in all of the fruits of the Spirit in the life without one missing which is in perfect harmony with keeping the law of God (the law of love) to the extent that we know it:

"And since all the commandments are summed up in love to God and man, it follows that not one precept can be broken without violating this principle. Thus Christ taught His hearers that the law of God is not so many separate precepts, some of which are of great importance, while others are of small importance and may with impunity be ignored. Our Lord presents the first four and the last six commandments as a divine whole, and teaches that love to God will be shown by obedience to all His commandments."   {The Desire of Ages, page 607, paragraph 3}

All of God's law reveals Him, just as all of the gospel reveals Him. We need to see the law and the gospel together--to see Christ in the law, and Christ as the only way by which we can be made obedient to the law--from the heart renewed by divine grace!
"When we live by faith on the Son of God, the fruits of the Spirit will be seen in our lives; not one will be missing." {The Desire of Ages, 676.4}

Dorine

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Re: The Desire of Ages--66--Controversy
« Reply #25 on: February 22, 2018, 08:29:23 AM »
Their ideas of God molded their own character.

I find this a most interesting statement. Their own ideas of God changed who they were. Which applies to us today. So then how important is it that we get the correct understanding and correct ideas of God since these will in turn mold our character. I personally know someone who believes in and defends the idea that God burns people forever in hell. What I've also noticed about this man is that he seems to be ever ready to make sure that people get their punishment and sometimes more and you don't hear much about mercy or forgiveness from him. Why would he be this way? It appears to me that his idea about God has made him this way.

No wonder it's a good idea to read about the life of Christ every day and see for yourself who exactly is Christ who also reveals to us who God the Father is. This one thing we need to have correct.

How true this is Jim. Our ideas concerning God have been molded in us from the cradle. Only by beholding Christ daily will we get a glimpse of the perfect character of the One who loves and executes both mercy and justice. When we allow God's word through the Holy Spirit to form our ideas and beliefs we will not have a problem with how God deals with sin.

As I was reading this chapter this morning I was amazed at the similarities between the ideas and reasoning's among the rulers in Christs day and what we hear today.
 
......"Thousands become infidels because their finite minds cannot comprehend the mysteries of God. They cannot explain the wonderful exhibition of divine power in His Providences, therefore they reject the evidences of such power, attributing them to natural agencies which they can comprehend still less. The only key to the mysteries that surround us is to acknowledge in them all the presence and power of God. Men need to recognize God as the Creator of the universe, One who commands and executes all things. They need a broader view of His character, and of the mystery of His agencies."

Again we see in today's reading that our profession must be accompanied with a heart of love for God and man, which will be shown in truth and good works.
But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press  toward the mark. Phil. 3:13,14

Richard Myers

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Re: The Desire of Ages--66--Controversy
« Reply #26 on: February 22, 2018, 09:22:40 PM »
Amen, dear Sister! It is summation of the law and the gospel. To "love the Lord thy God  with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment." Then we shall love our neighbor as ourselves. It is love for Christ that transforms the character. It is the law that reveals our inability to do any good thing apart from Christ.

   The scribe was near to the kingdom of God, in that he recognized deeds of righteousness as more acceptable to God than burnt offerings and sacrifices. But he needed to recognize the divine character of Christ, and through faith in Him receive power to do the works of righteousness. The ritual service was of no value, unless connected with Christ by living faith. Even the moral law fails of its purpose, unless it is understood in its relation to the Saviour. Christ had repeatedly shown that His Father's law contained something deeper than mere authoritative commands. In the law is embodied the same principle that is revealed in the gospel. The law points out man's duty and shows him his guilt. To Christ he must look for pardon and for power to do what the law enjoins. 
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Richard Myers

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Re: The Desire of Ages--66--Controversy
« Reply #27 on: May 20, 2018, 07:36:16 AM »
The gospel of grace transforms the life when one is truly converted. There is no sin when Christ has possession of the heart. We do not break one commandment and retain salvation. The principle is simple and easy to understand. In today's reading we see why.

     The lawyer approached Jesus with a direct question, "Which is the first commandment of all?" The answer of Christ is direct and forcible: "The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment." The second is like the first, said Christ; for it flows out of it, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these." "On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."
     The first four of the Ten Commandments are summed up in the one great precept, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart." The last six are included in the other, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." Both these commandments are an expression of the principle of love. The first cannot be kept and the second broken, nor can the second be kept while the first is broken. When God has His rightful place on the throne of the heart, the right place will be given to our neighbor. We shall love him as ourselves. And only as we love God supremely is it possible to love our neighbor impartially.   
     And since all the commandments are summed up in love to God and man, it follows that not one precept can be broken without violating this principle
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Dorine

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Re: The Desire of Ages--66--Controversy
« Reply #28 on: May 20, 2018, 07:41:00 AM »
As I sit at the feet of Jesus this morning watching, and listening to his interaction with his enemies, I am saddened because I am seeing and hearing the same unbelief among our people today that Jesus had to contend with. There are many who have a 'better' way than Jesus and yet they are the first ones to say it's all about Jesus.

I pray for the spirit of Jesus when being challenged by those who believe differently. They love to confuse, disrupt, shed doubt and draw attention to their intelligence. The positive side to the situation is that it should keep us on our knees and in our bibles so that we can be a spokesperson for truth without being argumentative. Jesus has such a beautiful spirit and I want to emulate it always. As we behold Him each day His spirit will become ours and we will have the love and pity for the lost that He has. Thank you Jesus.
But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press  toward the mark. Phil. 3:13,14

Pastor Sean Brizendine

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Re: The Desire of Ages--66--Controversy
« Reply #29 on: May 20, 2018, 10:21:02 AM »
Amen, Richard and Dorine!

We see controversy many times, but we see in Christ how to meet it. He is our Savior and Example! Praise God!

I was blessed today to appreciate how God sees the big picture! We can take courage in Him!

“Christ declared to His hearers that if there were no resurrection of the dead, the Scriptures which they professed to believe would be of no avail. He said, ‘But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.’ God counts the things that are not as though they were. He sees the end from the beginning, and beholds the result of His work as though it were now accomplished. The precious dead, from Adam down to the last saint who dies, will hear the voice of the Son of God, and will come forth from the grave to immortal life. God will be their God, and they shall be His people. There will be a close and tender relationship between God and the risen saints. This condition, which is anticipated in His purpose, He beholds as if it were already existing. The dead live unto Him.”– {The Desire of Ages, page 606, paragraph 1}
"When we live by faith on the Son of God, the fruits of the Spirit will be seen in our lives; not one will be missing." {The Desire of Ages, 676.4}

Pastor Sean Brizendine

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Re: The Desire of Ages--66--Controversy
« Reply #30 on: August 15, 2018, 06:24:20 AM »
God reveals to us His true character in the life of Christ. By beholding we become changed. The Ten Commandments are a divine whole, a revelation of unselfish love, and only by seeing our sin and our need of a Savior can we experience true love--the overflow of His Spirit in our hearts.

"The Pharisees had exalted the first four commandments, which point out the duty of man to his Maker, as of far greater consequence than the other six, which define man's duty to his fellow man. As the result, they greatly failed of practical godliness. Jesus had shown the people their great deficiency, and had taught the necessity of good works, declaring that the tree is known by its fruits. For this reason He had been charged with exalting the last six commandments above the first four." {The Desire of Ages, page 606, paragraph 4}

The tree (character of a person) is known by its fruits. We will either reveal all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing (if we are living by faith on the Son of God), or will reveal the works of flesh, the principle of selfishness that is natural to us unless we are converted daily and continually abide in Christ. Let us experience His grace, His character, each moment today!

   
"When we live by faith on the Son of God, the fruits of the Spirit will be seen in our lives; not one will be missing." {The Desire of Ages, 676.4}

Richard Myers

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Re: The Desire of Ages--66--Controversy
« Reply #31 on: August 15, 2018, 09:55:13 AM »
Amen Pastor Sean.  " The Ten Commandments are a divine whole, a revelation of unselfish love..."   Yes, those commandments written with the finger of God reveal the character of God. Satan claims that man cannot keep the commandments, thus God is unfair in condemning sinners to death because they do not keep His commandments. In other words, Satan is saying that man cannot love man nor God. But, who believes that? That man cannot love God nor man? It is true that man cannot love God nor man unless he is converted. We are indeed evil by nature and can do no good thing until converted by fully surrendering the whole heart to Christ. 

The first four of the Ten Commandments are summed up in the one great precept, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart." The last six are included in the other, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." Both these commandments are an expression of the principle of love. The first cannot be kept and the second broken, nor can the second be kept while the first is broken. When God has His rightful place on the throne of the heart, the right place will be given to our neighbor. We shall love him as ourselves. And only as we love God supremely is it possible to love our neighbor impartially.

We are suffering the same problems Israel suffered. We have been deceived by religious leaders as to the power of grace to transform the character when allowed into the heart. Doctrinal purity is what we need. And, to have this, we need to be converted, for spiritual things are spiritually discerned.

By His words and His works, Christ testified to a divine power that produces supernatural results, to a future life beyond the present, to God as a Father of the children of men, ever watchful of their true interests. He revealed the working of divine power in benevolence and compassion that rebuked the selfish exclusiveness of the Sadducees. He taught that both for man's temporal and for his eternal good, God moves upon the heart by the Holy Spirit. He showed the error of trusting to human power for that transformation of character which can be wrought only by the Spirit of God. 
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Pastor Sean Brizendine

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Re: The Desire of Ages--66--Controversy
« Reply #32 on: November 10, 2018, 07:05:18 AM »
Have you ever had someone say, "You're really close." Some might take that as a compliment, as if they were making progress. But with God's kingdom there is no "almost" and "close enough." We are either fully surrendered to Christ, yielding all we have and are to Him so we receive a new heart and mind filled with His Spirit, or we are still choosing our own selfish way, and thus are really lost. How was it with the lawyer who spoke to Jesus?

    "The scribe was near to the kingdom of God, in that he recognized deeds of righteousness as more acceptable to God than burnt offerings and sacrifices. But he needed to recognize the divine character of Christ, and through faith in Him receive power to do the works of righteousness. The ritual service was of no value, unless connected with Christ by living faith. Even the moral law fails of its purpose, unless it is understood in its relation to the Saviour. Christ had repeatedly shown that His Father's law contained something deeper than mere authoritative commands. In the law is embodied the same principle that is revealed in the gospel. The law points out man's duty and shows him his guilt. To Christ he must look for pardon and for power to do what the law enjoins." {The Desire of Ages, page 608, paragraph 2} 

Thankfully, being near to the kingdom of God can be the place where we see our need of genuine conversion, full surrender, and a continual dependence upon Jesus to do any good thing. If we have flattered ourselves that we are "doing good enough" on our own strength (and this is very prevalent in many a person's experience), then we are quite likely to fail to see how much we need Jesus, and to desire the divine nature that is to be combined with human effort in order for us to be saved. God works upon our hearts to cause us to desire that which He longs to give to us, but He will not force our will; He invites and calls at the door of the heart (the place of decision), but it remains for us to choose to respond. I thank God that it need not be complicated. Behold the Lamb of God, Jesus, and by beholding His loveliness of character, yield fully to Him and let Him fill you with His Spirit in the place of living after the fallen nature. He will fill you with all of the fruits of the Spirit so that not one will be missing!

"When we live by faith on the Son of God, the fruits of the Spirit will be seen in our lives; not one will be missing." {The Desire of Ages, 676.4}

Beacon

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Re: The Desire of Ages--66--Controversy
« Reply #33 on: February 04, 2019, 08:11:22 PM »
"The ritual service was of no value, unless connected with Christ by living faith. Even the moral law fails of its purpose, unless it is understood in its relation to the Saviour. Christ had repeatedly shown that His Father's law contained something deeper than mere authoritative commands. In the law is embodied the same principle that is revealed in the gospel. The law points out man's duty and shows him his guilt. To Christ he must look for pardon and for power to do what the law enjoins."

Jesus said...." Without me ye can do nothing"  I pray this morning that you and I will not assume that because we have knowledge "About Jesus " and "His Word." that we can on our own power live the life He wants us to live.  He promises that " If we ask - We will receive " As we move through this day and everyday let us put our "self" totally in His hands to be filled with the Holy Spirit thereby becoming a "watchman that needeth not to be ashamed.
Look up and listen for the shout.

Pastor Sean Brizendine

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Re: The Desire of Ages--66--Controversy
« Reply #34 on: February 05, 2019, 04:42:53 AM »
Amen, Beacon! Jesus is able to give us power to receive the gospel of His grace (for by beholding we become changed), and through full surrender to Him, we are enabled to live out the principles of the law by receiving a new nature--the divine nature available to us in His word. "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust" (2 Peter 1:4). The new nature we receive manifests itself with all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing, and such a character is in harmony with the law of love!

"The first four of the Ten Commandments are summed up in the one great precept, 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart.' The last six are included in the other, 'Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.' Both these commandments are an expression of the principle of love. The first cannot be kept and the second broken, nor can the second be kept while the first is broken. When God has His rightful place on the throne of the heart, the right place will be given to our neighbor. We shall love him as ourselves. And only as we love God supremely is it possible to love our neighbor impartially." {The Desire of Ages, page 607, paragraph 2}   
"When we live by faith on the Son of God, the fruits of the Spirit will be seen in our lives; not one will be missing." {The Desire of Ages, 676.4}

Richard Myers

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Re: The Desire of Ages--66--Controversy
« Reply #35 on: February 05, 2019, 07:30:32 AM »
Amen!  Thus, the most important question we can ask has been answered by you both. What must I do to be saved? We cannot save ourselves. We do not have repentance, it comes from God. We cannot obey in and of ourselves. So what must I do? Just believe? No, we cannot believe with saving belief without doing something. We must have "saving faith" not nominal faith that is given to each person. Then how do we get saving faith? How do we get repentance? How do we get obedience? It all comes from God. But, the question remains, what must I do in order to be saved? If we want saving faith, faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Why? Because the Word is a revelation of Christ. "The Word was made flesh." Jesus is the Word. His life reveals the character of God. It is a revelation of the law of God.

Just believe.....what? Believe in Christ. How much do I have to believe? The devils believe and tremble. They will not be saved. What is the difference between saving belief and that belief which so many have including the fallen angels? Saving believe (saving faith) is trusting Jesus with the whole heart, trusting Him with all we are and all we have. The first commandment requires that we love the Lord thy God with all of thine heart not half of it or 99% of it. How do we arrive at this point of loving Jesus with the whole heart?

Can you trust someone with your car keys if you do not know them? Can you trust them with your children if you do not know them? Of course not. Then how do you get to know someone? You spend time with them. You study their life.  The same is true of Christ. We must spend time with Him. As we contemplate His life, especially the closing scenes, we will learn of Him. Love begets love. We will love Him with the whole heart when we see how much He loves us. We must "eat His flesh and drink His blood." Why? Because "man does not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God." The Word is a revelation of Christ, of His character.

If we want physical life, we eat bread, if we want spiritual life (salvation) we feed upon Jesus. He said He was the Manna which came down from heaven. Jesus is the Bread of Life. It would be well to spend a thoughtful hour a day contemplating the life of Christ. "As Moses lifted up  the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up" that we might "look and live." It is a spiritual and an intellectual truth that by beholding we are changed into what we behold. The mind gradually adapts itself to that which it is accustomed to see. The mind is like plastic, molding itself to that which it beholds day after day. This can be a blessing or a curse depending on where we spend our time. Think of your children, what are they becoming like? Do they spend time in the garden or watching television or playing computer games?

What must I do to be saved? We are saved by grace through faith. Where can I find grace? It is the goodness of God that forgives repentant sinners. What leads to repentance? It is His grace. The Bible tells us "that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance." We must drink in His goodness every day if we want to "die daily" to self and sin. We can do no good thing until we are born again of His Spirit. We are evil by nature and must be converted. Grace surrounds us as thick as the air that we breathe, but it does no good unless we see it and take it into the heart. Then we are transformed by the power of grace. We become partakers then of God's divine nature because the heart is filled with the Spirit of God.

As Beacon quoted "To Christ he must look for pardon and for power to do what the law enjoins."  As Pastor Sean quoted "When God has His rightful place on the throne of the heart, the right place will be given to our neighbor. We shall love him as ourselves. And only as we love God supremely is it possible to love our neighbor impartially."

What must we do in order to love God supremely? What we must do to be saved? We must look to Jesus. We must continually look to Jesus. We must love Him with the whole heart. And when we have looked upon Jesus to the degree that we know Him enough to trust Him with the whole heart, then we will be able to reflect His character of love and obedience. We will have been transformed into His image (character). This happens when we are truly converted. Then we must continue doing what led us to our conversion, we must behold His grace. "We all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." 2 Cor. 3:18.

    By His words and His works, Christ testified to a divine power that produces supernatural results, to a future life beyond the present, to God as a Father of the children of men, ever watchful of their true interests. He revealed the working of divine power in benevolence and compassion that rebuked the selfish exclusiveness of the Sadducees. He taught that both for man's temporal and for his eternal good, God moves upon the heart by the Holy Spirit. He showed the error of trusting to human power for that transformation of character which can be wrought only by the Spirit of God.


Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Dorine

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Re: The Desire of Ages--66--Controversy
« Reply #36 on: February 05, 2019, 08:19:47 AM »
It's been such a blessing to read each person's comments this morning. God has made it possible for even a child to understand the gospel of salvation. But what I find amazing is that God has made it easy for everyone, from a child to the highest of intellects. Even some children who are born mentally challenged if taught about Jesus can accept Him into their hearts and understand right from wrong. The difficulties come when we allow our carnal natures to dictate to us how we think and live. That's what brought the Jews into the situation they found themselves in. God in His love for us will allow us to hit rock bottom so that we will turn to Him for rescue.

"The Saviour's words, "Render . . . unto God the things that are God's," were a severe rebuke to the intriguing Jews. Had they faithfully fulfilled their obligations to God, they would not have become a broken nation, subject to a foreign power. No Roman ensign would have waved over Jerusalem, no Roman sentinel would have stood at her gates, no Roman governor would have ruled within her walls. The Jewish nation was then paying the penalty of its apostasy from God."
But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press  toward the mark. Phil. 3:13,14

Marelis

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Re: The Desire of Ages--66--Controversy
« Reply #37 on: February 05, 2019, 10:11:16 AM »
In my typical day I view the world through different lenses. Yesterday morning I was up early and watered my garden. My garden draws me close to the Lord. It's a micro garden of Eden full of beautiful flowers. Then I retreated to my quiet place and read scripture and was taken up into the heavenly sanctuary. Then I spent 11 intense hours dealing with a couple dozen very ill and/or very depressed people. Wheelchairs. Oxygen tanks+emphysema. Cachectic alcoholics. Pregnant teen. At least half a dozen with serious suicidal thoughts. People hardly able to function without painkillers and pleading for more help to manage their pain. Their bodies gnarled and stooped from arthritis. Heavily tattooed bodies. Diabetic ulcers and numb feet from diabetes. 360lbs of sadness and pain. Tongue piercings and bars through eyebrows. Excited accounts of latest cruise vacations. A scantily dressed woman with a cross necklace with panda mascara eyes. Pass her some tissues. And ask her about the cross. She is a Christian. We talk. She hugs me. Squeeze in a woman who had a breakdown in emergency because she can't cope with her pain. She's crying. Her pain is emotional. Her husband left her.

I view the gospel differently at work than when turning delicate Bible pages or admiring flowers. A different lens for each broken person. Each person is unique. Each has a story. There's a reason for the obesity. There's a reason for the tattoos and piercings and teenage sex and tears and pleadings for painkillers to block emotional pain.

Tomorrow night I meet with a close-knit group of seven leftist feminist atheist women. Some with PhDs. I'm clearly the odd woman out. For four hours we discuss life, literature, politics. And religion.

But one Saviour. One Saviour who lived and died for each of these people who are found in every city and in every little town in your country and mine. One Heavenly Father who loves and tenderly pities each individual. One Holy Spirit touching each.

The gospel is very simple. Yet breathtakingly complex as well. A gospel that is relevant to every person. A gospel that is one size fits all yet custom made for the special needs and circumstances of every person.

May my eyes ever see every person I encounter through the eyes of heaven.
"Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore."  Ps 16:11

Dorine

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Re: The Desire of Ages--66--Controversy
« Reply #38 on: February 05, 2019, 12:19:54 PM »
Marelis, thank you for helping us to see the 'real' world. We may see it from a distance but you are interacting on a daily basis with those who seem so far from Jesus. What an opportunity you have to show Jesus to them through your individual care, love, and concern for them. You are experiencing each day similar encounters as that of Jesus while here on earth.


But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press  toward the mark. Phil. 3:13,14

Beacon

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Re: The Desire of Ages--66--Controversy
« Reply #39 on: May 02, 2019, 08:01:36 PM »

"The first four of the Ten Commandments are summed up in the one great precept, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart." The last six are included in the other, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." Both these commandments are an expression of the principle of love. The first cannot be kept and the second broken, nor can the second be kept while the first is broken. When God has His rightful place on the throne of the heart, the right place will be given to our neighbor. We shall love him as ourselves. And only as we love God supremely is it possible to love our neighbor impartially.[/u]"[/b]
   
Jesus says to us today...." IF " You love Me - Keep My Commandments!! Are we willing to do that...?, and thereby bring Glory to our Savior and Hope, Courage & Faith to our Neighbors, Friends, and Family. This is only possible "IF" we recognize both our Duty to God and Our Obligation to all those with whom we have the privilege of daily contact. Jesus said.."  If you have done this unto one of the least of these "MY BRETHREN", Ye have done it unto Me." [/u][/color][/b]

"And since all the commandments are summed up in love to God and man, it follows that not one precept can be broken without violating this principle. Thus Christ taught His hearers that the law of God is not so many separate precepts, some of which are of great importance, while others are of small importance and may with impunity be ignored. Our Lord presents the first four and the last six commandments as a divine whole, and teaches that love to God will be shown by obedience to all His commandments."
Look up and listen for the shout.