Jesus loves to bless His children. He loves to have us praising Him for His abundant mercies towards us, and to reveal in our lives the exceeding blessedness of righteousness by faith! When we have Jesus abiding in our hearts, we will long to impart to others what we have seen and heard and known of the loveliness of Jesus! I love His matchless charms and how when we are daily spending a "thoughtful hour" upon His life and lessons, communing with Him in prayer as we are brought into fellowship with the mind of the infinite, we are truly being transformed. Such transformed lives will be the blessing God desires this world to see--lives that reveal Christ to a world that is soon to perish. May we let His glory be our joy today!
"Had Israel been true to God, He could have accomplished His purpose through their honor and exaltation. If they had walked in the ways of obedience, He would have made them 'high above all nations which He hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honor.' 'All people of the earth,' said Moses, 'shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord; and they shall be afraid of thee." "The nations which shall hear all these statutes" shall say, 'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.' Deuteronomy 26:19; 28:10; Deuteronomy 4:6. But because of their unfaithfulness, God's purpose could be wrought out only through continued adversity and humiliation." {The Desire of Ages, page 28, paragraph 2}
God will fulfill His purpose. But are you willing to be humble and teachable so that He can reveal His character through your honor and exaltation (through abiding in Christ bearing all of the fruits of the Spirit)? The other choice is to be vacillating in unfaithfulness, which means that adversity and humiliation are necessary for God to fulfill His purpose through you. Let us learn the lesson Israel struggled to learn and failed to learn in putting Jesus to death. Let us learn to appreciate the infinite sacrifice made for us, surrender fully to Christ moment-by-moment, and allow God's grace and glory to bring praise to His name.
Abraham is mentioned in chapter 2 of the Desire of Ages. God wants to bless us like He did Abraham. But how did Abraham reveal faithfulness so God could bless him? It was in his home:
"A well-ordered Christian household is a powerful argument in favor of the reality of the Christian religion--an argument that the infidel cannot gainsay. All can see that there is an influence at work in the family that affects the children, and that the God of Abraham is with them. If the homes of professed Christians had a right religious mold, they would exert a mighty influence for good. They would indeed be the 'light of the world.' The God of heaven speaks to every faithful parent in the words addressed to Abraham: 'I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which He hath spoken of him.'" {Patriarchs and Prophets, page 144, paragraph 3}
May every home that names the name of Christ be such a powerful witness in these last days--a witness that God can bless so many thousands can be converted in a day--tracing their first convictions to literature, online ministries, or beholding the godly impress of a well-ordered family! Praise God!!