Author Topic: The Desire of Ages--2--The Chosen People  (Read 17248 times)

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colporteur

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Re: The Desire of Ages--2--The Chosen People
« Reply #20 on: January 06, 2017, 01:01:31 PM »
Yes, cp the church would give glory to God by reflecting His character. But, few are willing to spend a thoughtful hour a day learning of Jesus. So, we remain a church in a lost condition. We cannot do good unless we have Jesus in our hearts. It is a hard lesson to learn. We can do no good thing until we give Jesus our hearts.

How would you respond, Richard to someone who asks, " How do I know if I have Jesus in my heart."  Probably 95% of professed Christians would say they have Jesus in their hearts.   At least for SDAs you have already answered that question.... by being willing to spend a thoughtful hour each day contemplating the like of Christ. The answer may be a little more difficult regarding a Methodist.
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Richard Myers

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Re: The Desire of Ages--2--The Chosen People
« Reply #21 on: January 06, 2017, 02:21:09 PM »
Yes, for many it might not be easy to understand. But, is it easy for Laodiceans to understand? When so deceived, I think it may be hard to understand they do not have Jesus. The deceptions are as great today as they were for the Jews.
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--2--The Chosen People
« Reply #22 on: April 03, 2017, 07:08:21 AM »
After the return from Babylon, much attention was given to religious instruction. All over the country, synagogues were erected, where the law was expounded by the priests and scribes. And schools were established, which, together with the arts and sciences, professed to teach the principles of righteousness. But these agencies became corrupted. During the captivity, many of the people had received heathen ideas and customs, and these were brought into their religious service. In many things they conformed to the practices of idolaters. 

There is a principle that has been brought forward many times in theses discussions of the DA and that is by beholding we become changed. We are told of the Israelites that while in captivity they were exposed to heathen ideas and customs and then brought them into their own teachings. And today we find a similar thing taking place. some of our people go to seminaries of other denominations and then in turn bring their ideas back to our schools and teach them to other students and so the ideas are given weight and their influence expanded. How much better off we would be if we'd be a lot more careful about where we get our education. Years, ago I was sitting in a church service and the pastor was speaking about doubt is a sin. The person next to me (who had gotten their education elsewhere) expressed his frustration with the sermon because as he said.... he had been taught to doubt everything. When it comes to educating ourselves, especially, in spiritual matters how much better we would be if we stuck to known inspired and pure sources.
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--2--The Chosen People
« Reply #23 on: April 03, 2017, 07:17:37 AM »
Amen, Jim!  God sends teachers, they do as you have done, point the people to Jesus and His Word, not to the wisdom of man. There is a reason why Israel misinterpreted Scripture, and we see the same today. They wanted to continue sinning. They were not willing to give up their idols. So it is today. We are "rich and increased with goods," but do not want to walk in that light.

We have much more light than had ancient Israel.

Yes, but we have done the same with the light as did they.

     They had studied the prophecies, but without spiritual insight. Thus they overlooked those scriptures that point to the humiliation of Christ's first advent, and misapplied those that speak of the glory of His second coming. Pride obscured their vision. They interpreted prophecy in accordance with their selfish desires. 


How many understand the message Jesus has spoken to us in Revelation, chapter three? It has been interpreted in a manner that twists the truth.

 3:14   And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 
 3:15   I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 
 3:16   So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 
 3:17   Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 
 3:18   I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and [that] the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 
 3:19   As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 
 3:20   Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 
 3:21   To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 
 3:22   He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. 


If, as a people, we would spend  a thoughtful hour a day with Jesus, we would fall in love with Him and be converted. Some will and the church will see revival and reformation. But, many will not, and they will be sifted out. There is a separation taking place.




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--2--The Chosen People
« Reply #24 on: April 03, 2017, 02:25:48 PM »
If, as a people, we would spend  a thoughtful hour a day with Jesus, we would fall in love with Him and be converted. Some will and the church will see revival and reformation. But, many will not, and they will be sifted out. There is a separation taking place.

Amen, Richard! And the separation taking place is based on whether we will behold Jesus or other things. We are being changed continually to the image of Christ or Satan. There is no middle ground, and so it is in education. I appreciate also what Jim brought out--we need to go to inspired sources for our education if we desire to be exerting the influence upon this world that is after heaven's order.

     While the Jews desired the advent of the Messiah, they had no true conception of His mission. They did not seek redemption from sin, but deliverance from the Romans. They looked for the Messiah to come as a conqueror, to break the oppressor's power, and exalt Israel to universal dominion. Thus the way was prepared for them to reject the Saviour.   

As I reflected upon the parallels to our day in the church, how many want to say the Holy Spirit is leading them, yet they have "no true conception of His mission." Those who are being led by the Holy Spirit into the unity for which Christ prayed are those who are submissive and teachable, and who realize that a revelation of the character of Christ is the mission of the Holy Spirit--to empower us to live obedient lives as Christ lived in humanity. What does that look like? All the fruits of the Spirit will be seen in the life without one missing--and when we have this experience, it will unify, revive, reform, and transform us. Only when we are connected to "the heavenly socket" (a phrase I heard in Sabbath School last Sabbath) are we able to do ANY GOOD THING. If we are connected with Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we will understand our role and work, and be enabled to bear much fruit as His chosen people.
"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--2--The Chosen People
« Reply #25 on: June 29, 2017, 03:38:40 AM »
This morning as I read this, I thought of Daniel, and how his love for Jesus and the light of his witness led to the conversion even of Nebuchadnezzar!

Many of the exiles suffered persecution. Not a few lost their lives because of their refusal to disregard the Sabbath and to observe the heathen festivals. As idolaters were roused to crush out the truth, the Lord brought His servants face to face with kings and rulers, that they and their people might receive the light. Time after time the greatest monarchs were led to proclaim the supremacy of the God whom their Hebrew captives worshiped.

We can only give what we have. If we have Jesus in our hearts, then we can impart His love and light to bless others, even in the most trying circumstances.
"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--2--The Chosen People
« Reply #26 on: June 29, 2017, 04:29:06 AM »
I noticed this in your comment pastor Sean.

 Time after time the greatest monarchs were led to proclaim the supremacy of the God whom their Hebrew captives worshiped.

Only in Heaven will we know the fullest of extent of their influence but it says time & time again kings were lead to God. It will be fascinating to see how many powerful rulers were humbled and accepted Christ as their Savior. Then I believe in the not too distant future similar things will happen to us. If we are faithful we will be witnesses in court and brought before powerful men and they will have to hear our testimony. Maybe even some like Nebuchadnezzar will submit their will and join God's army.
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--2--The Chosen People
« Reply #27 on: September 24, 2017, 07:31:34 AM »
Amen Jim. God has his Witnesses today as in the past. This is one reason why he leaves us here, that we would be an influence for good. I like the statement that Israel rendered outward obedience, but not from Love. We may render outward obedience, keeping the Commandments and paying tithes, and going to church, and doing good works, but if we have not love we are not his. On the other hand, if we would spend a thoughtful hour a day Contemplating the love of by beholding his glory we would be changed into his image from glory to glory even as by the spirit of God.
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

JimB

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Re: The Desire of Ages--2--The Chosen People
« Reply #28 on: September 24, 2017, 07:58:01 AM »
Speaking of spending a thoughtful hour each day reminds me of the statement below....

After the return from Babylon, much attention was given to religious instruction. All over the country, synagogues were erected, where the law was expounded by the priests and scribes. And schools were established, which, together with the arts and sciences, professed to teach the principles of righteousness. But these agencies became corrupted. During the captivity, many of the people had received heathen ideas and customs, and these were brought into their religious service. In many things they conformed to the practices of idolaters.

Here we see an example of the principle in 2 Cor. 3:18 but in the wrong way. By beholding the idolatry of the heathen they became changed in how they thought and in what they practiced and even after being brought out Babylon they taught and practiced some of these things. So how much better for us to behold the pure Christ and what He did for us on the cross.



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--2--The Chosen People
« Reply #29 on: September 24, 2017, 07:08:43 PM »
Amen, Richard and Jim! How we each need that motive of love that only Christ's presence can implant!

As the Jews looked forward to the first advent of Christ, so we live in the time when many are looking forward to the second advent of Christ. But there are many lessons to be learned as to how the Jews were unprepared for Jesus to come. It is not enough to profess faith, we must have a living faith that works by love, and this is available to all who open their hearts to the working of the Holy Spirit. In order to be ready for the second coming of Jesus, we need to let Him transform our characters. Such a transformation of character will be evidenced by all of the fruits of the Spirit being in our lives without one missing, gladly living up to all the light that is shining upon our path!

"For more than a thousand years the Jewish people had awaited the Saviour's coming. Upon this event they had rested their brightest hopes. In song and prophecy, in temple rite and household prayer, they had enshrined His name. And yet at His coming they knew Him not. The Beloved of heaven was to them 'as a root out of a dry ground;' He had 'no form nor comeliness;' and they saw in Him no beauty that they should desire Him. 'He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.' Isa. 53:2; John 1:11." {The Desire of Ages, page 27, paragraph 1}

If we do not know Christ experientially by a full-heart surrender to Him moment-by-moment, then we will not know Jesus at His coming such that we will be prepared to be with Him for all eternity. Laodiceans who do not repent will not know Jesus when He returns. The preparation of heart and life is today, and each moment of each day--as we surrender our hearts to Christ and appreciate His loveliness. When we know God as it is our privilege to know Him, as we appreciate the loveliness of the character of Christ, and have continual communion with God, sin will become hateful to us and our lives will be lives of continual obedience.
"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--2--The Chosen People
« Reply #30 on: December 20, 2017, 06:19:59 AM »
Amen. The key to salvation is knowing God intimately. By beholding His grace we are saved. We are transformed in character. We become partakers of God's divine nature while living in sinful flesh. But, Satan charged God with being unfair by requiring obedience to His law. So, today we hear throughout the Christian world that it is impossible to keep the law because we are fallen creatures. Such a lie. Such heresy! God is fair. Through grace we are empowered to keep the law to the degree we know it. Even more, we will manifest all of the fruits of the Spirit even if we do not know them, if we will surrender the entire heart to Christ.

       With all their minute and burdensome injunctions, it was an impossibility to keep the law. Those who desired to serve God, and who tried to observe the rabbinical precepts, toiled under a heavy burden. They could find no rest from the accusings of a troubled conscience. Thus Satan worked to discourage the people, to lower their conception of the character of God, and to bring the faith of Israel into contempt. He hoped to establish the claim put forth when he rebelled in heaven,--that the requirements of God were unjust, and could not be obeyed. Even Israel, he declared, did not keep the law. 


Notice how clever Satan is. He added multitude of exactions that were man made laws in an effort to bring reproach upon God and His law. How do we see the law? Is it impossible to love God and our neighbor? If we love them both, then we will not break any of the commandments. Think about it.
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--2--The Chosen People
« Reply #31 on: December 20, 2017, 10:02:58 AM »
Amen, Richard! Love is the fulfilling of law--not an abrogation of the Ten Commandments, but the motive that empowers us to keep each one to the extent that we know it as the heart is fully given to Jesus because He first loved us. As we contemplate the way the Jews twisted the beautiful truths God had given them before Jesus came, we again find our world steeped in darkness and misapprehension of His character (before Jesus comes the second time!) because the Scriptures that reveal the life of Christ are often misinterpreted, still causing people to distrust God because of false ideas of His character, such as the idea that God will burn people in hell without ending, when the Bible clearly reveals that the fires of hell will consume the wicked (Malachi 4:1). May we rightly represent Christ by having a vital connection with Him by living-faith surrender. Only in and through Him can all of the fruits of the Spirit be seen in our lives without missing through experiencing the joy of beholding His matchless charms, the loveliness of Jesus!

"As they departed from God, the Jews in a great degree lost sight of the teaching of the ritual service. That service had been instituted by Christ Himself. In every part it was a symbol of Him; and it had been full of vitality and spiritual beauty. But the Jews lost the spiritual life from their ceremonies, and clung to the dead forms. They trusted to the sacrifices and ordinances themselves, instead of resting upon Him to whom they pointed. In order to supply the place of that which they had lost, the priests and rabbis multiplied requirements of their own; and the more rigid they grew, the less of the love of God was manifested. They measured their holiness by the multitude of their ceremonies, while their hearts were filled with pride and hypocrisy." {The Desire of Ages, page 29, paragraph 2}

We need hearts filled with humility and sincerity--and Christ imparts these heavenly attributes when we invite Him in to abide in our hearts 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}

Pastor Sean Brizendine

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Re: The Desire of Ages--2--The Chosen People
« Reply #32 on: March 17, 2018, 03:42:34 AM »
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!!
"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--2--The Chosen People
« Reply #33 on: March 17, 2018, 07:08:48 AM »
Amen Pastor Sean. Beholding Jesus does change the motives of the heart and the behaviour. He is proving it in my own life. It's interesting how the closer you come to Jesus the more you see your own deficiencies and yet at the same time recognize that He is day by day changing your own desires. What a friend we have in Jesus!

"The people, in their darkness and oppression, and the rulers, thirsting for power, longed for the coming of One who would vanquish their enemies and restore the kingdom to Israel. They had studied the prophecies, but without spiritual insight. Thus they overlooked those scriptures that point to the humiliation of Christ's first advent, and misapplied those that speak of the glory of His second coming. Pride obscured their vision. They interpreted prophecy in accordance with their selfish desires."

As God's people look for the coming of our Saviour the second time, we too are in danger of studying God's word without spiritual insight?  May we daily surrender our hearts of pride and self importance so that we will study the scriptures with a pure heart and spiritual insight. We have no time to waste on our own intellectual ideas that prevent the Holy Spirit from teaching us the things we need to know and understand to be ready for Christ's second appearance.

Search my heart anew dear God and cleanse me from all unrighteousness.
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--2--The Chosen People
« Reply #34 on: June 12, 2018, 04:55:10 AM »
May we experience a genuine, sustained revival and reformation in contrast to what Israel as a nation experienced.

“But the Israelites fixed their hopes upon worldly greatness. From the time of their entrance to the land of Canaan, they departed from the commandments of God, and followed the ways of the heathen. It was in vain that God sent them warning by His prophets. In vain they suffered the chastisement of heathen oppression. Every reformation was followed by deeper apostasy.” – {The Desire of Ages, page 28, paragraph 1}

How can we have a genuine, sustained revival? By learning our continual need of Jesus!
"When we live by faith on the Son of God, the fruits of the Spirit will be seen in our lives; not one will be missing." {The Desire of Ages, 676.4}

Richard Myers

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Re: The Desire of Ages--2--The Chosen People
« Reply #35 on: June 12, 2018, 06:21:26 AM »
Amen! If we understood that one little sin reveals a separation between us and God, we would spend more time in prayer and study. We would spend a thoughtful hour a day contemplating the life of Christ, and thus be converted daily. When we understand that when we sin we support Satan's charge that God's law cannot be kept by fallen man or heavenly angels.

     With all their minute and burdensome injunctions, it was an impossibility to keep the law. Those who desired to serve God, and who tried to observe the rabbinical precepts, toiled under a heavy burden. They could find no rest from the accusings of a troubled conscience. Thus Satan worked to discourage the people, to lower their conception of the character of God, and to bring the faith of Israel into contempt. He hoped to establish the claim put forth when he rebelled in heaven,--that the requirements of God were unjust, and could not be obeyed. Even Israel, he declared, did not keep the law. 


And so it is today with God's church. Many do not see the need to not sin. Many have been taught they do not lose their salvation (justification) when they sin a known sin. Satan again points to God's remnant church and says "Even Seventh-day Adventists do not keep the law even though they profess to be the church that keeps the commandments and the faith of Jesus."

This will  change. God's remnant church will see revival and reformation. It is a promise. His grace can transform a Laodicean church. The light is shining brighter. God is pouring out His glory upon His church today. Let us receive it.
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--2--The Chosen People
« Reply #36 on: September 07, 2018, 05:51:24 AM »
We need Jesus in our hearts moment-by-moment to keep us from sin and to enable us to rightly understand the teaching of His service, the exceedingly beautiful loveliness of His character as revealed in His word. As the Israelites lost sight of God's character, as their sins separated them from God, what God desired to reveal to them became dim and unattractive. Like attracts like, like appreciates like. God Himself is the great reward, but as sin hardens the character, depraves the will, and causes the soul to desire the things of earth rather than heavenly things, what God desires to communicate is lost sight of. He Himself is not seen as attractive (as He really is!). Thus we need this "thoughtful hour" beholding Jesus. We need a heart change each day! May we learn the lesson as God's people today and cherish the spiritual lessons that are only made vibrant and clear as we surrender fully to the Savior who, by His Spirit, will consume sin from our lives as we cooperate with Him.

"As they departed from God, the Jews in a great degree lost sight of the teaching of the ritual service. That service had been instituted by Christ Himself. In every part it was a symbol of Him; and it had been full of vitality and spiritual beauty. But the Jews lost the spiritual life from their ceremonies, and clung to the dead forms. They trusted to the sacrifices and ordinances themselves, instead of resting upon Him to whom they pointed. In order to supply the place of that which they had lost, the priests and rabbis multiplied requirements of their own; and the more rigid they grew, the less of the love of God was manifested. They measured their holiness by the multitude of their ceremonies, while their hearts were filled with pride and hypocrisy." {The Desire of Ages, page 29, 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--2--The Chosen People
« Reply #37 on: September 07, 2018, 09:48:15 AM »
Amen, Pastor Sean!   It is the heart Christ wants, all of it. The only way we can give it to Him is to be reminded of the cost of our salvation. By beholding His grace we are transformed in heart and mind. What about obedience? Tithing, eating, dressing, working? If there is no obedience, then the heart has not been given to Christ and the Holy Spirit is on the outside wanting in. Obedience which is selfish is not the fruit of self sacrificing love. When we love Jesus with the whole heart, then we shall obey all that we know to be asked of us. Our happiness and prosperity is dependent upon our obedience from the heart.

   By the Babylonish captivity the Israelites were effectually cured of the worship of graven images. During the centuries that followed, they suffered from the oppression of heathen foes, until the conviction became fixed that their prosperity depended upon their obedience to the law of God. But with too many of the people obedience was not prompted by love. The motive was selfish. They rendered outward service to God as the means of attaining to national greatness. They did not become the light of the world, but shut themselves away from the world in order to escape temptation to idolatry.


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--2--The Chosen People
« Reply #38 on: December 03, 2018, 04:30:17 AM »
It will happen. Jesus will come again. His everlasting gospel will be proclaimed throughout the world by living witnesses before He returns. But will His purpose be accomplished through the honor and exaltation of His people as they are true to Him, or through adversity and humiliation because of unfaithfulness? We can learn a precious lesson from the experience of the Jewish people in regard to how God's purpose was fulfilled:

"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 gives opportunities; we form the character through receiving the grace of God. Christ's loveliness is what motivates us to grow in character--and we are in deep need of His divine grace. Make no other human being your pattern--behold Christ in His purity, His faithfulness, His majesty and meekness. By beholding Christ's character we see that true honor and exaltation is nobility of character, not worldly greatness. God desires us to be living witnesses of what His grace has done for us personally and individually!
"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--2--The Chosen People
« Reply #39 on: December 03, 2018, 05:56:51 AM »

"Many of the exiles suffered persecution. Not a few lost their lives because of their refusal to disregard the Sabbath and to observe the heathen festivals. As idolaters were roused to crush out the truth, the Lord brought His servants face to face with kings and rulers, that they and their people might receive the light. Time after time the greatest monarchs were led to proclaim the supremacy of the God whom their Hebrew captives worshiped." 

Praise God for His faithful few who throughout history endured hardship, rejection and even death rather than compromise truth. What a thrill it will be when in heaven someone might say to us; "It is because of your faithfulness to the God of the universe that I am here."

I marvel over and over at the long suffering and mercy of our God. I want to be a candle burning brightly to those around me that are in darkness. As the Holy Spirit finds individuals scattered about the globe that are open to His infilling, many candles will burn together to light up the whole world and Jesus will come.
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