Author Topic: The Desire of Ages--13--The Victory  (Read 30950 times)

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Richard Myers

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Re: The Desire of Ages--13--The Victory
« Reply #20 on: October 22, 2016, 08:36:22 AM »
Amen, Jim!! We make our "little" effort, and God supplies the "great" power. The question remains though, it is not enough to profess to yield, we must make a full surrender of the whole heart. How can we get to the point where we are willing to give up self and trust fully in Christ? This is where many sincere folks get hung up. They want to serve God, just as did Saul in Romans seven. But, while the spirit is ready, the flesh is weak. How do we cross over this boundary where we are willing to let go?
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--13--The Victory
« Reply #21 on: October 22, 2016, 10:57:37 AM »
I was so blessed reading your comments today, Richard and Jim! And I am responding to your last post's question, Richard. You asked, "But, while the spirit is ready, the flesh is weak. How do we cross over this boundary where we are willing to let go?" As I reflect upon this question, I am reminded of something you have said many a time, and which I know to be true from the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy. "The answer is always the same. We need Jesus." Yet, the need we have for Jesus so that we will desire to make a full surrender to Him can only come as we BEHOLD JESUS and as we BEHOLD THE LOVELINESS of HIS CHARACTER we shall desire to be wholly transformed into His image. The statement that clarifies how such a surrender is to take place can be found in both Desire of Ages and Steps to Christ, but it is really grounded in the word of God:

It would be well for us to spend a thoughtful hour each day in contemplation of the life of Christ. We should take it point by point, and let the imagination grasp each scene, especially the closing ones. As we thus dwell upon His great sacrifice for us, our confidence in Him will be more constant, our love will be quickened, and we shall be more deeply imbued with His spirit. If we would be saved at last, we must learn the lesson of penitence and humiliation at the foot of the cross.   {DA 83.4}

It is a mistake to entertain the thought that God is pleased to see His children suffer. All heaven is interested in the happiness of man. Our heavenly Father does not close the avenues of joy to any of His creatures. The divine requirements call upon us to shun those indulgences that would bring suffering and disappointment, that would close to us the door of happiness and heaven. The world's Redeemer accepts men as they are, with all their wants, imperfections, and weaknesses; and He will not only cleanse from sin and grant redemption through His blood, but will satisfy the heart-longing of all who consent to wear His yoke, to bear His burden. It is His purpose to impart peace and rest to all who come to Him for the bread of life. He requires us to perform only those duties that will lead our steps to heights of bliss to which the disobedient can never attain. The true, joyous life of the soul is to have Christ formed within, the hope of glory.  {SC 46.3}
Many are inquiring, "How am I to make the surrender of myself to God?" You desire to give yourself to Him, but you are weak in moral power, in slavery to doubt, and controlled by the habits of your life of sin. Your promises and resolutions are like ropes of sand. You cannot control your thoughts, your impulses, your affections. The knowledge of your broken promises and forfeited pledges weakens your confidence in your own sincerity, and causes you to feel that God cannot accept you; but you need not despair. What you need to understand is the true force of the will. This is the governing power in the nature of man, the power of decision, or of choice. Everything depends on the right action of the will. The power of choice God has given to men; it is theirs to exercise. You cannot change your heart, you cannot of yourself give to God its affections; but you can choose to serve Him. You can give Him your will; He will then work in you to will and to do according to His good pleasure. Thus your whole nature will be brought under the control of the Spirit of Christ; your affections will be centered upon Him, your thoughts will be in harmony with Him. {SC 47.1}


John 1:29: "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."
2 Corinthians 3:18: "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."


If we will behold Christ daily, spending that thoughtful hour with Him and falling so deeply in love with Him that we find sin to be hateful to us, we will desire to surrender our will to HIm. Then it is a simple choice--we love God because He first loved us, and as we read in today's reading, we would find victory, not choosing in our trials to separate from Christ by murmuring, despondency, or doubt. Rather, we will choose faith and praise God that He allowed the trial for our good in growing in character:

    Yet we should not lose courage when assailed by temptation. Often when placed in a trying situation we doubt that the Spirit of God has been leading us. But it was the Spirit's leading that brought Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan. When God brings us into trial, He has a purpose to accomplish for our good. Jesus did not presume on God's promises by going unbidden into temptation, neither did He give up to despondency when temptation came upon Him. Nor should we. "God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." He says, "Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the Most High: and call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me." 1 Corinthians 10:13; Psalm 50:14, 15.  {DA 126.3}


I love Jesus who allows my trials for my good. Will you pray, "Lord, please send and allow the needed trials in my life that I may be more like you today?" If we would learn to embrace Christ in every trial, we could be thankful that He allows such things for our own good--and for the benefit of those to whom our witness will encourage in like circumstances, that they also may know that there is a loving Savior who is able and willing to help them in every time of need! Hallelujah! Jesus is our Savior! Bless the LORD, O my soul!!!
"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--13--The Victory
« Reply #22 on: October 22, 2016, 03:09:17 PM »
The question and the answer from you two reminded me of these today.

God does not send messengers to flatter the sinner. He delivers no message of peace to lull the unsanctified into fatal security. He lays heavy burdens upon the conscience of the wrongdoer, and pierces the soul with arrows of conviction. The ministering angels present to him the fearful judgments of God to deepen the sense of need, and prompt the cry, "What must I do to be saved?" Then the hand that has humbled in the dust, lifts up the penitent. The voice that has rebuked sin, and put to shame pride and ambition, inquires with tenderest sympathy, "What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee?"  {DA 104.1}

No outward observances can take the place of simple faith and entire renunciation of self. But no man can empty himself of self. We can only consent for Christ to accomplish the work. Then the language of the soul will be, Lord, take my heart; for I cannot give it. It is Thy property. Keep it pure, for I cannot keep it for Thee. Save me in spite of myself, my weak, unchristlike self. Mold me, fashion me, raise me into a pure and holy atmosphere, where the rich current of Thy love can flow through my soul.  {COL 159.3} 

The wind is heard among the branches of the trees, rustling the leaves and flowers; yet it is invisible, and no man knows whence it comes or whither it goes. So with the work of the Holy Spirit upon the heart. It can no more be explained than can the movements of the wind. A person may not be able to tell the exact time or place, or to trace all the circumstances in the process of conversion; but this does not prove him to be unconverted. By an agency as unseen as the wind, Christ is constantly working upon the heart. Little by little, perhaps unconsciously to the receiver, impressions are made that tend to draw the soul to Christ. These may be received through meditating upon Him, through reading the Scriptures, or through hearing the word from the living preacher. Suddenly, as the Spirit comes with more direct appeal, the soul gladly surrenders itself to Jesus. By many this is called sudden conversion; but it is the result of long wooing by the Spirit of God,--a patient, protracted process.  {DA 172.3} 
By communion with God in nature, the mind is uplifted, and the heart finds rest.  {DA 291.1}

Richard Myers

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Re: The Desire of Ages--13--The Victory
« Reply #23 on: October 22, 2016, 03:35:41 PM »
Amen and amen!! Oh that all might read and understand our part in the plan of salvation. If we ever hope to be able to make a full surrender to Christ, to submit to Him, then we must know Him. And, that is our part of the plan to be saved. We must learn of Him who is the chiefest among ten thousand.

"....impressions are made that tend to draw the soul to Christ. These may be received through meditating upon Him, through reading the Scriptures, or through hearing the word from the living preacher." We may take our pick, but the message is clear and pointed. The Word was made flesh. If we want to have the faith that saves, then we must know the truth that "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word." It would be well to spend a thoughtful hour a day contemplating the life of Christ. Then by beholding Him we shall be transformed into His image from glory to glory as by His Spirit!!!
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--13--The Victory
« Reply #24 on: January 17, 2017, 06:26:13 AM »
Amen, Richard! We need to realize our continual need of Jesus. His victory is ours as we abide in Him today. He can keep us from yielding to temptation--even by a thought! The power of grace is so amazing--our part is beholding, surrendering, and continually receiving as He draws us and leads us!

So we may resist temptation, and force Satan to depart from us. Jesus gained the victory through submission and faith in God, and by the apostle He says to us, "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you." James 4:7, 8. We cannot save ourselves from the tempter's power; he has conquered humanity, and when we try to stand in our own strength, we shall become a prey to his devices; but "the name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe." Proverbs 18:10. Satan trembles and flees before the weakest soul who finds refuge in that mighty name. {DA 130.4} 

How do we take refuge in the Lord's name? We are to take His character--and the character of God is revealed as we allow Him to fill us with all of the fruits of the Spirit so that not one is missing. In Christ, we are more than conquerors!
"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--13--The Victory
« Reply #25 on: January 17, 2017, 07:06:55 AM »
Amen, Pastor Sean! What a promise! 

We read that we are weak and cannot resist sin.

"We cannot save ourselves from the tempter's power; he has conquered humanity, and when we try to stand in our own strength, we shall become a prey to his devices."


Some think we come into the world enabled to resist sin, that we are not evil by nature. But, here we see we are a conquered race of sinners. We see the promise of victory in Christ, but what must I do in order to receive the promise? This is where so many fail. If they understand they are lost, then they are no longer Laodicean, but how to perform that which is not within them is the question. What must I do to be saved is the great question. Unless I do something, I will remain lost.

"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you." James 4:7, 8.


How do out "submit" to God? How do I "draw nigh" to God? This is the great question. The answer is found in 2 Corinthians 3:18. "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, [even] as by the Spirit of the Lord." But, how many are willing to spend a thoughtful hour a day contemplating the life of God? Who wants salvation that much? Some who are the weakest of the weak do. And, they are transformed from sinners into saints. The power of grace is so strong that even the greatest sinner may find victory in Christ. "Satan trembles and flees before the weakest soul who finds refuge in that mighty name."

Come and taste. See that the promises of God are true.

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

JimB

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Re: The Desire of Ages--13--The Victory
« Reply #26 on: April 14, 2017, 05:22:24 AM »
Never can the cost of our redemption be realized until the redeemed shall stand with the Redeemer before the throne of God. Then as the glories of the eternal home burst upon our enraptured senses we shall remember that Jesus left all this for us, that He not only became an exile from the heavenly courts, but for us took the risk of failure and eternal loss. Then we shall cast our crowns at His feet, and raise the song, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing." Revelation 5:12.

We can grasp in a very small way that it cost Heaven everything to save us and when we see ourselves as woefully sinful and need Christ moment by moment it draws our heart to Christ. But apparently we really can't imagine what it really cost Jesus. We are told that it would have been an almost infinite sacrifice for Jesus to show up as human before the fall. Yet He was made in the likeness of sinful flesh. No wonder we can't really understand what it meant for Christ to stoop down to save us. I'm looking forward to the day when He can explain it face to face and then more fully understand. Then we'll love Him all the more!!
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--13--The Victory
« Reply #27 on: April 14, 2017, 05:39:46 AM »
Amen, Amen Jim!!

I was moved by the same truth this morning anew!!

As we accept God's infinite gift of His Son, let us remember that we do not yet fully know how much we have been given! We are to exercise faith in believing the great value of being eternally redeemed to be with God in heaven for all eternity! Praise God for the death and resurrection of Jesus, and His final work in heaven as our High Priest before returning to take us home!

"Never can the cost of our redemption be realized until the redeemed shall stand with the Redeemer before the throne of God. Then as the glories of the eternal home burst upon our enraptured senses we shall remember that Jesus left all this for us, that He not only became an exile from the heavenly courts, but for us took the risk of failure and eternal loss. Then we shall cast our crowns at His feet, and raise the song, 'Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.' Revelation 5:12."  {The Desire of Ages, page 131, paragraph 2}
"When we live by faith on the Son of God, the fruits of the Spirit will be seen in our lives; not one will be missing." {The Desire of Ages, 676.4}

Richard Myers

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Re: The Desire of Ages--13--The Victory
« Reply #28 on: April 14, 2017, 06:02:03 AM »
Amen!, But, we surely can understand our heavenly  Father risked His Son. Jesus could have sinned. And, if He had sinned, He would have been eternally separated from His Father. 

   The story of Bethlehem is an exhaustless theme. In it is hidden "the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God." Romans 11:33. We marvel at the Saviour's sacrifice in exchanging the throne of heaven for the manger, and the companionship of adoring angels for the beasts of the stall. Human pride and self-sufficiency stand rebuked in His presence. Yet this was but the beginning of His wonderful condescension. It would have been an almost infinite humiliation for the Son of God to take man's nature, even when Adam stood in his innocence in Eden. But Jesus accepted humanity when the race had been weakened by four thousand years of sin. Like every child of Adam He accepted the results of the working of the great law of heredity. What these results were is shown in the history of His earthly ancestors. He came with such a heredity to share our sorrows and temptations, and to give us the example of a sinless life.
     Satan in heaven had hated Christ for His position in the courts of God. He hated Him the more when he himself was dethroned. He hated Him who pledged Himself to redeem a race of sinners. Yet into the world where Satan claimed dominion God permitted His Son to come, a helpless babe, subject to the weakness of humanity. He permitted Him to meet life's peril in common with every human soul, to fight the battle as every child of humanity must fight it, at the risk of failure and eternal loss.
     The heart of the human father yearns over his son. He looks into the face of his little child, and trembles at the thought of life's peril. He longs to shield his dear one from Satan's power, to hold him back from temptation and conflict. To meet a bitterer conflict and a more fearful risk, God gave His only-begotten Son, that the path of life might be made sure for our little ones. "Herein is love."


Wonder, O heavens! and be astonished, O earth! Such love......for us!!! That we can understand now.

     God declares, "I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground." "Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness." Isaiah 44:3; Psalm 112:4. To those who are seeking for light, and who accept it with gladness, the bright rays from the throne of God will shine. 
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--13--The Victory
« Reply #29 on: July 10, 2017, 06:50:23 AM »
As I read our beautiful chapter this morning revealing the power of Christ's victory by the word and entire submission to God, I was struck afresh with the thought of how foolish it is to lay up treasure upon this earth, and to have our affections and worship directed to the kingdoms of this world--food, houses, cars, possessions--because they are ALL TAINTED BY EVIL and Satan would LOVE TO HAVE US FORGET that they are all TEMPORARY and do not bring lasting satisfaction like intimacy with Christ by communion with Him in prayer, the study of the word of God and the Spirit of Prophecy (especially The Desire of Ages!!), and sharing that experience with others (witnessing). We have an imperishable inheritance awaiting us--why forfeit it by making this world our focus? Let us focus on the one thing that is needful--beholding the loveliness of Jesus and seeking to win souls to have that experience with Him!

Placing Jesus upon a high mountain, Satan caused the kingdoms of the world, in all their glory, to pass in panoramic view before Him. The sunlight lay on templed cities, marble palaces, fertile fields, and fruit-laden vineyards. The traces of evil were hidden. The eyes of Jesus, so lately greeted by gloom and desolation, now gazed upon a scene of unsurpassed loveliness and prosperity. Then the tempter's voice was heard: "All this power will I give Thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If Thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be Thine." 
"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--13--The Victory
« Reply #30 on: October 05, 2017, 05:37:38 AM »
So we may resist temptation, and force Satan to depart from us. Jesus gained the victory through submission and faith in God, and by the apostle He says to us, "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you." James 4:7, 8. We cannot save ourselves from the tempter's power; he has conquered humanity, and when we try to stand in our own strength, we shall become a prey to his devices; but "the name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe." Proverbs 18:10. Satan trembles and flees before the weakest soul who finds refuge in that mighty name.  {DA 130.4}

Outside of Christ we will surely fail and fall to the temptations of the evil one. This reminds me of a conversation that I had a little while back with a fellow church member. He claimed it was hard to be lost and this lead him to believe it's hard to sin even for the drunkard or the drug addict. His reasoning was because the Holy Spirit is there for everyone and since the Holy Spirit is stronger than satan, makes it hard to sin. And the fact that people sin is the mystery of evil. He didn't understand this simple truth in this paragraph that in our own strength we will fail. It may be that we are like the man in Romans 7 that wants to do right but can't and it's not until we have the experience of Romans 8 that we can have victory in Christ.

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--13--The Victory
« Reply #31 on: October 05, 2017, 09:18:19 AM »
Amen, Jim!

We have no ground of hope or safety in ourselves. We must cling to Jesus or we will be overcome by Satan. We need Jesus abiding in our hearts continually to do any good thing. As we reflect upon what Jesus endured in the wilderness of temptation, we can be encouraged to know that victory is possible for the weakest soul who abides in Jesus! What does that abiding look like? All of the fruits of the Spirit will be seen in our lives, and not one will be missing, because Christ makes His presence known by filling us with His Spirit to sustain us in the most adverse trial.

As we exercise faith to overcome in the strength given us of Christ, remember that we are being called to exercise faith in a good-news experience, which came at a cost to God that we still do not grasp (because we do not know what heaven is fully like, and have never seen it for ourselves), and NEVER WILL until we are in heaven with Jesus. I choose to say HEAVEN IS CHEAP ENOUGH! Let us give Jesus His reward--all of us--all the heart, the soul, the mind, the strength, the will--all to Jesus I surrender! That is the only surrender worth making!

"Never can the cost of our redemption be realized until the redeemed shall stand with the Redeemer before the throne of God. Then as the glories of the eternal home burst upon our enraptured senses we shall remember that Jesus left all this for us, that He not only became an exile from the heavenly courts, but for us took the risk of failure and eternal loss. Then we shall cast our crowns at His feet, and raise the song, 'Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.' Revelation 5:12." {The Desire of Ages, page 131, paragraph 2}
"When we live by faith on the Son of God, the fruits of the Spirit will be seen in our lives; not one will be missing." {The Desire of Ages, 676.4}

Richard Myers

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Re: The Desire of Ages--13--The Victory
« Reply #32 on: October 05, 2017, 09:23:14 PM »
Amen, Pastor Sean! The immensity of the cost will not be realized, but the great sacrifice made for us can have a profound effect on all who behold Gethsemane and the cross! When we understand that Jesus "took the risk of failure and eternal loss" of being separated from His Father, it will not only help us better understand His character, but it will cause us to love Him more. Love begets love. And, it was not only Jesus who took the risk, but think of our heavenly Father and the risk He took. He risked being separated from His Son!!! Such love! We may know something of the cost, even though it is past our understanding.

We cannot save ourselves from the tempter's power; he has conquered humanity, and when we try to stand in our own strength, we shall become a prey to his devices; but "the name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe." Proverbs 18:10. Satan trembles and flees before the weakest soul who finds refuge in that mighty name. 

Outside of Christ we will surely fail and fall to the temptations of the evil one. This reminds me of a conversation that I had a little while back with a fellow church member. He claimed it was hard to be lost and this lead him to believe it's hard to sin even for the drunkard or the drug addict. His reasoning was because the Holy Spirit is there for everyone and since the Holy Spirit is stronger than satan, makes it hard to sin. And the fact that people sin is the mystery of evil. He didn't understand this simple truth in this paragraph that in our own strength we will fail. It may be that we are like the man in Romans 7 that wants to do right but can't and it's not until we have the experience of Romans 8 that we can have victory in Christ.

Amen, Jim. And what was the problem with Saul as he attempted to do good?  As you say, he was outside of Christ. He did not even know Jesus. He thought Him to be an imposter. But, that did not stop the Holy Spirit from telling him he was lost and needed to keep the commandments from the heart. After his conversion on the road to Damascus, then Saul knew Jesus as Savior. He then had the experience of the converted Christian.

Meditation and prayer would keep us from rushing unbidden into the way of danger, and thus we should be saved from many a defeat........"God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." He says, "Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the Most High: and call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me." 1 Corinthians 10:13; Psalm 50:14, 15. 
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--13--The Victory
« Reply #33 on: December 31, 2017, 06:01:20 AM »
How as it that Israel put to death the Son of God when for almost 2,000 years they were sacrificing lambs that pointed to the suffering and death of Christ? Satan is very clever. As evil as he is, he is very clever. How did he deceive Israel? And, how has he deceived so many professing Christians today, so that they believe they have life they do not (Laodicean)?

    The wily foe himself presents words that proceeded from the mouth of God. He still appears as an angel of light, and he makes it evident that he is acquainted with the Scriptures, and understands the import of what is written. As Jesus before used the word of God to sustain His faith, the tempter now uses it to countenance his deception.


If we do not study for ourselves, if we do not give the whole heart to Christ, then we will not have spiritual discernment to see the deceptions foisted upon the church. "For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." Matt. 24:24. The very elect will not be deceived because they have given the whole heart to Jesus and He is their wisdom and their Protector.

Let us continue to seek wisdom from the inspired truth entrusted to us as a people, especially that which reveals the character of our God. It would be well to spend a thoughtful hour a day contemplating the life of Christ, for by beholding His glory (character) will we be transformed into His image (character). See 2 Cor. 3:18.
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--13--The Victory
« Reply #34 on: December 31, 2017, 08:26:33 AM »
I love how Jesus can keep us from falling into sin!!

“The tempter can never compel us to do evil. He cannot control minds unless they are yielded to his control. The will must consent, faith must let go its hold upon Christ, before Satan can exercise his power upon us. But every sinful desire we cherish affords him a foothold. Every point in which we fail of meeting the divine standard is an open door by which he can enter to tempt and destroy us. And every failure or defeat on our part gives occasion for him to reproach Christ.” {The Desire of Ages, page 125, paragraph 2}

Praise God! Surrender all to Jesus your will, heart, and mind for Jesus to fully purify and imbue with His Spirit!! All the fruits of the Spirit will be seen in our lives without one missing as long as we abide continually in Christ!!
"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--13--The Victory
« Reply #35 on: March 28, 2018, 05:21:29 AM »
"Christ's mission could be fulfilled only through suffering. Before Him was a life of sorrow, hardship, and conflict, and an ignominious death. He must bear the sins of the whole world. He must endure separation from His Father's love. Now the tempter offered to yield up the power he had usurped. Christ might deliver Himself from the dreadful future by acknowledging the supremacy of Satan. But to do this was to yield the victory in the great controversy. It was in seeking to exalt himself above the Son of God that Satan had sinned in heaven. Should he prevail now, it would be the triumph of rebellion."  {The Desire of Ages, page 129, paragraph 3}

As Jesus had to endure separation from His Father's love in order to save us, so now He invites us to surrender fully to Him so He can take away our sins, and then keep us from every choosing to separate from our Father's love. Let us look to Jesus and realize how He overcame--by faith and submission to the word of God, trusting in His Father's love, and not parleying with temptation by entering into controversy with the devil. Let us learn how much we need to depend upon Christ moment-by-moment in order to do any good thing, and walk in the path God has for 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}

Dorine

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Re: The Desire of Ages--13--The Victory
« Reply #36 on: March 28, 2018, 09:09:38 AM »
This reading is most important to me today. Here we have the true nature of faith, submission, obedience and victory. I need to keep the truths of this chapter fresh in my mind every day. Just as Jesus submitted to His Father and resisted temptation we too can do the same. I thank God this morning for this wonderful revelation of Christ's love for His Father and for each of us. If Christ had failed in just one small point we would not be here nor have any chance to live with Jesus through out eternity. The thought breaks my heart because it helps me realize how much He has done for me and how much I mean to Him.

"Never can the cost of our redemption be realized until the redeemed shall stand with the Redeemer before the throne of God. Then as the glories of the eternal home burst upon our enraptured senses we shall remember that Jesus left all this for us, that He not only became an exile from the heavenly courts, but for us took the risk of failure and eternal loss. Then we shall cast our crowns at His feet, and raise the song, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing." Revelation 5:12."

Thank you precious Jesus. I want to be clay in Your hands today. Mold me into Your image and keep me in Your will.
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

JimB

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Re: The Desire of Ages--13--The Victory
« Reply #37 on: March 28, 2018, 10:41:05 AM »
Amen and amen!  Dorine, I almost always sit and think about the sentence you quoted...

Never can the cost of our redemption be realized until the redeemed shall stand with the Redeemer before the throne of God.

We can know enough here and now to be humbled enough to give our hearts wholly to Him King of the universe but when we stand before the throne we will realize even to greater degrees how much it cost Christ to save us. I have a feeling we will learn to love Him more each new day there!. :)
By communion with God in nature, the mind is uplifted, and the heart finds rest.  {DA 291.1}

Richard Myers

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Re: The Desire of Ages--13--The Victory
« Reply #38 on: March 30, 2018, 07:22:16 AM »
Amen! What a sacrifice!! Christ left heaven to come to come to this dark spot in the universe to suffer at the hands of those He came to save!! And, our heavenly Father let Him come a helpless babe subject to the weakness of humanity at the risk of failure and eternal loss!! Wonder O heavens and be astonished O Earth!!

In the name of Jesus we find teachers of Christianity perverting the truth. They say "just believe" and you will be saved. Such a deception, that one will be saved when sinning!

It is not faith that claims the favor of Heaven without complying with the conditions on which mercy is to be granted. Genuine faith has its foundation in the promises and provisions of the Scriptures. 


I liked the truth as it was revealed about who rules the Earth. Satan claimed dominion over the Earth when he offered it to Christ. That is why he was allowed into the meeting in heaven when he challenged God in regards to Job's character. God took that as an opportunity to show the world what true belief in Jesus means. While Job did let his mind wander away from Christ, he never cursed God, and he did not sin even when he lost all he had.

Adam had dominion over the Earth under the rule of Christ. So, Satan's rule was always in subjection to Christ. He was a created being under the rule of God. His lies have brought many under his rule, but never was the Earth his.

     When Satan declared to Christ, The kingdom and glory of the world are delivered unto me, and to whomsoever I will I give it, he stated what was true only in part, and he declared it to serve his own purpose of deception. Satan's dominion was that wrested from Adam, but Adam was the vicegerent of the Creator. His was not an independent rule. The earth is God's, and He has committed all things to His Son. Adam was to reign subject to Christ. When Adam betrayed his sovereignty into Satan's hands, Christ still remained the rightful King. Thus the Lord had said to King Nebuchadnezzar, "The Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will." Daniel 4:17. Satan can exercise his usurped authority only as God permits. 


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--13--The Victory
« Reply #39 on: June 23, 2018, 03:00:32 AM »
Are you tempted? We all are. But the power to resist temptation is found in God's word. Beholding the exceedingly great sacrifice of Christ in consenting to leave heaven to come and suffer and overcome for us, we see how He can work out His character in our lives, thus saving us by His imputed and imparted righteousness, which we receive by faith. Christ's righteousness is imputed to us when we surrender fully to Him; He wrought out a perfect victory we could never gain, for we have all sinned, offers His shed blood to save us. But more than this, Christ changes our hearts and imbues us with all of the fruits of His Spirit (without one missing!), enabling us to gladly (out of His self-sacrificing love wrought in the soul) to keep His commandments--all ten of them, to the extent that we know them. This transformation being wrought in the soul through continuous abiding in Christ is His imparted righteousness, sanctifying us and preparing us for the society of sinless angels.

As I rejoice to be at Michigan Camp Meeting today, I praise God for the victory Christ offers me over the areas that may be so tempting--the temptation to presume to do anything based on God's love as if that would excuse transgression. Through realizing my continual need of Jesus, I can be kept from caving to the clamors of appetite, to resist every temptation however strong. Who receives the glory and honor as this overcoming grace is wrought in the soul? To God alone. We cannot be saved apart from Christ, but we cannot be saved without our consent and continual cooperation. I choose to abide in Christ by beholding the loveliness of Jesus, thanking Him for the victory that He wrought for me--the victory that He works in me moment-by-moment as I have Christ enthroned within my heart and mind, the hope of glory!

     "So we may resist temptation, and force Satan to depart from us. Jesus gained the victory through submission and faith in God, and by the apostle He says to us, 'Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you.' James 4:7, 8. We cannot save ourselves from the tempter's power; he has conquered humanity, and when we try to stand in our own strength, we shall become a prey to his devices; but "the name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe." Proverbs 18:10. Satan trembles and flees before the weakest soul who finds refuge in that mighty name."  {The Desire of Ages, page 130, paragraph 4} 

I heard it once said that we are as close to God as we want to be (see James 4:7-8). If I am knowingly yielding to the temptation to sin, I am separating from God. If I let my mind wander from Jesus, I end up coming again under the deceptions and clamors of fallen nature, which is in harmony with the devil. But there is a brighter side to things! We can be changed by beholding Jesus daily! That is why this "thoughtful hour" upon the life of Christ is SO ESSENTIAL to victory!

I desire to be drawn continually infinitely closer to the God who so loved me that He would send His Son at infinite risk, to offer me a gift that this side of heaven I can never fully understand. But by faith I choose to exercise faith and appreciate the gift of His grace, letting Him transform me so others will hunger and thirst for an experiential realization of the power of grace to make the soul like Jesus in mind and character! Praise God!!!
"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}