The Desire of Ages--28--Levi-Matthew

[Richard Myers]

Amen  Brother Beacon. That's just what we want, the character of Christ.

Principle is always exacting. No man can succeed in the service of God unless his whole heart is in the work and he counts all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ. No man who makes any reserve can be the disciple of Christ, much less can he be His colaborer. When men appreciate the great salvation, the self-sacrifice seen in Christ's life will be seen in theirs. Wherever He leads the way, they will rejoice to follow.   

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Amen, Brother Beacon and Brother Richard!!

Praise God for the risen Christ who can save us from sin! His resurrection, His life and teachings, are all about helping us to experience His death to sin and His perfect life of holiness! With Jesus, the Savior Shepherd, we can overcome! Of ourselves, we are incapable of doing any good thing, but when we open our hearts to the miracle of His divine grace, Jesus makes us new and heals the disorders of our sin-sick souls so He can work in and through us His work of righteousness, which will bring true peace. He gladly fills us with all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing and empowers us to affectionately obey God because we love Him who first loved us! Let's allow Him to send us forth to be a blessing to others each day as we receive the salvation so dearly purchased with His blood shed for us at Calvary! With His stripes we are healed, by beholding we become changed, and His intercessory ministry in heaven right now is for the purpose of preparing us to dwell in the society of holy angels! Jesus is coming again!!

"'The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.' Psalm 51:17. Man must be emptied of self before he can be, in the fullest sense, a believer in Jesus. When self is renounced, then the Lord can make man a new creature. New bottles can contain the new wine. The love of Christ will animate the believer with new life. In him who looks unto the Author and Finisher of our faith the character of Christ will be manifest." {The Desire of Ages, page 280, paragraph 4}

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

To know and love God is so valuable that all other things are but loss. Let us allow the Holy Spirit to realign our values with heaven! In turning from sin, surrendering the heart fully to Jesus, and becoming a partaker of the divine nature, all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing will be reflected in the life that stays connected to Christ! Let us choose moment-by-moment to walk in harmony with heaven's principles.

"Principle is always exacting. No man can succeed in the service of God unless his whole heart is in the work and he counts all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ. No man who makes any reserve can be the disciple of Christ, much less can he be His colaborer. When men appreciate the great salvation, the self-sacrifice seen in Christ's life will be seen in theirs. Wherever He leads the way, they will rejoice to follow." {The Desire of Ages, page 273, paragraph 5}

Rejoicing in the Lord as we go forward in faith brings true satisfaction in the life that is surrendered to God's holy will as revealed in His word, His law, and the life of Christ!

[Philip T]

      Amen Pastor Sean.

It was this that proved the ruin of the Jews, and it will prove the ruin of many souls in our own day. Thousands are making the same mistake as did the Pharisees whom Christ reproved at Matthew's feast. Rather than give up some cherished idea, or discard some idol of opinion, many refuse the truth which comes down from the Father of light. They trust in self, and depend upon their own wisdom, and do not realize their spiritual poverty. They insist on being saved in some way by which they may perform some important work. When they see that there is no way of weaving self into the work, they reject the salvation provided.

Total surrender to Christ is the only way to be a worker for Him, clinging to a cherished sin is not full surrender, as truth is pointed out to us we need to let go of these things so Jesus can finish the good work He began in us.

[Richard Myers]

Amen my dear brothers!  We need to be converted daily, and it is only by allowing His love into our hearts that this can be. This is what it means to buy gold tried in the fire. The church remains in a Laodicean condition The destiny of the church hangs on this message of the True Witness.

     As it was in the days of Christ, so it is now; the Pharisees do not know their spiritual destitution. To them comes the message, "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: 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." Revelation 3:17, 18. Faith and love are the gold tried in the fire. But with many the gold has become dim, and the rich treasure has been lost. The righteousness of Christ is to them as a robe unworn, a fountain untouched. To them it is said, "I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent." Revelation 2:4, 5.
     "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise." Psalm 51:17. Man must be emptied of self before he can be, in the fullest sense, a believer in Jesus. When self is renounced, then the Lord can make man a new creature. New bottles can contain the new wine. The love of Christ will animate the believer with new life. In him who looks unto the Author and Finisher of our faith the character of Christ will be manifest.

[Beacon]

"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise." Psalm 51:17. "

"Man must be emptied of self before he can be, in the fullest sense, a believer in Jesus."

"When self is renounced, then the Lord can make man a new creature. New bottles can contain the new wine."

"The love of Christ will animate the believer with new life."

"In him who looks unto the Author and Finisher of our faith the character of Christ will be manifest."

Are " You  " "Am " I looking unto Jesus in the busyness or our daily blessings and needs?

=====================
1
Not I, but Christ be honored, loved, exalted,
Not I, but Christ be seen, be known and heard;
Not I, but Christ in every look and action,
Not I, but Christ in every thought and word.
    Oh, to be saved from myself, dear Lord,
  Oh, to be lost in Thee,
Oh, that it may be no more I,
    But Christ that lives in me.
2
Not I, but Christ to gently soothe in sorrow,
Not I, but Christ to wipe the falling tear;
Not I, but Christ to lift the weary burden,
Not I, but Christ to hush away all fear.
3
Christ, only Christ, no idle word e’er falling,
Christ, only Christ, no needless bustling sound;
Christ, only Christ, no self-important bearing,
Christ, only Christ, no trace of I be found.
4
Not I, but Christ my every need supplying,
Not I, but Christ my strength and health to be;
Christ, only Christ, for spirit, soul, and body,
Christ, only Christ, live then Thy life in me.
5
Christ, only Christ, ere long will fill my vision,
Glory excelling soon, full soon I’ll see;
Christ, only Christ, my every wish fulfilling,
Christ, only Christ, my all in all to be.

Lyrics:Mrs. Ada A. Whiddington (1891)
Music:Albert Benjamin Simpson (1843-1919)

[Beacon]

"As it was in the days of Christ, so it is now; the Pharisees do not know their spiritual destitution. To them comes the message,..."

"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: 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." Revelation 3:17, 18"

" Faith and love are the gold tried in the fire. But with many the gold has become dim, and the rich treasure has been lost."

"The righteousness of Christ is to them as a robe unworn, a fountain untouched."

" To them it is said, "I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent." Revelation 2:4, 5."


 "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise." Psalm 51:17."

" Man must be emptied of self before he can be, in the fullest sense, a believer in Jesus."

 "When self is renounced, then the Lord can make man a new creature"

"New bottles can contain the new wine. The love of Christ will animate the believer with new life. In him who looks unto the Author and Finisher of our faith the character of Christ will be manifest."

I love the guarantee that Jesus provides for each one of us !  " The love of Christ will animate the believer with new life."

The Bible says..The phrase "ask and ye shall receive" is a common phrase found in the Bible.1 In Matthew 7:7-8, Jesus said, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." This phrase is often used to encourage people to ask for what they desire and receive it. The phrase is also found in other Bible verses such as John 16:24, Mark 11:24, Luke 11:9, and John 15:7.

The phrase is not a blanket promise with no conditions, but rather a reminder to be patient and trust in God's provision.. Are "WE" willing to ask and believe??

 Happy Sabbath to all our On-Line Remnant family around the World and Beyond

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Amen, Brother Beacon!!

Happy Sabbath! Let us allow Jesus to empty us of self so we can partake of His character--all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing in harmony with the law of God!

"'The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.' Psalm 51:17. Man must be emptied of self before he can be, in the fullest sense, a believer in Jesus. When self is renounced, then the Lord can make man a new creature. New bottles can contain the new wine. The love of Christ will animate the believer with new life. In him who looks unto the Author and Finisher of our faith the character of Christ will be manifest." {The Desire of Ages, page 280, paragraph 4}

Christ will safely guide each one in the path that is best! What an adventure life becomes with Jesus!

[Dorine]

"The true fast is no mere formal service. The Scripture describes the fast that God has chosen,--"to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke;" to "draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul." Isaiah 58:6, 10. Here is set forth the very spirit and character of the work of Christ. His whole life was a sacrifice of Himself for the saving of the world. Whether fasting in the wilderness of temptation or eating with the publicans at Matthew's feast, He was giving His life for the redemption of the lost. Not in idle mourning, in mere bodily humiliation and multitudinous sacrifices, is the true spirit of devotion manifested, but it is shown in the surrender of self in willing service to God and man."

We are reminded again of what constitutes the true fast. It is made very plain to us. This brings such joy to our hearts when we follow in the ways of our Saviour. Anything different is pure selfishness.

[Richard Myers]

Amen, again and again we are reminded that God wants the whole heart,  not anything less. He wants us to wear His robe or righteousness. And we read over and over it is by drinking His blood and eating His flesh that the selfish heart is broken and a new heart is given with all of the fruits of the Spirit manifest in the convert's life. We are tested that we might know who we serve, God or Satan. There is no half way, we serve one or the other. If we we we crucify Jesus afresh and support Satan's charge that God is unfair by requiring obedience to His law. He points out that even Israel could not keep His commandments. What does  Satan say about modern day Israel? Do we keep His commandments any better?

     When Jesus bade Peter and his companions follow Him, immediately they left their boats and nets. Some of these disciples had friends dependent on them for support; but when they received the Saviour's invitation, they did not hesitate, and inquire, How shall I live, and sustain my family? They were obedient to the call; and when afterward Jesus asked them, "When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye anything?" they could answer, "Nothing." Luke 22:35.
     To Matthew in his wealth, and to Andrew and Peter in their poverty, the same test was brought; the same consecration was made by each. At the moment of success, when the nets were filled with fish, and the impulses of the old life were strongest, Jesus asked the disciples at the sea to leave all for the work of the gospel. So every soul is tested as to whether the desire for temporal good or for fellowship with Christ is strongest.
     Principle is always exacting. No man can succeed in the service of God unless his whole heart is in the work and he counts all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ. No man who makes any reserve can be the disciple of Christ, much less can he be His colaborer. When men appreciate the great salvation, the self-sacrifice seen in Christ's life will be seen in theirs. Wherever He leads the way, they will rejoice to follow. 

We must watch and pray continually in order to glorify our God.  Let us go forth today praising God for all He has done and is doing to put an end to sin and suffering in this world. Have a blessed Sabbath dear friends!

[Beacon]

"To Matthew in his wealth, and to Andrew and Peter in their poverty, the same test was brought."

"The same consecration was made by each."

"At the moment of success, when the nets were filled with fish, and the impulses of the old life were strongest, Jesus asked the disciples at the sea to leave all for the work of the gospel."

 "So every soul is tested as to whether the desire for temporal good or for fellowship with Christ is strongest."

" Principle is always exacting."

"No man can succeed in the service of God unless his whole heart is in the work and he counts all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ."
 
No man who makes any reserve can be the disciple of Christ, much less can he be His colaborer."

"When men appreciate the great salvation, the self-sacrifice seen in Christ's life will be seen in theirs."[/color

"Wherever He leads the way, they will rejoice to follow."

Are "WE" willing to say and to sing, "All to Jesus I surrender?" Are "WE"  willing to acknowledge that "Without Him We can Do Nothing"??

=========================
1
All to Jesus I surrender,
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.
    I surrender all,
  I surrender all.
All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
    I surrender all.
2
All to Jesus I surrender,
Humbly at His feet I bow,
Worldly pleasures all forsaken;
Take me, Jesus, take me now.
3
All to Jesus I surrender,
Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;
Let me feel Thy Holy Spirit,
Truly know that Thou art mine.
4
All to Jesus I surrender,
Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power,
Let Thy blessing fall on me.
5
All to Jesus I surrender,
Now I feel the sacred flame.
Oh, the joy of full salvation!
Glory, glory to His name!

Lyrics:Judson W. Van de Venter (1855-1939)
Music:Winfield Scott Weeden (1847-1908

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Amen, Brother Beacon!!

What is your desire? What are you longing for? In what do you find your highest satisfaction? If we behold the loveliness of Jesus and surrender fully to Him, our converted hearts will have the infilling of the Holy Spirit without one of the fruits of the Spirit missing. Such a "new heart" (Ezekiel 36:26) is enabled, through continual union and communion with Christ, to resist the temptations of the fallen nature, also described in the Bible as the heart that is "deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked" (Jeremiah 17:9). That old heart needs daily to be crucified with Christ and replaced with the new heart that is enabled to obey God up to the light He has revealed because we love Him who first loved us.

But if one has listened to and become accustomed to false teaching, Satan seeks to make truth undesirable and unwelcome, so the soul will cling to false theories and opinions that are really mental idols, keeping one from truly desiring and living in the truth as it is in Jesus. May we realize the need we have to see Jesus as He is in truth and let the heart experience the wooing of God's love to truly satisfy us! Upon true conversion in complete acquiescence to Christ of all we are in soul, body and spirit to God, there is no limit the usefulness of such a life transformed by divine grace!

"Jesus pointed out the power of false teaching to destroy the appreciation and desire for truth. 'No man,' He said, 'having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.' All the truth that has been given to the world through patriarchs and prophets shone out in new beauty in the words of Christ. But the scribes and Pharisees had no desire for the precious new wine. Until emptied of the old traditions, customs, and practices, they had no place in mind or heart for the teachings of Christ. They clung to the dead forms, and turned away from the living truth and the power of God." {The Desire of Ages, page 279, paragraph 3}

The truth as it is in Jesus is sanctifying in its power, for by His love, love is awakened in the soul. We can go forth to bless others rather than focus on self and the false theories that would make the seed of His word unfruitful. Let us keep pressing on the upward way with Jesus!

"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. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:4-8).

[Philip T]

Matthew "left all, rose up, and followed Him." There was no hesitation, no questioning, no thought of the lucrative business to be exchanged for poverty and hardship. It was enough for him that he was to be with Jesus, that he might listen to His words, and unite with Him in His work.
     So it was with the disciples previously called. When Jesus bade Peter and his companions follow Him, immediately they left their boats and nets. Some of these disciples had friends dependent on them for support; but when they received the Saviour's invitation, they did not hesitate, and inquire, How shall I live, and sustain my family? They were obedient to the call; and when afterward Jesus asked them, "When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye anything?" they could answer, "Nothing." Luke 22:35.
     To Matthew in his wealth, and to Andrew and Peter in their poverty, the same test was brought; the same consecration was made by each. At the moment of success, when the nets were filled with fish, and the impulses of the old life were strongest, Jesus asked the disciples at the sea to leave all for the work of the gospel. So every soul is tested as to whether the desire for temporal good or for fellowship with Christ is strongest.

These words point out that at the point of their most success in this world and by this world's standards, Jesus called them to follow Him and let go of the pleasures of this world, surrendering them all to Him, and they dropped them without hesitation, an example for us today, are we willing to drop all and follow after Jesus, surrendering all to Him with glad and contrite hearts? We must have a close walk with our savior, it is the only way to heaven. As pastor Sena said "We need to surrender daily." When God calls we must like Isiah say "Here am I send me."

[Richard Myers]

Amen my dear brothers!

 As it was in the days of Christ, so it is now; the Pharisees do not know their spiritual destitution. To them comes the message, "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: 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." Revelation 3:17, 18. Faith and love are the gold tried in the fire. But with many the gold has become dim, and the rich treasure has been lost. The righteousness of Christ is to them as a robe unworn, a fountain untouched. To them it is said, "I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent." Revelation 2:4, 5.

The Laodicean condition applies to the church today. In Rev. chapter three we find the answer to this lost condition. Buy gold tried in the fire which is faith that works by love, God's love. As we behold His glory which is His character we shall be transformed from sinner to saint (2 Cor. 3:18). It is His promise!! We must surrender the whole heart, not 99% of it. We cannot trust someone we do not know. By spending time with Jesus every day we will become a partaker of God's divine nature, filled with the Holy Spirit and all of the fruits of His Spirit, not one will be missing.

[Beacon]

"Matthew "left all, rose up, and followed Him." There was no hesitation, no questioning, no thought of the lucrative business to be exchanged for poverty and hardship. It was enough for him that he was to be with Jesus, that he might listen to His words, and unite with Him in His work."

" When Jesus bade Peter and his companions follow Him, immediately they left their boats and nets. Some of these disciples had friends dependent on them for support; but when they received the Saviour's invitation, they did not hesitate, and inquire, How shall I live, and sustain my family? They were obedient to the call; and when afterward Jesus asked them, "When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye anything?" they could answer, "Nothing." Luke 22:35."

"To Matthew in his wealth, and to Andrew and Peter in their poverty, the same test was brought; the same consecration was made by each. At the moment of success, when the nets were filled with fish, and the impulses of the old life were strongest, Jesus asked the disciples at the sea to leave all for the work of the gospel" "

So every soul is tested as to whether the desire for temporal good or for fellowship with Christ is strongest.

What will "OUR" response be to the One who went to Calvary to set us free from sin and to be able to offer each of us an Eternal Life with Him where there will be no more Sadness, Sickness ,Sorrow or Death.
==========================
1
Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.
    For me, You were mocked and crucified;
For me, willingly You bled and died.
Lord, my life and love I willingly outpour
And will serve You evermore.
2
Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee.
3
Take my voice, and let me sing
Always, only, for my King;
Take my lips, and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee.
4
Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose.
5
Take my will, and make it Thine;
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart; it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne.
6
Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure-store.
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee.

Lyrics:Frances Ridley Havergal (1836-1879 )
Music: H.A. Cesar Malan ( 1787-1864 )

[Richard Myers]

Amen Brother Beacon! God wants the whole heart.

      As it was in the days of Christ, so it is now; the Pharisees do not know their spiritual destitution. To them comes the message, "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: 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." Revelation 3:17, 18. Faith and love are the gold tried in the fire. But with many the gold has become dim, and the rich treasure has been lost. The righteousness of Christ is to them as a robe unworn, a fountain untouched. To them it is said, "I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent." Revelation 2:4, 5.
     "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise." Psalm 51:17. Man must be emptied of self before he can be, in the fullest sense, a believer in Jesus. When self is renounced, then the Lord can make man a new creature. New bottles can contain the new wine. The love of Christ will animate the believer with new life. In him who looks unto the Author and Finisher of our faith the character of Christ will be manifest.

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Amen, Brother Beacon and Brother Richard!

What is the value of money? Well, as long as it can get goods, it has some value. But often it seems like the love of money rules the hearts of so many people. The Bible is clear: "For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows" (1 Timothy 6:10). But we see in the case of Matthew that he found something worth more than all the gold and silver the world could contain--and that was Jesus, the Maker of everything! And Jesus was PERSONALLY calling him to follow Him! He did not love money more than Jesus. He chose to surrender the WHOLE heart to Him, and that gave Matthew the freedom to go wherever Jesus called him to go!

"Matthew 'left all, rose up, and followed Him.' There was no hesitation, no questioning, no thought of the lucrative business to be exchanged for poverty and hardship. It was enough for him that he was to be with Jesus, that he might listen to His words, and unite with Him in His work." {The Desire of Ages, page 273, paragraph 2}

What a privilege it is to rise up and follow Jesus! Jesus would provide for his needs, but the focus in his life shifted from his own business to a more eternally profitable business--beholding Christ, being transformed into His image, and saving souls whose lives would span eternity through the power of redeeming love!

"The love of Christ will animate the believer with new life. In him who looks unto the Author and Finisher of our faith the character of Christ will be manifest." {The Desire of Ages, page 280, paragraph 4}

The character of Christ in us is all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing as we are obedient to all the light God sheds on our life path. Let us walk in the light as Jesus is the light, calling us to let His character shine forth through us through a continual union and communion of our souls with Him as Lord and Savior!