Author Topic: The Desire of Ages--33--Who Are My Brethren?  (Read 15052 times)

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Richard Myers

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The Desire of Ages--33--Who Are My Brethren?
« on: January 04, 2016, 08:30:45 AM »
Who Are My Brethren?
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     The sons of Joseph were far from being in sympathy with Jesus in His work. The reports that reached them in regard to His life and labors filled them with astonishment and dismay. They heard that He devoted entire nights to prayer, that through the day He was thronged by great companies of people, and did not give Himself time so much as to eat. His friends felt that He was wearing Himself out by His incessant labor; they were unable to account for His attitude toward the Pharisees, and there were some who feared that His reason was becoming unsettled.
     His brothers heard of this, and also of the charge brought by the Pharisees that He cast out devils through the power of Satan. They felt keenly the reproach that came upon them through their relation to Jesus. They knew what a tumult His words and works created, and were not only alarmed at His bold statements, but indignant at His denunciation of the scribes and Pharisees. They decided that He must be persuaded or constrained to cease this manner of labor, and they induced Mary to unite with them, thinking that through His love for her they might prevail upon Him to be more prudent.
     It was just before this that Jesus had a second time performed the miracle of healing a man possessed, blind and dumb, and the Pharisees had reiterated the charge, "He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils." Matthew 9:34. Christ told them plainly that in attributing the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan, they were cutting themselves off from the fountain of blessing. Those who had spoken against Jesus Himself, not discerning His divine character, might receive forgiveness; for through the Holy Spirit they might be brought to see their error and repent. Whatever the sin, if the soul repents and believes, the guilt is washed away in the blood of Christ; but he who rejects the work of the Holy Spirit is placing himself where repentance and faith cannot come to him. It is by the Spirit that God works upon the heart; when men willfully reject the Spirit, and declare It to be from Satan, they cut off the channel by which God can communicate with them. When the Spirit is finally rejected, there is no more that God can do for the soul.
     The Pharisees to whom Jesus spoke this warning did not themselves believe the charge they brought against Him. There was not one of those dignitaries but had felt drawn toward the Saviour. They had heard the Spirit's voice in their own hearts declaring Him to be the Anointed of Israel, and urging them to confess themselves His disciples. In the light of His presence they had realized their unholiness, and had longed for a righteousness which they could not create. But after their rejection of Him it would be too humiliating to receive Him as the Messiah. Having set their feet in the path of unbelief, they were too proud to confess their error. And in order to avoid acknowledging the truth, they tried with desperate violence to dispute the Saviour's teaching. The evidence of His power and mercy exasperated them. They could not prevent the Saviour from working miracles, they could not silence His teaching; but they did everything in their power to misrepresent Him and to falsify His words. Still the convicting Spirit of God followed them, and they had to build up many barriers in order to withstand its power. The mightiest agency that can be brought to bear upon the human heart was striving with them, but they would not yield. 
     It is not God that blinds the eyes of men or hardens their hearts. He sends them light to correct their errors, and to lead them in safe paths; it is by the rejection of this light that the eyes are blinded and the heart hardened. Often the process is gradual, and almost imperceptible. Light comes to the soul through God's word, through His servants, or by the direct agency of His Spirit; but when one ray of light is disregarded, there is a partial benumbing of the spiritual perceptions, and the second revealing of light is less clearly discerned. So the darkness increases, until it is night in the soul. Thus it had been with these Jewish leaders. They were convinced that a divine power attended Christ, but in order to resist the truth, they attributed the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan. In doing this they deliberately chose deception; they yielded themselves to Satan, and henceforth they were controlled by his power. 
     Closely connected with Christ's warning in regard to the sin against the Holy Spirit is a warning against idle and evil words. The words are an indication of that which is in the heart. "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." But the words are more than an indication of character; they have power to react on the character. Men are influenced by their own words. Often under a momentary impulse, prompted by Satan, they give utterance to jealousy or evil surmising, expressing that which they do not really believe; but the expression reacts on the thoughts. They are deceived by their words, and come to believe that true which was spoken at Satan's instigation. Having once expressed an opinion or decision, they are often too proud to retract it, and try to prove themselves in the right, until they come to believe that they are. It is dangerous to utter a word of doubt, dangerous to question and criticize divine light. The habit of careless and irreverent criticism reacts upon the character, in fostering irreverence and unbelief. Many a man indulging this habit has gone on unconscious of danger, until he was ready to criticize and reject the work of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, "Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." 
     Then He added a warning to those who had been impressed by His words, who had heard Him gladly, but who had not surrendered themselves for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. It is not only by resistance but by neglect that the soul is destroyed. "When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man," said Jesus, "he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there." 
     There were many in Christ's day, as there are today, over whom the control of Satan for the time seemed broken; through the grace of God they were set free from the evil spirits that had held dominion over the soul. They rejoiced in the love of God; but, like the stony-ground hearers of the parable, they did not abide in His love. They did not surrender themselves to God daily, that Christ might dwell in the heart; and when the evil spirit returned, with "seven other spirits more wicked than himself," they were wholly dominated by the power of evil.
     When the soul surrenders itself to Christ, a new power takes possession of the new heart. A change is wrought which man can never accomplish for himself. It is a supernatural work, bringing a supernatural element into human nature. The soul that is yielded to Christ becomes His own fortress, which He holds in a revolted world, and He intends that no authority shall be known in it but His own. A soul thus kept in possession by the heavenly agencies is impregnable to the assaults of Satan. But unless we do yield ourselves to the control of Christ, we shall be dominated by the wicked one. We must inevitably be under the control of the one or the other of the two great powers that are contending for the supremacy of the world. It is not necessary for us deliberately to choose the service of the kingdom of darkness in order to come under its dominion. We have only to neglect to ally ourselves with the kingdom of light. If we do not co-operate with the heavenly agencies, Satan will take possession of the heart, and will make it his abiding place. The only defense against evil is the indwelling of Christ in the heart through faith in His righteousness. Unless we become vitally connected with God, we can never resist the unhallowed effects of self-love, self-indulgence, and temptation to sin. We may leave off many bad habits, for the time we may part company with Satan; but without a vital connection with God, through the surrender of ourselves to Him moment by moment, we shall be overcome. Without a personal acquaintance with Christ, and a continual communion, we are at the mercy of the enemy, and shall do his bidding in the end. 
     "The last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so," said Jesus, "shall it be also unto this wicked generation." There are none so hardened as those who have slighted the invitation of mercy, and done despite to the Spirit of grace. The most common manifestation of the sin against the Holy Spirit is in persistently slighting Heaven's invitation to repent. Every step in the rejection of Christ is a step toward the rejection of salvation, and toward the sin against the Holy Spirit. 
     In rejecting Christ the Jewish people committed the unpardonable sin; and by refusing the invitation of mercy, we may commit the same error. We offer insult to the Prince of life, and put Him to shame before the synagogue of Satan and before the heavenly universe when we refuse to listen to His delegated messengers, and instead listen to the agents of Satan, who would draw the soul away from Christ. So long as one does this, he can find no hope or pardon, and he will finally lose all desire to be reconciled to God.
     While Jesus was still teaching the people, His disciples brought the message that His mother and His brothers were without, and desired to see Him. He knew what was in their hearts, and "He answered and said unto him that told Him, Who is My mother? and who are My brethren? And He stretched forth His hand toward His disciples, and said, Behold My mother and My brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of My Father which is in heaven, the same is My brother, and sister, and mother." 
     All who would receive Christ by faith were united to Him by a tie closer than that of human kinship. They would become one with Him, as He was one with the Father. As a believer and doer of His words, His mother was more nearly and savingly related to Him than through her natural relationship. His brothers would receive no benefit from their connection with Him unless they accepted Him as their personal Saviour. 
     What a support Christ would have found in His earthly relatives if they had believed in Him as one from heaven, and had co-operated with Him in doing the work of God! Their unbelief cast a shadow over the earthly life of Jesus. It was a part of the bitterness of that cup of woe which He drained for us.   
     The enmity kindled in the human heart against the gospel was keenly felt by the Son of God, and it was most painful to Him in His home; for His own heart was full of kindness and love, and He appreciated tender regard in the family relation. His brothers desired that He should concede to their ideas, when such a course would have been utterly out of harmony with His divine mission. They looked upon Him as in need of their counsel. They judged Him from their human point of view, and thought that if He would speak only such things as would be acceptable to the scribes and Pharisees, He would avoid the disagreeable controversy that His words aroused. They thought that He was beside Himself in claiming divine authority, and in placing Himself before the rabbis as a reprover of their sins. They knew that the Pharisees were seeking occasion to accuse Him, and they felt that He had given them sufficient occasion. 
     With their short measuring line they could not fathom the mission which He came to fulfill, and therefore could not sympathize with Him in His trials. Their coarse, unappreciative words showed that they had no true perception of His character, and did not discern that the divine blended with the human. They often saw Him full of grief; but instead of comforting Him, their spirit and words only wounded His heart. His sensitive nature was tortured, His motives were misunderstood, His work was uncomprehended. 
     His brothers often brought forward the philosophy of the Pharisees, which was threadbare and hoary with age, and presumed to think that they could teach Him who understood all truth, and comprehended all mysteries. They freely condemned that which they could not understand. Their reproaches probed Him to the quick, and His soul was wearied and distressed. They avowed faith in God, and thought they were vindicating God, when God was with them in the flesh, and they knew Him not.   
     These things made His path a thorny one to travel. So pained was Christ by the misapprehension in His own home that it was a relief to Him to go where it did not exist. There was one home that He loved to visit,--the home of Lazarus, and Mary, and Martha; for in the atmosphere of faith and love His spirit had rest. Yet there were none on earth who could comprehend His divine mission, or know the burden which He bore in behalf of humanity. Often He could find relief only in being alone, and communing with His heavenly Father.   
     Those who are called to suffer for Christ's sake, who have to endure misapprehension and distrust, even in their own home, may find comfort in the thought that Jesus has endured the same. He is moved with compassion for them. He bids them find companionship in Him, and relief where He found it, in communion with the Father. 
     Those who accept Christ as their personal Saviour are not left as orphans, to bear the trials of life alone. He receives them as members of the heavenly family; He bids them call His Father their Father. They are His "little ones," dear to the heart of God, bound to Him by the most tender and abiding ties. He has toward them an exceeding tenderness, as far surpassing what our father or mother has felt toward us in our helplessness as the divine is above the human.
     Of Christ's relation to His people, there is a beautiful illustration in the laws given to Israel. When through poverty a Hebrew had been forced to part with his patrimony, and to sell himself as a bondservant, the duty of redeeming him and his inheritance fell to the one who was nearest of kin. See Leviticus 25:25, 47-49; Ruth 2:20. So the work of redeeming us and our inheritance, lost through sin, fell upon Him who is "near of kin" unto us. It was to redeem us that He became our kinsman. Closer than father, mother, brother, friend, or lover is the Lord our Saviour. "Fear not," He says, "for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art Mine." "Since thou wast precious in My sight, thou hast been honorable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life." Isaiah 43:1, 4. 
     Christ loves the heavenly beings that surround His throne; but what shall account for the great love wherewith He has loved us? We cannot understand it, but we can know it true in our own experience. And if we do hold the relation of kinship to Him, with what tenderness should we regard those who are brethren and sisters of our Lord! Should we not be quick to recognize the claims of our divine relationship? Adopted into the family of God, should we not honor our Father and our kindred? 
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--33--Who Are My Brethren?
« Reply #1 on: January 04, 2016, 08:49:45 AM »
 It is not God that blinds the eyes of men or hardens their hearts. He sends them light to correct their errors, and to lead them in safe paths; it is by the rejection of this light that the eyes are blinded and the heart hardened. Often the process is gradual, and almost imperceptible. Light comes to the soul through God's word, through His servants, or by the direct agency of His Spirit; but when one ray of light is disregarded, there is a partial benumbing of the spiritual perceptions, and the second revealing of light is less clearly discerned. So the darkness increases, until it is night in the soul.
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--33--Who Are My Brethren?
« Reply #2 on: February 21, 2016, 10:08:40 AM »
How many have watched someone they love go down that path of rejecting light until they are quite far from where they began as a professing Christian? And what is their response when it is suggested they are going in the wrong direction? Some turn as did Saul who then wrote most of the New Testament. It is always an encouragement to us to remember that others like Paul may turn around. Never the less, it is painful to watch one you love moving further away from the truth.
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--33--Who Are My Brethren?
« Reply #3 on: May 21, 2016, 06:44:46 AM »
It was a powerful chapter to read, this beautiful Sabbath morning! I was filled with joy to realize how powerful the gospel of Jesus Christ is to change hearts, and how He loves us so very much! This chapter is filled with many promises and assurances of God's grace and power to change the heart! I love this paragraph:

"When the soul surrenders itself to Christ, a new power takes possession of the new heart. A change is wrought which man can never accomplish for himself. It is a supernatural work, bringing a supernatural element into human nature. The soul that is yielded to Christ becomes His own fortress, which He holds in a revolted world, and He intends that no authority shall be known in it but His own. A soul thus kept in possession by the heavenly agencies is impregnable to the assaults of Satan. But unless we do yield ourselves to the control of Christ, we shall be dominated by the wicked one. We must inevitably be under the control of the one or the other of the two great powers that are contending for the supremacy of the world. It is not necessary for us deliberately to choose the service of the kingdom of darkness in order to come under its dominion. We have only to neglect to ally ourselves with the kingdom of light. If we do not co-operate with the heavenly agencies, Satan will take possession of the heart, and will make it his abiding place. The only defense against evil is the indwelling of Christ in the heart through faith in His righteousness. Unless we become vitally connected with God, we can never resist the unhallowed effects of self-love, self-indulgence, and temptation to sin. We may leave off many bad habits, for the time we may part company with Satan; but without a vital connection with God, through the surrender of ourselves to Him moment by moment, we shall be overcome. Without a personal acquaintance with Christ, and a continual communion, we are at the mercy of the enemy, and shall do his bidding in the end."  {DA 324.1}

What a Savior we have! I am so glad these are the promises He makes to us 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--33--Who Are My Brethren?
« Reply #4 on: May 21, 2016, 06:50:19 AM »
Amen!! The conversion of a sinner is the greatest miracle God can do!!! He promises He will give us a new heart, that He will put enmity against sin and Satan into our hearts, if we will come to Him just as we are. What a God we serve!!   The truth revealed here is just what the church needs in order to bring about revival and reformation. Many will be blessed to find such a simple statement of the power of God's love to transform the life.

And, as we read we see that Jesus suffered greatly before the cross. Even in His own family He was tortured. How very sad. We ought not contribute to that suffering any longer by wounding Him afresh. In their unconverted state they hurt Him.   

     With their short measuring line they could not fathom the mission which He came to fulfill, and therefore could not sympathize with Him in His trials. Their coarse, unappreciative words showed that they had no true perception of His character, and did not discern that the divine blended with the human. They often saw Him full of grief; but instead of comforting Him, their spirit and words only wounded His heart. His sensitive nature was tortured, His motives were misunderstood, His work was uncomprehended. 
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--33--Who Are My Brethren?
« Reply #5 on: August 16, 2016, 06:52:02 AM »
As we read today, we recall Elijah, who after his faithful work lost his connection with Christ and feared the evil Jezebel. He thought himself alone and wanted to die. He was not alone, even if there were not anther who was faithful. He was in a Laodicean church, as we are today. Let us not repeat Elijah's sin, when we can find no one who understands. We are never alone. Even outside of Christ, Jesus stands at the door of the heart, wanting back into the heart. And there are many who are truly converted. There are "7,000" who have not bowed the knee to Baal. Jesus went through lonely days where he had no one He could talk with.

     So pained was Christ by the misapprehension in His own home that it was a relief to Him to go where it did not exist. There was one home that He loved to visit,--the home of Lazarus, and Mary, and Martha; for in the atmosphere of faith and love His spirit had rest. Yet there were none on earth who could comprehend His divine mission, or know the burden which He bore in behalf of humanity. Often He could find relief only in being alone, and communing with His heavenly Father.   
     Those who are called to suffer for Christ's sake, who have to endure misapprehension and distrust, even in their own home, may find comfort in the thought that Jesus has endured the same. He is moved with compassion for them. He bids them find companionship in Him, and relief where He found it, in communion with the Father.
     Those who accept Christ as their personal Saviour are not left as orphans, to bear the trials of life alone. He receives them as members of the heavenly family; He bids them call His Father their Father. They are His "little ones," dear to the heart of God, bound to Him by the most tender and abiding ties. He has toward them an exceeding tenderness, as far surpassing what our father or mother has felt toward us in our helplessness as the divine is above the human.
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--33--Who Are My Brethren?
« Reply #6 on: August 16, 2016, 08:40:51 AM »
Amen, brother Richard! I was struck by the same paragraph you quoted:

So pained was Christ by the misapprehension in His own home that it was a relief to Him to go where it did not exist. There was one home that He loved to visit,—the home of Lazarus, and Mary, and Martha; for in the atmosphere of faith and love His spirit had rest. Yet there were none on earth who could comprehend His divine mission, or know the burden which He bore in behalf of humanity. Often He could find relief only in being alone, and communing with His heavenly Father. – {DA 326.4}

Will the Seventh-day Adventist Church in a Laodicean condition fully grasp, in parallel to the mission of Christ, the final mission and character maturation of the 144,000? God is seeking to do more than in Elijah's day--He is preparing 144,000 who will stand by faith in Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit at a time when Jesus ceases His intercessory ministry in the heavenly sanctuary. May we need this word elsewhere in the Spirit of Prophecy:

Let us strive with all the power that God has given us to be among the hundred and forty-four thousand (The Review and Herald, March 9, 1905). – {7BC 970.10}

Jesus longs for us to be living witnesses for Him--and we can only understand His mission and our own as we maintain a vital connection with Christ by faith!!
"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--33--Who Are My Brethren?
« Reply #7 on: August 16, 2016, 10:36:14 AM »
Amen, Pastor Sean. And that faith will waiver if we do not feed it daily. We must die to self every day. And how do we maintain that connection with Christ? How do we keep our minds on Christ? We follow the counsel of Jesus. "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." Matthew 4:4. We spend time with Jesus by reading His Word, which is a revelation of His character. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John 1:1. Why would spending time with Jesus in His Word, beholding His character help us to maintain our faith? "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Romans 10:17.

If we want to maintain our conversion (justification and sanctification) experience, we must maintain our trust in Jesus. Our minds are dull and our nature is fallen. We must remain partakers of Christ's divine nature which we only have as long as we have Jesus. And, that means having Him in the heart, not outside knocking on the door of it. When we have Jesus in the heart, we have power to keep the body (fallen flesh) under. Instead of being in bondage to sin (the flesh), we are slaves to Christ. Unlike Satan, Jesus allows us to leave Him if we want, or if we just allow the mind to wander away from Him. We must have the Spirit of God in control of the mind and heart if we want to obey and glorify God.

Many who read what Pastor Sean has posted may be confused as to what he really said. "Will the Seventh-day Adventist Church in a Laodicean condition fully grasp, in parallel to the mission of Christ, the final mission and character maturation of the 144,000? God is seeking to do more than in Elijah's day--He is preparing 144,000 who will stand by faith in Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit at a time when Jesus ceases His intercessory ministry in the heavenly sanctuary."  It will appear to some that he was pointing us to one day being a part of the 144,000. But, that was not his intent. It does little good to talk about the 144,000 without understanding what God is attempting to do in His Laodicean church today. Why talk about living without an Intercessor when one cannot obtain eternal life today? The Laodicean thinks he has life when he is dead in trespasses and sins.

Pastor Sean said "will the Seventh-day Adventist Church in a Laodicean condition fully grasp, in parallel to the mission of Christ, the final mission and character maturation of the 144,000?" What does he mean when he says "character maturation"? What does character "maturation" have to do with the 144,000? He went on to say "He is preparing 144,000 who will stand by faith in Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit at a time when Jesus ceases His intercessory ministry in the heavenly sanctuary"?

Do we understand what it means to not have an intercessor? Morris Venden taught we will never be without an Intercessor. Sadly meany believe Him rather than Inspiration. How does one come to the point of ceasing from sin forever? It is by a maturation process. None will stand in the time of trouble such as never was unless they understand their wicked nature must be kept under by the love they have developed over a period of time. It is the love of Jesus that keeps one from sinning. If we do not love Jesus with the whole heart, then we will not have power to resist the smallest temptation that comes. Something to consider in light of the pastor's remarks.
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--33--Who Are My Brethren?
« Reply #8 on: November 11, 2016, 06:42:00 AM »
Our character is being formed today. What we see, what we think, is acting to form habits, and habits are character. Each time we resist the Holy Spirit, we are forming habits in the wrong direction. Which way do we want to go today? It is our choice.

     It is not God that blinds the eyes of men or hardens their hearts. He sends them light to correct their errors, and to lead them in safe paths; it is by the rejection of this light that the eyes are blinded and the heart hardened. Often the process is gradual, and almost imperceptible. Light comes to the soul through God's word, through His servants, or by the direct agency of His Spirit; but when one ray of light is disregarded, there is a partial benumbing of the spiritual perceptions, and the second revealing of light is less clearly discerned. So the darkness increases, until it is night in the soul. Thus it had been with these Jewish leaders. They were convinced that a divine power attended Christ, but in order to resist the truth, they attributed the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan. In doing this they deliberately chose deception; they yielded themselves to Satan, and henceforth they were controlled by his power.
     Closely connected with Christ's warning in regard to the sin against the Holy Spirit is a warning against idle and evil words. The words are an indication of that which is in the heart. "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." But the words are more than an indication of character; they have power to react on the character. Men are influenced by their own words. Often under a momentary impulse, prompted by Satan, they give utterance to jealousy or evil surmising, expressing that which they do not really believe; but the expression reacts on the thoughts. They are deceived by their words, and come to believe that true which was spoken at Satan's instigation. Having once expressed an opinion or decision, they are often too proud to retract it, and try to prove themselves in the right, until they come to believe that they are. It is dangerous to utter a word of doubt, dangerous to question and criticize divine light. The habit of careless and irreverent criticism reacts upon the character, in fostering irreverence and unbelief. Many a man indulging this habit has gone on unconscious of danger, until he was ready to criticize and reject the work of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, "Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned."
     Then He added a warning to those who had been impressed by His words, who had heard Him gladly, but who had not surrendered themselves for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. It is not only by resistance but by neglect that the soul is destroyed. "When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man," said Jesus, "he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there."
     There were many in Christ's day, as there are today, over whom the control of Satan for the time seemed broken; through the grace of God they were set free from the evil spirits that had held dominion over the soul. They rejoiced in the love of God; but, like the stony-ground hearers of the parable, they did not abide in His love. They did not surrender themselves to God daily, that Christ might dwell in the heart; and when the evil spirit returned, with "seven other spirits more wicked than himself," they were wholly dominated by the power of evil.
     When the soul surrenders itself to Christ, a new power takes possession of the new heart. A change is wrought which man can never accomplish for himself. It is a supernatural work, bringing a supernatural element into human nature. The soul that is yielded to Christ becomes His own fortress, which He holds in a revolted world, and He intends that no authority shall be known in it but His own. A soul thus kept in possession by the heavenly agencies is impregnable to the assaults of Satan. But unless we do yield ourselves to the control of Christ, we shall be dominated by the wicked one. We must inevitably be under the control of the one or the other of the two great powers that are contending for the supremacy of the world. It is not necessary for us deliberately to choose the service of the kingdom of darkness in order to come under its dominion. We have only to neglect to ally ourselves with the kingdom of light. If we do not co-operate with the heavenly agencies, Satan will take possession of the heart, and will make it his abiding place. The only defense against evil is the indwelling of Christ in the heart through faith in His righteousness. Unless we become vitally connected with God, we can never resist the unhallowed effects of self-love, self-indulgence, and temptation to sin. We may leave off many bad habits, for the time we may part company with Satan; but without a vital connection with God, through the surrender of ourselves to Him moment by moment, we shall be overcome. Without a personal acquaintance with Christ, and a continual communion, we are at the mercy of the enemy, and shall do his bidding in the end. 
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--33--Who Are My Brethren?
« Reply #9 on: November 11, 2016, 06:53:05 AM »
Amen, Richard! I see you quoted a large portion of today's reading, which is indeed very powerful. I also was planning to post a reflection on one of the paragraphs you quoted, notably the last one in your post:

When the soul surrenders itself to Christ, a new power takes possession of the new heart. A change is wrought which man can never accomplish for himself. It is a supernatural work, bringing a supernatural element into human nature. The soul that is yielded to Christ becomes His own fortress, which He holds in a revolted world, and He intends that no authority shall be known in it but His own. A soul thus kept in possession by the heavenly agencies is impregnable to the assaults of Satan. But unless we do yield ourselves to the control of Christ, we shall be dominated by the wicked one. We must inevitably be under the control of the one or the other of the two great powers that are contending for the supremacy of the world. It is not necessary for us deliberately to choose the service of the kingdom of darkness in order to come under its dominion. We have only to neglect to ally ourselves with the kingdom of light. If we do not co-operate with the heavenly agencies, Satan will take possession of the heart, and will make it his abiding place. The only defense against evil is the indwelling of Christ in the heart through faith in His righteousness. Unless we become vitally connected with God, we can never resist the unhallowed effects of self-love, self-indulgence, and temptation to sin. We may leave off many bad habits, for the time we may part company with Satan; but without a vital connection with God, through the surrender of ourselves to Him moment by moment, we shall be overcome. Without a personal acquaintance with Christ, and a continual communion, we are at the mercy of the enemy, and shall do his bidding in the end. 

I choose today to form a character after the divine similitude by abiding in Christ moment by moment. Seeing how impossible it is to do or think anything that is pure or holy unless Christ abides continually in my heart by His Spirit, I cleave to Him and pray continually for His divine guidance. In ministry, in labor for souls, in preparation for the Sabbath, and in all the affairs of life, I am at a loss to even know "how to go out or come in" (1 Kings 3:7), because Christ who sees the whole picture of the day knows where I need to be at what time, and with whom I need to associate not only for the building up of my character for heaven, but that others may be warned, encouraged, and themselves made ready for the imminent return of Jesus. We can only be ready for Jesus to come again if day by day, moment by moment, we are fully yielded to Christ and allowing Him to each us what His perfect will is. Oh, how much we are in need of Jesus! Do you feel your need? Look to the cross of Calvary and realize that this was the cost paid in order for you to have a CONTINUAL "Life-line" to heaven whereby we may be kept from Satan's power, from the unhallowed effects of our fallen flesh, and may be enabled to continual bear the fruits of the Spirit in the life without one missing. Oh, how we need Jesus! But praise the Lord, HE IS OUR CLOSEST RELATION as long as we acknowledge Him in all our ways! Hallelujah!
"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}

JimB

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Re: The Desire of Ages--33--Who Are My Brethren?
« Reply #10 on: November 11, 2016, 05:25:23 PM »
Richard, what you shared about our words is always a powerful reminder to me. Especially the fact that we are influenced by our own words. This means our characters are shaped by our own words. People often use words against someone else never thinking that just by hearing their own words they are being changed. By beholding we are changed. Once we understand this it should drive us to Christ so that we may have self control over our words in all circumstances.

Here is a part of this chapter that should give all followers of Christ much encouragement.

Those who are called to suffer for Christ's sake, who have to endure misapprehension and distrust, even in their own home, may find comfort in the thought that Jesus has endured the same. He is moved with compassion for them. He bids them find companionship in Him, and relief where He found it, in communion with the Father.
     Those who accept Christ as their personal Saviour are not left as orphans, to bear the trials of life alone. He receives them as members of the heavenly family; He bids them call His Father their Father. They are His "little ones," dear to the heart of God, bound to Him by the most tender and abiding ties. He has toward them an exceeding tenderness, as far surpassing what our father or mother has felt toward us in our helplessness as the divine is above the human.
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--33--Who Are My Brethren?
« Reply #11 on: February 06, 2017, 06:20:07 AM »
We probably all have some family member that does not believe in Jesus, and how our hearts long for them to come to a saving faith in Him. I am reminded of Ellen White's twin sister, Lizzie, who did not accept Jesus, and that when we are experiencing the relationship of those we love who do not have saving faith, we can look to Jesus to give us grace in that experience, as we seek to pray for, witness to, and win them with His divine love.

   What a support Christ would have found in His earthly relatives if they had believed in Him as one from heaven, and had co-operated with Him in doing the work of God! Their unbelief cast a shadow over the earthly life of Jesus. It was a part of the bitterness of that cup of woe which He drained for us.

Any trial you are called to bear is but something Jesus already has borne--and in this, we may find comfort and solace. He sought fresh supplies of grace from the One who never failed, and when we may feel like we are the only one in our family who wants to follow the lovely Jesus, let us find strength and grace where He also found it:

 These things made His path a thorny one to travel. So pained was Christ by the misapprehension in His own home that it was a relief to Him to go where it did not exist. There was one home that He loved to visit,--the home of Lazarus, and Mary, and Martha; for in the atmosphere of faith and love His spirit had rest. Yet there were none on earth who could comprehend His divine mission, or know the burden which He bore in behalf of humanity. Often He could find relief only in being alone, and communing with His heavenly Father.   
     Those who are called to suffer for Christ's sake, who have to endure misapprehension and distrust, even in their own home, may find comfort in the thought that Jesus has endured the same. He is moved with compassion for them. He bids them find companionship in Him, and relief where He found it, in communion with the Father. 


May our communion with God be stronger even amid the trials we face in our families--and may they see Jesus in us, the hope of glory, who alone can impart peace in a world of sorrow and trouble.

I am so blessed to have you all as part of the "remnant-online" family because here we can unitedly share how much Jesus means to us, and encourage others that Jesus is drawing us together in a blessed unity through fellowship with Him in His sufferings.
"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--33--Who Are My Brethren?
« Reply #12 on: February 06, 2017, 06:55:49 AM »
Amen!  There is much comfort in the truth as it is in Jesus. The church is supposed to edify the individual members, and bring us into unity of doctrine. Soon we shall see this happening more and more. This unity can only happen when we are filled with the Holy Spirit because we have given our hearts fully to Christ.

Today's reading, as we find in each chapter is not only centered in Christ, but reveals our continual need of Jesus in order to have eternal life.

     There were many in Christ's day, as there are today, over whom the control of Satan for the time seemed broken; through the grace of God they were set free from the evil spirits that had held dominion over the soul. They rejoiced in the love of God; but, like the stony-ground hearers of the parable, they did not abide in His love. They did not surrender themselves to God daily, that Christ might dwell in the heart; and when the evil spirit returned, with "seven other spirits more wicked than himself," they were wholly dominated by the power of evil.
     When the soul surrenders itself to Christ, a new power takes possession of the new heart. A change is wrought which man can never accomplish for himself. It is a supernatural work, bringing a supernatural element into human nature. The soul that is yielded to Christ becomes His own fortress, which He holds in a revolted world, and He intends that no authority shall be known in it but His own. A soul thus kept in possession by the heavenly agencies is impregnable to the assaults of Satan. But unless we do yield ourselves to the control of Christ, we shall be dominated by the wicked one. We must inevitably be under the control of the one or the other of the two great powers that are contending for the supremacy of the world. It is not necessary for us deliberately to choose the service of the kingdom of darkness in order to come under its dominion. We have only to neglect to ally ourselves with the kingdom of light. If we do not co-operate with the heavenly agencies, Satan will take possession of the heart, and will make it his abiding place. The only defense against evil is the indwelling of Christ in the heart through faith in His righteousness. Unless we become vitally connected with God, we can never resist the unhallowed effects of self-love, self-indulgence, and temptation to sin. We may leave off many bad habits, for the time we may part company with Satan; but without a vital connection with God, through the surrender of ourselves to Him moment by moment, we shall be overcome. Without a personal acquaintance with Christ, and a continual communion, we are at the mercy of the enemy, and shall do his bidding in the end. 


Amen! Conversion is a "supernatural work". It is the greatest miracle God can perform. And, it requires our cooperation. We must learn of Jesus. We must trust Him with the whole heart, not most of it. It requires an entire surrender of the will to His will. If we love Him with all the heart, soul, mind, and strength, then we can make this whole heart surrender. It is the only way.
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--33--Who Are My Brethren?
« Reply #13 on: May 04, 2017, 03:50:46 AM »
It is interesting and beneficial to consider how it is that we are brought to a full surrender that we might be filled with the Spirit and emptied of self. Today's reading reveals an important truth:

     It is by the Spirit that God works upon the heart; when men willfully reject the Spirit, and declare It to be from Satan, they cut off the channel by which God can communicate with them. When the Spirit is finally rejected, there is no more that God can do for the soul.


This is a supernatural work. We are saved grace. That grace is revealed by the Holy Spirit. We must do our part. We must learn of Him who gave all for us. The Bible is given to us that we might know Him. Faith in God comes when we know Him. How can we trust someone we do not know? "Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word." The Word is a revelation of Jesus. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to lead us to Christ, to reveal His loveliness.

     It is not God that blinds the eyes of men or hardens their hearts. He sends them light to correct their errors, and to lead them in safe paths; it is by the rejection of this light that the eyes are blinded and the heart hardened. Often the process is gradual, and almost imperceptible. Light comes to the soul through God's word, through His servants, or by the direct agency of His Spirit; but when one ray of light is disregarded, there is a partial benumbing of the spiritual perceptions, and the second revealing of light is less clearly discerned. So the darkness increases, until it is night in the soul. Thus it had been with these Jewish leaders. They were convinced that a divine power attended Christ, but in order to resist the truth, they attributed the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan. In doing this they deliberately chose deception; they yielded themselves to Satan, and henceforth they were controlled by his power. 


Here is a simple statement, that if believed, many would be led from their Laodicean condition and finally be converted:

  When the soul surrenders itself to Christ, a new power takes possession of the new heart. A change is wrought which man can never accomplish for himself. It is a supernatural work, bringing a supernatural element into human nature. The soul that is yielded to Christ becomes His own fortress, which He holds in a revolted world, and He intends that no authority shall be known in it but His own. A soul thus kept in possession by the heavenly agencies is impregnable to the assaults of Satan. But unless we do yield ourselves to the control of Christ, we shall be dominated by the wicked one. We must inevitably be under the control of the one or the other of the two great powers that are contending for the supremacy of the world. It is not necessary for us deliberately to choose the service of the kingdom of darkness in order to come under its dominion. We have only to neglect to ally ourselves with the kingdom of light. If we do not co-operate with the heavenly agencies, Satan will take possession of the heart, and will make it his abiding place. The only defense against evil is the indwelling of Christ in the heart through faith in His righteousness. Unless we become vitally connected with God, we can never resist the unhallowed effects of self-love, self-indulgence, and temptation to sin. We may leave off many bad habits, for the time we may part company with Satan; but without a vital connection with God, through the surrender of ourselves to Him moment by moment, we shall be overcome. Without a personal acquaintance with Christ, and a continual communion, we are at the mercy of the enemy, and shall do his bidding in the end. 


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--33--Who Are My Brethren?
« Reply #14 on: May 04, 2017, 05:40:56 AM »
Amen, Richard! I was moved by the same great truth you posted in the last part of your post, but as we see such unity here, I will go ahead and post it again and bold some parts that really stand out:

When the soul surrenders itself to Christ, a new power takes possession of the new heart. A change is wrought which man can never accomplish for himself. It is a supernatural work, bringing a supernatural element into human nature. The soul that is yielded to Christ becomes His own fortress, which He holds in a revolted world, and He intends that no authority shall be known in it but His own. A soul thus kept in possession by the heavenly agencies is impregnable to the assaults of Satan. But unless we do yield ourselves to the control of Christ, we shall be dominated by the wicked one. We must inevitably be under the control of the one or the other of the two great powers that are contending for the supremacy of the world. It is not necessary for us deliberately to choose the service of the kingdom of darkness in order to come under its dominion. We have only to neglect to ally ourselves with the kingdom of light. If we do not co-operate with the heavenly agencies, Satan will take possession of the heart, and will make it his abiding place. The only defense against evil is the indwelling of Christ in the heart through faith in His righteousness. Unless we become vitally connected with God, we can never resist the unhallowed effects of self-love, self-indulgence, and temptation to sin. We may leave off many bad habits, for the time we may part company with Satan; but without a vital connection with God, through the surrender of ourselves to Him moment by moment, we shall be overcome. Without a personal acquaintance with Christ, and a continual communion, we are at the mercy of the enemy, and shall do his bidding in the end.

We need a continual connection with Christ. We have no power to resist our own selfish flesh unless Jesus has full possession of the mind and heart! There is an enemy--self--and unless we allow Christ to keep self under, we will inevitably be doing the will of Satan (walking in the flesh!). Oh, let us behold, cleave, and pray continually unto Christ that He may keep us vitally connected by His Holy Spirit, that we may continually do His will.

Another thought came to me as I was reflecting, and that is that it is possible for us to be connected to Christ, and yet in continual need of sanctification until we experience glorification--that, even as we are connected to Christ, the Holy Spirit is given permission to show us our weakness and sinfulness by nature and invite us to continually cleave to Christ so that these weaknesses may be hidden in Christ, and through His grace, entirely overcome. We are not safe separating from Christ trying to deal with the plague spots of our character! The power is of God, but we are to cooperate with Him in this experience! We need Christ abiding in our hearts to enable us to deal with our character deficiencies (for we are not Christ, and have gained habits and practices in this world that need to be overcome). Yet Christ will abide in each heart that is fully given to Him EVEN AS THIS GRACIOUS WORK OF TRANSFORMATION GOES ON! Hallelujah! What a Savior!
"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--33--Who Are My Brethren?
« Reply #15 on: July 30, 2017, 06:02:56 AM »
Amen, Pastor Sean. Why the concern about our need of a transformation of character? Because many don't believe this. But, it is clear in Scripture and this chapter that man is evil by nature and until we are converted, we can do no good thing. How has Satan been able to so deceive so many? Because man is looking to man instead of to God and His Word.

    When the soul surrenders itself to Christ, a new power takes possession of the new heart.


This is not hard to understand. When one gives the "whole heart" to Christ, the Holy Spirit indwells the heart. This is a supernatural event that allows "a new power" to take possession of "the new heart." Man then becomes a "partaker of God's divine nature. What a miracle!! "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. Why do we not hear this being preached, and printed on our presses?

     A change is wrought which man can never accomplish for himself. It is a supernatural work, bringing a supernatural element into human nature.
In other words, until we are converted, we can do no good thing. We must have a new heart. The carnal heart must be cleansed by Christ through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. When He takes possession of the heart, there is a radical transformation of character. He brings with Him all of the fruits of the Spirit, not one is missing. Such a miracle! It can happen today in our lives if we will come to Jesus just as we are and learn of Him who gave all for us while we were yet sinners.

How is this change to come about? It is by learning of God's grace, His unfathomable love for you and me.

     Those who accept Christ as their personal Saviour are not left as orphans, to bear the trials of life alone. He receives them as members of the heavenly family; He bids them call His Father their Father. They are His "little ones," dear to the heart of God, bound to Him by the most tender and abiding ties. He has toward them an exceeding tenderness, as far surpassing what our father or mother has felt toward us in our helplessness as the divine is above the human.

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--33--Who Are My Brethren?
« Reply #16 on: July 30, 2017, 08:42:00 AM »
"....It is not only by resistance (to the Holy Spirit) but by neglect that the soul is destroyed."

How many times in our life time after a mountain top experience have we taken a sudden fall because we expected that mountain top experience to carry us through?

That text of the evil spirit is so true and alarming. After being cast out he finds no resting place and decides to return to his last abode and what do you know, it was all clean and empty. Lots of room for himself and 7 more spirits more wicked than himself.

I know this is true. I've experienced it especially in my young years. I thank God for chapters like this that show us the way to victory.

"There were many in Christ's day, as there are today, over whom the control of Satan for the time seemed broken; through the grace of God they were set free from the evil spirits that had held dominion over the soul. They rejoiced in the love of God; but, like the stony-ground hearers of the parable, they did not abide in His love. They did not surrender themselves to God daily, that Christ might dwell in the heart; and when the evil spirit returned, with "seven other spirits more wicked than himself," they were wholly dominated by the power of evil."

That little word "daily" is the key. When Christ is in the heart 24/7 there is no room for the enemy to come in. He may tempt us but he can not control us.
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--33--Who Are My Brethren?
« Reply #17 on: July 30, 2017, 11:29:38 AM »
Amen! Amen! I was about to quote the same paragraph Richard just shared in the last part of His post--I love being adopted into Jesus' family!!!!!!! I also love getting to stay vitally connected to Jesus by the Holy Spirit like sister Dorine shared! God is so good to us! My heart is won to Him anew!!!
"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--33--Who Are My Brethren?
« Reply #18 on: July 30, 2017, 10:28:02 PM »
Dorine, you start with a most important quote. Many believe they must premeditate sin, or that the sin must be "willful" in order to lose one's saved status before God. But, they have been deceived and thus when they sin a sin that took them by surprise, they think they still have eternal life. This is quite a deception. It allows one to sin a known sin and believe they are just fine.

We are plainly told that we need to maintain our connection with Christ in order to have life. It makes no difference if the mind just wandered away. Without Christ we do not have life. "It is not only by resistance (to the Holy Spirit) but by neglect that the soul is destroyed."

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--33--Who Are My Brethren?
« Reply #19 on: October 25, 2017, 05:00:03 AM »
Do you realize you need Jesus moment by moment? He is able and willing to keep us from sin if we will surrender fully to Him. A miracle happens when we choose to make that full surrender--a supernatural power takes possession of the new heart (a heart cleansed from sin and selfishness) which is revealed in all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing. Jesus is able to sustain us in the conflict with sin and Satan. Our part is small but so essential--by beholding the loveliness of Jesus and spending that "thoughtful hour" with Him, we are motivated to be in communion with God and appreciate His character, which causes sin to become hateful to us. Let us abide in Jesus today to His glory and honor!

"When the soul surrenders itself to Christ, a new power takes possession of the new heart. A change is wrought which man can never accomplish for himself. It is a supernatural work, bringing a supernatural element into human nature. The soul that is yielded to Christ becomes His own fortress, which He holds in a revolted world, and He intends that no authority shall be known in it but His own. A soul thus kept in possession by the heavenly agencies is impregnable to the assaults of Satan. But unless we do yield ourselves to the control of Christ, we shall be dominated by the wicked one. We must inevitably be under the control of the one or the other of the two great powers that are contending for the supremacy of the world. It is not necessary for us deliberately to choose the service of the kingdom of darkness in order to come under its dominion. We have only to neglect to ally ourselves with the kingdom of light. If we do not co-operate with the heavenly agencies, Satan will take possession of the heart, and will make it his abiding place. The only defense against evil is the indwelling of Christ in the heart through faith in His righteousness. Unless we become vitally connected with God, we can never resist the unhallowed effects of self-love, self-indulgence, and temptation to sin. We may leave off many bad habits, for the time we may part company with Satan; but without a vital connection with God, through the surrender of ourselves to Him moment by moment, we shall be overcome. Without a personal acquaintance with Christ, and a continual communion, we are at the mercy of the enemy, and shall do his bidding in the end." {The Desire of Ages, page 324, 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}