The Desire of Ages--37--The First Evangelists

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Amen, Brother Beacon!!

What does "family" mean to you? Well, if you look at Jesus' life and ministry, it was His loving plan to include the apostles in His family. You are invited into Jesus' family, too! By surrendering your whole heart to Jesus, He will come abide in you and fill you with all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing, empowering you to obey God's law of love up to the light He has revealed and you and understand.

"The apostles were members of the family of Jesus, and they had accompanied Him as He traveled on foot through Galilee. They had shared with Him the toils and hardships that overtook them. They had listened to His discourses, they had walked and talked with the Son of God, and from His daily instruction they had learned how to work for the elevation of humanity. As Jesus ministered to the vast multitudes that gathered about Him, His disciples were in attendance, eager to do His bidding and to lighten His labor. They assisted in arranging the people, bringing the afflicted ones to the Saviour, and promoting the comfort of all. They watched for interested hearers, explained the Scriptures to them, and in various ways worked for their spiritual benefit. They taught what they had learned of Jesus, and were every day obtaining a rich experience. But they needed also an experience in laboring alone. They were still in need of much instruction, great patience and tenderness. Now, while He was personally with them, to point out their errors, and counsel and correct them, the Saviour sent them forth as His representatives." {The Desire of Ages, page 349, paragraph 1}

Jesus is able to guide us continually in the joy of selfless service and partaking of His character to reflect Him to the world! He empowers us to give the Three Angels' Messages to the world in our time, now! Jesus is coming again to take us to our eternal family--all the redeemed and the angels together forever!!

[Richard Myers]

Amen Pastor Sean! What a blessing to have a loving patient family headed by our Brother King Jesus!! It will bring great joy to be united the rest of our family, many whom are in the grave! I want to be there when Brother Stephen meets Brother Saul, his persecutor. What a family!!

Brother Beacon I was impressed with the same truth as you.

 He who would confess Christ must have Christ abiding in him. He cannot communicate that which he has not received. The disciples might speak fluently on doctrines, they might repeat the words of Christ Himself; but unless they possessed Christlike meekness and love, they were not confessing Him. A spirit contrary to the spirit of Christ would deny Him, whatever the profession. Men may deny Christ by evilspeaking, by foolish talking, by words that are untruthful or unkind. They may deny Him by shunning life's burdens, by the pursuit of sinful pleasure. They may deny Him by conforming to the world, by uncourteous behavior, by the love of their own opinions, by justifying self, by cherishing doubt, borrowing trouble, and dwelling in darkness. In all these ways they declare that Christ is not in them. And "whosoever shall deny Me before men," He says, "him will I also deny before My Father which is in heaven."

[Richard Myers]

Brother Beacon, I sang the words you gave us, and was confused because I thought giving up trophies was in The Old Rugged Cross....  I did not realize there was more than one version.

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Keep calm by abiding in Jesus.

"Those who are brought in controversy with the enemies of truth have to meet, not only men, but Satan and his agents. Let them remember the Saviour's words, 'Behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.' Luke 10:3. Let them rest in the love of God, and the spirit will be kept calm, even under personal abuse. The Lord will clothe them with a divine panoply. His Holy Spirit will influence the mind and heart, so that their voices shall not catch the notes of the baying of the wolves." {The Desire of Ages, page 353, paragraph 3}

As the Holy Spirit gives the converted believer all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing in affectionate obedience to God's Ten Commandments, a consistent life in Christ is revealed as a great miracle to bless others in doing God's holy will, trusting His leading day by day!

[Beacon]

"As Jesus ministered to the vast multitudes that gathered about Him, His disciples were in attendance, eager to do His bidding and to lighten His labor."

"They assisted in arranging the people, bringing the afflicted ones to the Saviour, and promoting the comfort of all."

"They watched for interested hearers, explained the Scriptures to them, and in various ways worked for their spiritual benefit."

"They taught what they had learned of Jesus, and were every day obtaining a rich experience."

"But they needed also an experience in laboring alone. They were still in need of much instruction, great patience and tenderness."

"Now, while He was personally with them, to point out their errors, and counsel and correct them, the Saviour sent them forth as His representatives."

When I read the 2nd paragraph above I felt like Jesus was speaking words of counsel directly to me. It is when we are on " The Go " that Jesus through the Holy Spirit can speak to us and transform us into effective loving agents of His mercy and truth.


======================
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)

[Richard Myers]

Amen my dear brothers!  When we are on the go ministering to others, we are not alone. Jesus is guiding us, the Holy Spirit is giving us wisdom and when the time comes to be brave and speak the truth, we will be given grace enough to do whatever is asked of us to be faithful witnesses.

 The disciples were not endowed with the courage and fortitude of the martyrs until such grace was needed. Then the Saviour's promise was fulfilled. When Peter and John testified before the Sanhedrin council, men "marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus." Acts 4:13. Of Stephen it is written that "all that sat in the council, looking steadfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel." Men "were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake." Acts 6:15, 10. And Paul, writing of his own trial at the court of the Caesars, says, "At my first defense no one took my part, but all forsook me. . . . But the Lord stood by me, and strengthened me; that through me the message might be fully proclaimed, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion." 2 Timothy 4:16, 17, R. V.   

[Beacon]

"Those who are brought in controversy with the enemies of truth have to meet, not only men, but Satan and his agents."

" Let them remember the Saviour's words, 'Behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.' Luke 10:3 "

"Let them rest in the love of God, and the spirit will be kept calm, even under personal abuse.

"The Lord will clothe them with a divine panoply. His Holy Spirit will influence the mind and heart, so that their voices shall not catch the notes of the baying of the wolves."


"We" must keep our eyes focused upon Jesus and He will keep us calm " Even Under Personal Abuse "  We must have faith to believe that whatever the Lord permits in our daily lives is for our " Eternal Good "

==========================
1
Onward Christian soldiers!
  Marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus
  Going on before.
Christ, the royal Master,
  Leads against the foe;
Forward into battle,
  See, His banners go!
    Onward, Christian soldiers!
  Marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus,
    Going on before.
2
At the name of Jesus
  Satan’s host doth flee;
On then, Christian soldiers,
  On to victory!
Hell’s foundations quiver
  At the shout of praise:
Brothers, lift your voices,
  Loud your anthems raise!
3
Like a mighty army
  Moves the Church of God:
Brothers, we are treading
  Where the saints have trod;
We are not divided,
  All one Body we—
One in faith and Spirit,
  One eternally.
4
Crowns and thrones may perish,
  Kingdoms rise and wane;
But the Church of Jesus
  Constant will remain.
Gates of hell can never
  ’Gainst the Church prevail;
We have Christ’s own promise,
  Which can never fail.
5
Onward, then, ye people!
  Join our happy throng;
Blend with ours your voices
  In the triumph song.
Glory, laud and honor
  Unto Christ, the King;
This through countless ages
  Men and angels sing.

Lyrics:Sabine Baring-Gould (1834-1924)
Music:Arthur Seymour Sullivan (1842-1900)

[Dorine]

    "The followers of Christ are to labor as He did. We are to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and comfort the suffering and afflicted. We are to minister to the despairing, and inspire hope in the hopeless. And to us also the promise will be fulfilled, "Thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rearward." Isaiah 58:8. The love of Christ, manifested in unselfish ministry, will be more effective in reforming the evildoer than will the sword or the court of justice. These are necessary to strike terror to the lawbreaker, but the loving missionary can do more than this. Often the heart will harden under reproof; but it will melt under the love of Christ. The missionary cannot only relieve physical maladies, but he can lead the sinner to the Great Physician, who can cleanse the soul from the leprosy of sin. Through His servants, God designs that the sick, the unfortunate, those possessed of evil spirits, shall hear His voice. Through His human agencies He desires to be a Comforter such as the world knows not."

This speaks to each one of us. We are to be missionaries in our home, community, church, work place, school and everywhere we are. We may regret neglecting the opportunities for service that were given to us yesterday but today is a new day to work for Jesus. May we live humbly before the Lord day by day knowing that He has a plan for us to carry out to relieve the burdens of many around us. He can not work with half hearted hearts. He needs our full surrender and willingness to go where He sends. What a partnership, what an honour that Jesus wants to use us to bring glory to Him by being missionaries that reflect His character in loving service to all.

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Amen, Brother Beacon and Sister Dorine!!

Don't doubt God's love--even if you have fallen into sin!

"It is Satan's work to fill men's hearts with doubt. He leads them to look upon God as a stern judge. He tempts them to sin, and then to regard themselves as too vile to approach their heavenly Father or to excite His pity. The Lord understands all this. Jesus assures His disciples of God's sympathy for them in their needs and weaknesses. Not a sigh is breathed, not a pain felt, not a grief pierces the soul, but the throb vibrates to the Father's heart." {The Desire of Ages, page 356, paragraph 2}

"Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?" (Romans 2:4). God's goodness leads us to repentance, and it is as we behold the loveliness of Jesus that we come to discern God's character of infinite love. Yielding fully to Christ, a miracle takes place in the heart to convert it from rebellious, deceptive unbelief (accompanied by the works of the flesh--see Galatians 5:19-21), to replace it with a new heart (Ezekiel 36:26) by the washing of the water of His word (Ephesians 5:26) to have all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing (Galatians 5:22-23). Will you let God give you this experience of victory, trusting He also can keep you from falling back into sin? 

[Richard Myers]

Amen my dear friends.

    Jesus Himself never purchased peace by compromise. His heart overflowed with love for the whole human race, but He was never indulgent to their sins. He was too much their friend to remain silent while they were pursuing a course that would ruin their souls,--the souls He had purchased with His own blood. He labored that man should be true to himself, true to his higher and eternal interest. The servants of Christ are called to the same work, and they should beware lest, in seeking to prevent discord, they surrender the truth. They are to "follow after the things which make for peace" (Romans 14:19); but real peace can never be secured by compromising principle. And no man can be true to principle without exciting opposition. A Christianity that is spiritual will be opposed by the children of disobedience. But Jesus bade His disciples, "Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul." Those who are true to God need not fear the power of men nor the enmity of Satan. In Christ their eternal life is secure. Their only fear should be lest they surrender the truth, and thus betray the trust with which God has honored them. 

Amen!!  Perfect love casteth out all fear!

[Beacon]

"He who would confess Christ must have Christ abiding in him."

"He cannot communicate that which he has not received."

"The disciples might speak fluently on doctrines, they might repeat the words of Christ Himself; but unless they possessed Christlike meekness and love, they were not confessing Him."

"A spirit contrary to the spirit of Christ would deny Him, whatever the profession."

"Men may deny Christ by evilspeaking, by foolish talking, by words that are untruthful or unkind."

They may deny Him by shunning life's burdens, by the pursuit of sinful pleasure.
"They may deny Him by conforming to the world, by uncourteous behavior, by the love of their own opinions, by justifying self, by cherishing doubt, borrowing trouble, and dwelling in darkness."

"In all these ways they declare that Christ is not in them. And "whosoever shall deny Me before men," He says, "him will I also deny before My Father which is in heaven."

Time for another dose of  "PERSONAL Introspection"  I don't know about you but in my life I see there is a lot room for improvement. How about YOU?? Jesus is willing to help us. Are "WE" willing to admit our need??

=============================
[b
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)

[Dorine]

"The servants of Christ are not to act out the dictates of the natural heart. They need to have close communion with God, lest, under provocation, self rise up, and they pour forth a torrent of words that are unbefitting, that are not as dew or the still showers that refresh the withering plants. This is what Satan wants them to do; for these are his methods. It is the dragon that is wroth; it is the spirit of Satan that is revealed in anger and accusing. But God's servants are to be representatives of Him. He desires them to deal only in the currency of heaven, the truth that bears His own image and superscription. The power by which they are to overcome evil is the power of Christ. The glory of Christ is their strength. They are to fix their eyes upon His loveliness. Then they can present the gospel with divine tact and gentleness. And the spirit that is kept gentle under provocation will speak more effectively in favor of the truth than will any argument, however forcible."

Amen. Do you want your life to be more spiritually productive? The bible is our guide book that covers every aspect of our lives. To be a representative of Jesus we must live as He lived. That's why we spent this hour every day observing His life so that we may be just like Him. Do our hearts burn with in us for the salvation of souls or are we fascinated with debates and arguments that show us right and others wrong. If we want to win heaven at last we must learn the ways of Jesus and let the Holy Spirit grow heavenly fruit of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance into our lives so that we may be convincing witnesses for Jesus.

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Amen, Brother Beacon and Sister Dorine!

What a blessing it is to behold Jesus and trust that He is able to make us like Him in mind and character to go forth in His service as true missionaries! By His grace each soul that surrenders fully to Him is imbued with all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing and is enabled to obey the law of God up to the light He has revealed to the soul! May we daily choose to walk closely with Jesus in His purpose of giving the gospel to the world!

"The followers of Christ are to labor as He did. We are to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and comfort the suffering and afflicted. We are to minister to the despairing, and inspire hope in the hopeless. And to us also the promise will be fulfilled, 'Thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rearward.' Isaiah 58:8. The love of Christ, manifested in unselfish ministry, will be more effective in reforming the evildoer than will the sword or the court of justice. These are necessary to strike terror to the lawbreaker, but the loving missionary can do more than this. Often the heart will harden under reproof; but it will melt under the love of Christ. The missionary cannot only relieve physical maladies, but he can lead the sinner to the Great Physician, who can cleanse the soul from the leprosy of sin. Through His servants, God designs that the sick, the unfortunate, those possessed of evil spirits, shall hear His voice. Through His human agencies He desires to be a Comforter such as the world knows not." {The Desire of Ages, page 350, paragraph 4}

Praise God that the greatest joy we can ever know will come from sharing the gospel with souls who need to know Jesus' loveliness of character and the truths of His word that give clarity and confidence in a world of confusion, suffering and pain. We can help hasten Jesus' return by being converted missionaries who love to do God's will and cheerfully step into His plans, led moment by moment by the Holy Spirit!

[Philip T]

  The servants of Christ are not to act out the dictates of the natural heart. They need to have close communion with God, lest, under provocation, self rise up, and they pour forth a torrent of words that are unbefitting, that are not as dew or the still showers that refresh the withering plants. This is what Satan wants them to do; for these are his methods. It is the dragon that is wroth; it is the spirit of Satan that is revealed in anger and accusing. But God's servants are to be representatives of Him. He desires them to deal only in the currency of heaven, the truth that bears His own image and superscription. The power by which they are to overcome evil is the power of Christ. The glory of Christ is their strength. They are to fix their eyes upon His loveliness. Then they can present the gospel with divine tact and gentleness. And the spirit that is kept gentle under provocation will speak more effectively in favor of the truth than will any argument, however forcible.


The power of Jesus is what enables us to overcome evil, me must focus of Jesus and only Jesus, when our character becomes like Jesus' character, we become powerful witnesses for Him and His cause.  So we need to be in communion with God for this to happen, studying of the scripture, devotional time, time in prayer, time spent with fellow believers. Time spreading God's word.

[Richard Myers]

   

     The Saviour bade His disciples not to hope that the world's enmity to the gospel would be overcome, and that after a time its opposition would cease. He said, "I came not to send peace, but a sword." This creating of strife is not the effect of the gospel, but the result of opposition to it. Of all persecution the hardest to bear is variance in the home, the estrangement of dearest earthly friends. But Jesus declares, "He that loveth father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after Me, is not worthy of Me." 

[Beacon]

"God's servants are to be representatives of Him."

"He desires them to deal only in the currency of heaven, the truth that bears His own image and superscription."

"The power by which they are to overcome evil is the power of Christ."

"The glory of Christ is their strength."

"They are to fix their eyes upon His loveliness."

"Then they can present the gospel with divine tact and gentleness. And the spirit that is kept gentle under provocation will speak more effectively in favor of the truth than will any argument, however forcible."
Yes, "WE" need to use Divine Tact & Gentleness - In other words, treat others like we ourselves want to be treated. If we do this the channel of communication will be greatly enhanced and be of encouragement to others.  
=====================
1
O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free.
    Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
  In the light of His glory and grace.
2
Through death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there;
O’er us sin no more hath dominion
For more than conqu’rors we are!
3
His Word shall not fail you, He promised;
Believe Him and all will be well;
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!

Lyrics:Helen Howarth Lemmel (1863-1961)
Music:Helen Howarth Lemmel (1863-1961)

HAPPY SABBATH TO ALL OUR ON-LINE REMNANT FAMILY

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Amen, Brother Beacon!!

Happy Sabbath!

Thankfully, it is sinners that Jesus came to save! We all need Jesus continually! He said, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (Luke 5:32). Repentance is a gift from Jesus that enables the soul to truly confess and forsake sin. As Jesus comes to abide in the heart fully surrendered to Him, all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing flow into and out of the life that is brought into harmony with God's law, for by grace we are saved through faith! He makes us new creatures, partakers of His divine nature, and the Father sees us in Christ. Let us stay vitally connected to Jesus continually by an affectionate union and communion with Him who loved us and gave Himself for us!

"Jesus continues: As you confess Me before men, so I will confess you before God and the holy angels. You are to be My witnesses upon earth, channels through which My grace can flow for the healing of the world. So I will be your representative in heaven. The Father beholds not your faulty character, but He sees you as clothed in My perfection. I am the medium through which Heaven's blessings shall come to you. And everyone who confesses Me by sharing My sacrifice for the lost shall be confessed as a sharer in the glory and joy of the redeemed." {The Desire of Ages, page 357, paragraph 1}

The joy of the Lord abides in us as we go forth on His missions of mercy. The winning of souls brings more joy than anything else as we abide in the joy of divine communion with God! May your life be a living invitation of God's character--a call to come to Him and be healed from sin in the only effectual cure of the soul, "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27).  

[Dorine]

"The disciples were not endowed with the courage and fortitude of the martyrs until such grace was needed. Then the Saviour's promise was fulfilled. When Peter and John testified before the Sanhedrin council, men "marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus." Acts 4:13. Of Stephen it is written that "all that sat in the council, looking steadfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel." Men "were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake." Acts 6:15, 10. And Paul, writing of his own trial at the court of the Caesars, says, "At my first defense no one took my part, but all forsook me. . . . But the Lord stood by me, and strengthened me; that through me the message might be fully proclaimed, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion." 2 Timothy 4:16, 17, R. V.   

What ever we may face, no matter how difficult we may know that we will be given the strength and grace to bear it. Keep Jesus in the heart and the center of our lives moment by moment and we will be given what we need and find victory in Jesus. Others will be encouraged when they see no fear in us because of our faith and trust in Him. First we need to be living that faith and trust in Jesus now as we face the daily trials and suffering that come our way.