Author Topic: The Desire of Ages--32--The Centurion  (Read 16156 times)

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Richard Myers

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Re: The Desire of Ages--32--The Centurion
« Reply #20 on: October 24, 2017, 09:56:06 PM »
Amen, Pastor Sean. I selected the very same paragraph to share. What the Centurion understood is what we all must come to learn, we are unworthy of God's grace. This is why it is called grace.

  The Jewish elders who recommended the centurion to Christ had shown how far they were from possessing the spirit of the gospel. They did not recognize that our great need is our only claim on God's mercy. In their self-righteousness they commended the centurion because of the favor he had shown to "our nation." But the centurion said of himself, "I am not worthy." His heart had been touched by the grace of Christ. He saw his own unworthiness; yet he feared not to ask help. He trusted not to his own goodness; his argument was his great need. His faith took hold upon Christ in His true character. He did not believe in Him merely as a worker of miracles, but as the friend and Saviour of mankind.
     It is thus that every sinner may come to Christ. "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us." Titus 3:5. When Satan tells you that you are a sinner, and cannot hope to receive blessing from God, tell him that Christ came into the world to save sinners. We have nothing to recommend us to God; but the plea that we may urge now and ever is our utterly helpless condition that makes His redeeming power a necessity. Renouncing all self-dependence, we may look to the cross of Calvary and say,--

              "In my hand no price I bring;
               Simply to Thy cross I cling." 


Has Satan ever whispered in your ear "you are a sinner!"?  Well...he is right. We may have truly repented, as had Peter after he denied Christ, but when Peter was crucified, he was a repentant sinner. So, if Satan whispered in Peter's ear, what would Peter say? Yes, I am a sinner, but Christ not only came to save me, a sinner, He came to live in me so that I can have power to love others who hurt me. What can Satan say? Nothing that will convince us that God did not come to saved sinners.

First, we must learn what the Centurion learned, we are unworthy of God's grace. We are evil by nature and can do no good thing until transformed in character at conversion!
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--32--The Centurion
« Reply #21 on: January 19, 2018, 06:34:17 AM »
I ask myself this morning...Do I have the kind of faith that this centurion manifested? Do I possess the same humble spirit? He did not believe in Jesus as merely the worker of miracles but as a friend and Saviour. It mattered not that the Jewish nation did not accept Jesus. He recognized the truth in Jesus. I hope he stayed faithful to Jesus because I want to meet him in heaven and have a chat and hear his story in detail.


"It is thus that every sinner may come to Christ, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us." Titus 3:5. When Satan tells you that you are a sinner, and cannot hope to receive blessing from God, tell him that Christ came into the world to save sinners. We have nothing to recommend us to God; but the plea that we may urge now and ever is our utterly helpless condition that makes His redeeming power a necessity. Renouncing all self-dependence, we may look to the cross of Calvary and say,..."In my hand no price I bring, Simply to Thy cross I cling."


I once heard someone say; "When Satan torments you with your past; remind him of his future."


These are the kinds of stories and promises that plant my feet firmly grounded in truth; not wavering with every wind of doctrine or idea or theory that comes along. That is why it's so important to spend time each day in the bible and Spirit of Prophecy with an open heart hungering for truth though it may hurt.
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--32--The Centurion
« Reply #22 on: January 19, 2018, 07:46:12 AM »
Amen dear sister! What a joy it is to read such beautiful truth! We love the truth, as it is in Jesus. What A Savior! Many things went through my mind this morning as I studied this chapter. One was the parallel between Israel then, and modern Israel today, His church. Are we in the same condition Israel was back then? Sadly, the church remains a Laodicean condition. But, that is no excuse for any of us to not know God. It is our privilege to behold Jesus daily. What a privilege is hours to know Him who gave all for us, and then to find others who love him as we do.

Another truth that was impressed upon my mind this morning, was that the young man who was brought back to life, we were told would have to suffer death again. Not only suffer death again, but he was brought back into this wicked world! Oh, how backwards we sometimes have things. We remember that the Apostle Paul wanted to go home to be with the Lord. But, many professing Christians today don't want to go home to be with the Lord. Why not? Because this world still has a hold on them. Do we fear death, or do we long to be with Jesus?

I really enjoyed the ending of the chapter. It reminded me of Romans 8:9.

     And "if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you." "For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." Romans 8:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17. This is the word of comfort wherewith He bids us comfort one another.   
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--32--The Centurion
« Reply #23 on: January 19, 2018, 09:51:46 AM »
Amen, Sister Dorine and Richard! We see in the faith of the centurion a clear revelation of the "faith of Jesus"--for Jesus simply trusted whatever His Father said, because He loved Him. The Centurion believed and trusted the word of Jesus. So we may trust Him for forgiveness, for power to live a holy life, and not fear that God's word cannot do what it says. God is faithful!

Jesus immediately set out for the officer's home; but, pressed by the multitude, He advanced slowly. The news of His coming preceded Him, and the centurion, in his self-distrust, sent Him the message, "Lord, trouble not Thyself: for I am not worthy that Thou shouldest enter under my roof." But the Saviour kept on His way, and the centurion, venturing at last to approach Him, completed the message, saying, "Neither thought I myself worthy to come unto Thee;" "but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it." As I represent the power of Rome, and my soldiers recognize my authority as supreme, so dost Thou represent the power of the Infinite God, and all created things obey Thy word. Thou canst command the disease to depart, and it shall obey Thee. Thou canst summon Thy heavenly messengers, and they shall impart healing virtue. Speak but the word, and my servant shall be healed.  {The Desire of Ages, page 316, 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}

Pastor Sean Brizendine

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Re: The Desire of Ages--32--The Centurion
« Reply #24 on: April 16, 2018, 03:44:58 AM »
"In clear, authoritative voice the words are spoken, 'Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.' That voice pierces the ears of the dead. The young man opens his eyes. Jesus takes him by the hand, and lifts him up. His gaze falls upon her who has been weeping beside him, and mother and son unite in a long, clinging, joyous embrace. The multitude look on in silence, as if spellbound. 'There came a fear on all.' Hushed and reverent they stood for a little time, as if in the very presence of God. Then they 'glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited His people.' The funeral train returned to Nain as a triumphal procession. 'And this rumor of Him went forth throughout all Judea, and throughout all the region round about.'"  {The Desire of Ages, page 318, paragraph 5}

I was deeply encouraged by the words "that voice pierces the ears of the dead." We need the same power of Christ to pierce the ears of the hard natural heart, to awaken the soul to its sense of need, and to come to Christ who offers us resurrection power to live the life of faith as we surrender our will to Him so He can impart to us a new heart and a new mind imbued with His Holy Spirit. The evidence that we truly have heard His word and responded is that the fruits of the Spirit will be seen in our lives; not one will be missing--and it will be known that the Savior lives in you and me who have a new-life experience!
"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--32--The Centurion
« Reply #25 on: April 16, 2018, 09:01:32 AM »
Amen, Pastor Sean!  If ever there was a time when Christianity needs to hear that voice, it is now! In today's reading, we have a warning. Israel is an ensample (example) for those whom the ends fo the world has come upon (us).

    The Jews had been instructed from childhood concerning the work of the Messiah. The inspired utterances of patriarchs and prophets and the symbolic teaching of the sacrificial service had been theirs. But they had disregarded the light; and now they saw in Jesus nothing to be desired. But the centurion, born in heathenism, educated in the idolatry of imperial Rome, trained as a soldier, seemingly cut off from spiritual life by his education and surroundings, and still further shut out by the bigotry of the Jews, and by the contempt of his own countrymen for the people of Israel,--this man perceived the truth to which the children of Abraham were blinded. He did not wait to see whether the Jews themselves would receive the One who claimed to be their Messiah. As the "light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world" (John 1:9) had shone upon him, he had, though afar off, discerned the glory of the Son of God.
     To Jesus this was an earnest of the work which the gospel was to accomplish among the Gentiles. With joy He looked forward to the gathering of souls from all nations to His kingdom. With deep sadness He pictured to the Jews the result of their rejection of His grace: "I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Alas, how many are still preparing for the same fatal disappointment! While souls in heathen darkness accept His grace, how many there are in Christian lands upon whom the light shines only to be disregarded. 


We live in the "gathering time." Jesus is calling His people out of all lands, and out of  Babylon, into His last church. He does so with the truth, the leading edge of truth. His sheep will hear His voice and come into His remnant church. He is cleaning His church so that it will not be a danger to those lambs coming in. It is a promise that he will do so. "For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you." Ezekiel 36:24,25.

The hardness of heart and the unkind judging of others will not be seen in His church so very soon. Jesus is breathing His Spirit upon His church. The Wind will blow over the dead dry, dry, dry bones and He will have a church that marches in lockstep witnessing His character to a world soon to perish. Then the heathen will know there is a God in heaven above, and living in and through fallen flesh.
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--32--The Centurion
« Reply #26 on: April 16, 2018, 03:49:53 PM »
What joy must have filled Jesus' heart to hear the centurion verbalize his faith in Christ's healing power. I wonder how many of our prayers go unanswered because of unbelief. How it must wound our Saviour when He longs to do for us more abundantly than we ask or think.

We are going home soon but until then we have been given a work to do. It is to reflect the character of God in our lives, seeking and teaching the lost and bringing them to Jesus for cleansing and healing. Won't heaven be the most wonderful place. I love to linger in the fragrance of Jesus in these chapters.
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

Sister Marie

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Re: The Desire of Ages--32--The Centurion
« Reply #27 on: April 16, 2018, 04:11:25 PM »
Oh the words of God can be seen so completely here
They take away sorrow, stress and all fear,
That even the Centurions of this world do proclaim
"I'll follow Jesus and Praise His Name."


With Christian Love,
Marie

Dorine

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Re: The Desire of Ages--32--The Centurion
« Reply #28 on: April 16, 2018, 05:12:19 PM »
Amen Sister Marie. God has blessed you with a special talent. Thank you for blessing us with your poetry.
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--32--The Centurion
« Reply #29 on: July 12, 2018, 05:58:54 AM »
Some people alive on earth right now are waiting to be translated to heaven when Jesus comes. They need not wait for the faith of that experience, as according to Scripture, Jesus already did that for us, and offers us translation faith (saving faith, the faith of Jesus, the faith that led the centurion to trust that just by God's word, as he yielded his heart to the loveliness of Jesus, that his servant would be healed, even kindling in his heart faith to believe on Christ as a personal Savior). We have infinitely many reasons to be praising God right now, and no matter what our flesh says (the devil's version of your identity), you can trust what your Savior says (as the divine nature He gives you in full surrender, evinced by all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing, are a sure sign that you are a NEW CREATURE in Christ Jesus!!). Are you willing to stop listening to S109.1 (or whatever your station is in your mind, the "S" standing for "Self")? We have so many "stations" of unbelief, but the only saving faith radio station is the one that is the mind of Christ, the mind that is ever fully surrendered to hear and follow where the loving Savior leads. His voice can awaken you from listening to your station of death (self) and start listening 24/7 to Jesus Christ (and reception is always strong, not intermittent!) You might say, "But my station is weak." Then stop trying to make up a faith station and call it "the faith of Jesus," when only HIS FAITH--HIS CHARACTER and HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS are sufficient for you!!!! We need to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, and we will as we spend a thoughtful hour with Him, fall so completely in love with Him all over again that we cannot contain our joy and must find someone to share with of the infinite loveliness of Jesus!!!

"Satan cannot hold the dead in his grasp when the Son of God bids them live. He cannot hold in spiritual death one soul who in faith receives Christ's word of power. God is saying to all who are dead in sin, 'Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead.' Ephesians 5:14. That word is eternal life. As the word of God which bade the first man live, still gives us life; as Christ's word, 'Young man, I say unto thee, Arise,' gave life to the youth of Nain, so that word, 'Arise from the dead,' is life to the soul that receives it. God 'hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son.' Colossians 1:13. It is all offered us in His word. If we receive the word, we have the deliverance." {The Desire of Ages, page 320, paragraph 2}

Praise God for such a faith as Jesus gives us--it is not in Israel, it is not in you or me by nature, it is in Christ--and Christ will live in the weakest soul who yields unreservedly to Him full time!!! Hallelujah!!!! I cannot contain this joy!!!! Please share with someone what Jesus has done for you!!!! Ten years ago today I was re baptized in Southern California during my first summer of going door-to-door in a magabook Youth Rush Summer 2008 Program. Yoane Sanchez, a young canvassing leader, exuded the loveliness of Jesus in such a powerful way that I was so deeply encouraged to go deeper with God, and as a result God has wrought such a transformation in my life!! I look back with joy but even GREATER ANTICIPATION for what God will continue to do. Does the faith of Jesus have its way in you? It can and it will as you behold Him and let His mind be in you!!! A new heart is the inevitable result of union and communion with Christ, a heart that overflows with love and earnestly desires to save one more soul for the sake of Jesus!!!   
"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--32--The Centurion
« Reply #30 on: July 12, 2018, 01:52:27 PM »
Amen Pastor Sean! What a joy to know our Savior intimately!  He loves even me!!  He died for us while we were yet sinners!! There is a time coming very soon when all will have made their decision one way or the other. Today to a large degree determines where we shall end up. If we are yielding, then we shall see Jesus. If we are rejecting His call, then unless we do something differently soon, we shall lose out on being with Jesus for eternity. What a shame since He already paid for our redemption.

     The Jews had been instructed from childhood concerning the work of the Messiah. The inspired utterances of patriarchs and prophets and the symbolic teaching of the sacrificial service had been theirs. But they had disregarded the light; and now they saw in Jesus nothing to be desired. But the centurion, born in heathenism, educated in the idolatry of imperial Rome, trained as a soldier, seemingly cut off from spiritual life by his education and surroundings, and still further shut out by the bigotry of the Jews, and by the contempt of his own countrymen for the people of Israel,--this man perceived the truth to which the children of Abraham were blinded. He did not wait to see whether the Jews themselves would receive the One who claimed to be their Messiah. As the "light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world" (John 1:9) had shone upon him, he had, though afar off, discerned the glory of the Son of God.
     To Jesus this was an earnest of the work which the gospel was to accomplish among the Gentiles. With joy He looked forward to the gathering of souls from all nations to His kingdom. With deep sadness He pictured to the Jews the result of their rejection of His grace: "I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Alas, how many are still preparing for the same fatal disappointment! While souls in heathen darkness accept His grace, how many there are in Christian lands upon whom the light shines only to be disregarded. 
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--32--The Centurion
« Reply #31 on: October 07, 2018, 02:50:46 AM »
I love the way God speaks to us in His word! He is calling for a complete trust like the centurion had!

Matthew 8:8-13 "The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour."

While the Roman centurion is happy to respond to the gospel of God's grace as manifested in the way his servant is healed, Jesus' heart is breaking at the thought of how many among His own people who are stubbornly refusing to walk in the light of His word. The story is repeating. While many Seventh-day Adventist Christians who have had great light, but who have not walked in that light, great multitudes are about to be gathered in who will gladly respond to all the light God sends! May we realize the opportunities as did Jesus, by ministering to the souls who are open to light and truth (with the yearning prayer that it will awaken souls who have had great light, but who have not applied it). Pray for those who are resisting light, because God's Seventh-day Adventist Church is seeing revival and reformation!

We have a bright story to tell of the exceedingly beautiful loveliness of Jesus, but the warnings of the peril and lostness of the Jewish nation as a nation cannot be passed by with a mere glance. We need to see our continual need of Jesus to do anything good (from a pure heart renewed by His Holy Spirit, imbued with all of the fruits of the Spirit so not one is missing). If we do not see our great need, we are liable to think (as did the Jews) that the mere profession of acceptance of great light and privilege constitutes salvation. This is a fatal deception. Salvation comes to the soul that gladly yields the will to Christ, letting Him purify the whole heart, and renew the whole mind. Anything less than full surrender to Christ and all that He reveals is the galling experience of Romans 7, when a soul knows the good, but finds no power to perform it. But when we see our great need, we can cleave to Jesus as did the centurion, and then find the joy of a victorious Christian life made possible by the power of the Holy Spirit (as promised in Romans 8)! Beholding the loveliness of Jesus, we can be set free from our terrible lostness--even the kind of lostness described as the Laodicean condition, necessitating the remedy found alone in full surrender to Christ (Revelation 3:14-22).

"To Jesus this was an earnest of the work which the gospel was to accomplish among the Gentiles. With joy He looked forward to the gathering of souls from all nations to His kingdom. With deep sadness He pictured to the Jews the result of their rejection of His grace: 'I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' Alas, how many are still preparing for the same fatal disappointment! While souls in heathen darkness accept His grace, how many there are in Christian lands upon whom the light shines only to be disregarded."  {The Desire of Ages, page 317, paragraph 4}
"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--32--The Centurion
« Reply #32 on: October 07, 2018, 06:42:49 AM »
Amen Pastor Sean. I too was impressed with the very same truth. What a blessing to know there are "Centurions" out there in the world!  God is working to bring them into His church. The Truth as it is in Jesus is drawing them all. And, as usual, Jesus does not want us to forget that there are many who having great light will continue to reject it. We are to move beyond those in the church who will reject great light. God has prepared a people to take their place. God warns and encourages us. Let us make sure we are fully surrendered and walking in the light of His love and grace.

To Jesus this was an earnest of the work which the gospel was to accomplish among the Gentiles. With joy He looked forward to the gathering of souls from all nations to His kingdom. With deep sadness He pictured to the Jews the result of their rejection of His grace: "I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Alas, how many are still preparing for the same fatal disappointment! While souls in heathen darkness accept His grace, how many there are in Christian lands upon whom the light shines only to be disregarded. 
Yes, there are many in Babylon also to whom the light is shining only to be rejected.  :(   There are great trials coming. We can glory in them as we abide in Christ. And we can be encouraged by this truth:

    And "if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you." "For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." Romans 8:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17. This is the word of comfort wherewith He bids us comfort one another.   


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--32--The Centurion
« Reply #33 on: January 02, 2019, 05:06:44 AM »
"Satan cannot hold the dead in his grasp when the Son of God bids them live. He cannot hold in spiritual death one soul who in faith receives Christ's word of power. God is saying to all who are dead in sin, "Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead." Ephesians 5:14. That word is eternal life. As the word of God which bade the first man live, still gives us life; as Christ's word, "Young man, I say unto thee, Arise," gave life to the youth of Nain, so that word, "Arise from the dead," is life to the soul that receives it. God "hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son." Colossians 1:13. It is all offered us in His word. If we receive the word, we have the deliverance." 

What a comforting promise to start the new year with. Those who hear the call of Jesus and surrender completely to Him will become citizens of the kingdom of God. God has rescued us from the prison of sin. We've experienced the joy of salvation through the blood of Jesus. Let us rejoice in the miraculous power of God to change our ugly sin-stained life into lives that reflect His character. Let's make Jesus first and last in all that we think, say and do so if we are ever tempted to give it all up we will cling to the promises of Jesus and know that He will fulfil each one as we abide in Him.
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--32--The Centurion
« Reply #34 on: January 02, 2019, 07:04:33 AM »
 "Satan cannot hold the dead in his grasp when the Son of God bids them live. He cannot hold in spiritual death one soul who in faith receives Christ's word of power. God is saying to all who are dead in sin, "Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead." Ephesians 5:14. That word is eternal life. As the word of God which bade the first man live, still gives us life; as Christ's word, "Young man, I say unto thee, Arise," gave life to the youth of Nain, so that word, "Arise from the dead," is life to the soul that receives it. God "hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son." Colossians 1:13. It is all offered us in His word. If we receive the word, we have the deliverance." ( DA Pg. 320 )

These demonstrations by Jesus show us the great Power and Mercy of Our Lord and Savior towards His human family. He wants us to believe and trust Him. He wants us have courage, faith, and hope as we journey towards the kingdom regardless of all the challenging and sometimes overwhelming experiences that we pass through.

"And "if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you." "For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." Romans 8:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17. This is the word of comfort wherewith He bids us comfort one another." (DA Pg. 320 ) 
Look up and listen for the shout.

Pastor Sean Brizendine

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Re: The Desire of Ages--32--The Centurion
« Reply #35 on: January 02, 2019, 08:14:21 AM »
Amen, Dorine and Beacon!

It's probably happened to you before--you hop into a rental car, and the radio is blaring something that you would rather not hear, and you quickly turn it off or change the dial to something uplifting. But our fallen nature is a lot like that rental car--by nature, we are fallen, sinful, and unholy, and Satan seeks to put false messages in our hearts and minds so we feel too sinful to come to Christ, or, like the Pharisees, feel our "own righteousness" commends us to God and we do not need Jesus continually (both are deceptions of the devil). But I praise God that it is possible to "change the radio station," so to speak, to tune our thoughts to the truth: the word of God!!

"It is thus that every sinner may come to Christ. 'Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us.' Titus 3:5. When Satan tells you that you are a sinner, and cannot hope to receive blessing from God, tell him that Christ came into the world to save sinners. We have nothing to recommend us to God; but the plea that we may urge now and ever is our utterly helpless condition that makes His redeeming power a necessity. Renouncing all self-dependence, we may look to the cross of Calvary and say,--
               'In my hand no price I bring;
               Simply to Thy cross I cling.'"
  {The Desire of Ages, page 317, paragraphs 1 and 2}

So if you have been waiting to find something in yourself to recommend you to God, trying to make yourself better, wait not a moment longer! Come to Christ just as you are because HE IS DRAWING YOU!! To come to Christ means we are responding to the drawing of the Holy Spirit who is actively seeking to give us a sense of need that only Christ can satisfy! As we connect with Christ by a living-faith surrender, the evidence is amazing as to what He does: He fills us with all of the fruits of the Spirit so that not one of the attributes of His divine nature is missing from our lives--so long as He lives in us and we in Him! What an encouraging miracle to begin this year with!!
"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--32--The Centurion
« Reply #36 on: January 02, 2019, 12:17:17 PM »
Amen, Dorine, Beacon, and Pastor Sean! We see our continual need of a Savior, and we have learned that He is well able to save us from ourselves. It is interesting and sad that the Jews who were God's chosen people and who had been entrusted with the truth, did not appreciate the truth and thus were blind to who Jesus was, their Messiah, God in the flesh. But, the Centurion who had not  been so blessed recognized Jesus as Lord and Savior. How can this be? It is present truth for us today.

    The Jews had been instructed from childhood concerning the work of the Messiah. The inspired utterances of patriarchs and prophets and the symbolic teaching of the sacrificial service had been theirs. But they had disregarded the light; and now they saw in Jesus nothing to be desired. But the centurion, born in heathenism, educated in the idolatry of imperial Rome, trained as a soldier, seemingly cut off from spiritual life by his education and surroundings, and still further shut out by the bigotry of the Jews, and by the contempt of his own countrymen for the people of Israel,--this man perceived the truth to which the children of Abraham were blinded. He did not wait to see whether the Jews themselves would receive the One who claimed to be their Messiah. As the "light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world" (John 1:9) had shone upon him, he had, though afar off, discerned the glory of the Son of God. 

Do we appreciate and thus walk in the light of God's love and glory? If not, then are we not following in the path of the Jews? Do we pick and choose which truths we will follow, and ignore others? We have been entrusted with light in all areas of life. What a blessing! But, how do our institutions react to this light? Our hospitals, schools, publishing institutions, and even our churches? Are we as a people walking in the light God has so graciously given to us?

Today will in large measure determine what we will be doing tomorrow. Are we seeking Christ and to do His will, or are we ignoring truth that is not so welcome? Today's decision to follow Christ or not will help or hinder us in what we will do tomorrow.
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Beacon

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Re: The Desire of Ages--32--The Centurion
« Reply #37 on: March 29, 2019, 08:02:54 PM »
"The Jewish elders who recommended the centurion to Christ had shown how far they were from possessing the spirit of the gospel. But the centurion said of himself, "I am not worthy." His heart had been touched by the grace of Christ. He saw his own unworthiness; They, the Jewish Elders, did not recognize that our great need is our only claim on God's mercy. In their self-righteousness they commended the centurion because of the favor he had shown to "our nation." yet he feared not to ask help. He trusted not to his own goodness; his argument was his great need. His faith took hold upon Christ in His true character. He did not believe in Him merely as a worker of miracles, but as the friend and Saviour of mankind."

Isn't that amazing?? The centurion, a leader of men in the strong and often brutal army of the Roman Government, recognized Jesus not merely as a worker of miracles, but as the friend and Saviour of mankind. Something His own people didn't see or accept.  I am sure Jesus was delighted with this officer's confession of faith while at the same time also profoundly disappointed with His own people. What a lesson for God's church of today.

"When Jesus heard these things, He marveled at him, and turned Him about, and said unto the people that followed Him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel." And to the centurion He said, "As thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour."

Dear friends, do you recognize your Great Need for the healing power of Jesus....Jesus says to you and me..." Come unto me all ye who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest"  The "REST" that Jesus offers to us is for ALL the Psychical and Spiritual needs that each of us have. Jesus is the source and power to meet all the challenges we face today. Are you willing to confess Him like the Roman Centurion?? The scriptures says " He will in no wise cast aside those who come to Him by faith."

HAPPY SABBATH :-) To all my brothers and sisters in Christ on Planet Earth and through out the vast universe of our God.
Look up and listen for the shout.

Pastor Sean Brizendine

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Re: The Desire of Ages--32--The Centurion
« Reply #38 on: March 30, 2019, 03:18:43 AM »
Amen, Brother Beacon!

Christ offers us spiritual life in His word. As we feed upon His word and receive it into our souls, we have spiritual life and restoration! His word of grace converts a sinner into a repentant saint, one who reveals the fruits of the Spirit without one missing and is daily advancing in the Christian life! Christ is more powerful than the devil, and He bids us look up from our difficulties into His face that offers us salvation, life, and restoration!

"Satan cannot hold the dead in his grasp when the Son of God bids them live. He cannot hold in spiritual death one soul who in faith receives Christ's word of power. God is saying to all who are dead in sin, 'Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead.' Ephesians 5:14. That word is eternal life. As the word of God which bade the first man live, still gives us life; as Christ's word, 'Young man, I say unto thee, Arise,' gave life to the youth of Nain, so that word, 'Arise from the dead,' is life to the soul that receives it. God "hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son." Colossians 1:13. It is all offered us in His word. If we receive the word, we have the deliverance." {The Desire of Ages, page 320, paragraph 2}

This Sabbath two of the churches where I am pastoring will have the privilege of experiencing the communion service, and I am reminded that all Christ offers us is to teach us the precious lesson of how we may have spiritual life in Him. Abiding in Him, we may flourish! Happy Sabbath and may God bless you with a living experience of Christ in you, the hope of glory!!!
"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--32--The Centurion
« Reply #39 on: March 30, 2019, 04:33:56 AM »
"He who stood beside the sorrowing mother at the gate of Nain, watches with every mourning one beside the bier. He is touched with sympathy for our grief. His heart, that loved and pitied, is a heart of unchangeable tenderness. His word, that called the dead to life, is no less efficacious now than when spoken to the young man of Nain. He says, "All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth." Matthew 28:18. That power is not diminished by the lapse of years, nor exhausted by the ceaseless activity of His overflowing grace. To all who believe on Him He is still a living Saviour."

What a precious Saviour. How I love Him. As we yoke up with Him each day we are intimately connected to Him. He is our living Saviour that directs our comings and our goings by the Holy Spirit. It's a fearful thing to live our lives apart from Him. And why would we? But many do. Over and over we are reminded that the same love, and compassion He exercised when He was on earth is no less powerful today. That's wonderful news! Do we believe it? Are we willing to trust Him completely and accept His will for our lives even if it is different than what we asked and hoped for?
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