The Desire of Ages--52--The Divine Shepherd

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Amen, Brother Beacon!

There is nothing in this life that you will ever face that He doesn't already know about. Even if no one else on earth understands your pain and struggle, we have a Savior who does! Jesus has a safe path for you to walk and He will guide you through every thorny, fiery trial with His divine presence if you but let Him. Let us surrender fully to the Divine Shepherd and let the Holy Spirit abide in us so all of the attributes of God's character can flow through us in true obedience from the heart!

"Through all our trials we have a never-failing Helper. He does not leave us alone to struggle with temptation, to battle with evil, and be finally crushed with burdens and sorrow. Though now He is hidden from mortal sight, the ear of faith can hear His voice saying, Fear not; I am with you. 'I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore.' Revelation 1:18. I have endured your sorrows, experienced your struggles, encountered your temptations. I know your tears; I also have wept. The griefs that lie too deep to be breathed into any human ear, I know. Think not that you are desolate and forsaken. Though your pain touch no responsive chord in any heart on earth, look unto Me, and live. 'The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but My kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of My peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.' Isaiah 54:10." {The Desire of Ages, age 483, paragraph 1}

God is so merciful and kind, leading us to Him if we will but come--just as we are--so He can change us to become in mind and character just like Him! By beholding God in Christ we are changed into His image by the Holy Spirit! Praise God for the gift of salvation in Christ!

[Richard Myers]

Amen my dear brothers!! God's love for us is continually being poured out, even upon those who reject Him and His truth. This is grace, we do not deserve His love after what we have done. What is it that transforms sinners into saints? Paul tells us it is grace that transforms and saves. It is this undeserved love that reaches into the hard heart and creates a new creature. The old life is gone......as long as we remain fully surrendered to our Lord.


   It is not the fear of punishment, or the hope of everlasting reward, that leads the disciples of Christ to follow Him. They behold the Saviour's matchless love, revealed throughout His pilgrimage on earth, from the manger of Bethlehem to Calvary's cross, and the sight of Him attracts, it softens and subdues the soul. Love awakens in the heart of the beholders. They hear His voice, and they follow Him.   

 It is the gospel of the grace of God alone that can uplift the soul. The contemplation of the love of God manifested in His Son will stir the heart and arouse the powers of the soul as nothing else can. Christ came that He might re-create the image of God in man; and whoever turns men away from Christ is turning them away from the source of true development; he is defrauding them of the hope and purpose and glory of life. He is a thief and a robber.   

Copy this and forget it not. It is the foundation of our faith. God does not give us grace for tomorrow, He gives us grace for today. Tomorrow we must come to the throne of God and ask for more. Will He deny us grace? No! It surrounds us as thick as the air we breathe. But, we must see it and allow it into the heart in order to be transformed and remain transformed. Else we default back to our fallen evil nature. Thus, it would be well to spend a thoughtful hour a day contemplating the life of Jesus, especially the closing scenes where we behold His bleeding back. Do we understand those stripes belong to us, and that we are healed by His stripes? It is the grace that transforms sinners into a reflection of our Lord and Savior.

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

How well do you think you are known? There is Someone who knows you better than you even know yourself, for, Solomon, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, prayed to God these true words: "Thou, even Thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men" (1 Kings 8:39). Since we have a God of love and truth who desires to shepherd us safely into our heavenly home, well would it be for us to respond to the Good Shepherd, Jesus, and go where He leads us! It is in complete surrender to Him that all of the fruits of the Spirit will be revealed in our lives without one missing as we are empowered by His grace to obey His law up to the light He has revealed! Let's praise God for such a wonderful Savior in Jesus and ever walk with Him!

"Every soul is as fully known to Jesus as if he were the only one for whom the Saviour died. The distress of every one touches His heart. The cry for aid reaches His ear. He came to draw all men unto Himself. He bids them, “Follow Me,” and His Spirit moves upon their hearts to draw them to come to Him. Many refuse to be drawn. Jesus knows who they are. He also knows who gladly hear His call, and are ready to come under His pastoral care. He says, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” He cares for each one as if there were not another on the face of the earth." {The Desire of Ages, page 480, paragraph 1}

Let's go where the Shepherd leads--in glad, self-sacrificing service to seek and to save others! Praise the Lord for His unfailing love!

[Richard Myers]

Amen Pastor Sean. Jesus knows our every need!   

In all ages, philosophers and teachers have been presenting to the world theories by which to satisfy the soul's need. Every  nation has had its great teachers and religious systems offering some other means of redemption than Christ, turning the eyes of men away from the Father's face, and filling their hearts with fear of Him who has given them only blessing. The trend of their work is to rob God of that which is His own, both by creation and by redemption. And these false teachers rob man as well. Millions of human beings are bound down under false religions, in the bondage of slavish fear, of stolid indifference, toiling like beasts of burden, bereft of hope or joy or aspiration here, and with only a dull fear of the hereafter. It is the gospel of the grace of God alone that can uplift the soul. The contemplation of the love of God manifested in His Son will stir the heart and arouse the powers of the soul as nothing else can. Christ came that He might re-create the image of God in man; and whoever turns men away from Christ is turning them away from the source of true development; he is defrauding them of the hope and purpose and glory of life. He is a thief and a robber.   

[Richard Myers]

"Jesus knows us individually, and is touched with the feeling of our infirmities. He knows us all by name. He knows the very house in which we live, the name of each occupant. He has at times given directions to His servants to go to a certain street in a certain city, to such a house, to find one of His sheep. Every soul is as fully known to Jesus as if he were the only one for whom the Saviour died. The distress of every one touches His heart. The cry for aid reaches His ear. He came to draw all men unto Himself. He bids them, "Follow Me," and His Spirit moves upon their hearts to draw them to come to Him. Many refuse to be drawn. Jesus knows who they are. He also knows who gladly hear His call, and are ready to come under His pastoral care. He says, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." He cares for each one as if there were not another on the face of the earth."     

When I go to the bank and the clerk calls me by name as I approach it feels so personal. When i stop at a place to eat or at the garage that services my vehicle and the service manager greets me by name - It feels soo good. If this type of thing makes me "feel good or important,"how much more of value should I feel when I read words like those contained in the paragraph above,

He is the King of Kings - The Lord of Lords and He know me personally!! It shows me that I am very loved and important to Him. I encourage each of you to read this paragraph above more than once and let it sink in to your inner being the great honor and privilege it is to belong to the "FAMILY OF GOD." Thank you Jesus for loving me so deeply and caring for me as if I was your only concern.

Brother Beacon will be home soon!

[Beacon]

"Every soul is as fully known to Jesus as if he were the only one for whom the Saviour died."
 
"The distress of every one touches His heart."

"The cry for aid reaches His ear."

"He came to draw all men unto Himself. He bids them, "Follow Me," and His Spirit moves upon their hearts to draw them to come to Him."

"Many refuse to be drawn. Jesus knows who they are."

"He also knows who gladly hear His call, and are ready to come under His pastoral care.

"He says, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me."

"He cares for each one as if there were not another on the face of the earth."

The BIG question is....Do "WE" believe this?? and do "WE" want this relationship??

=======================
1
Jesus, Savior, pilot me
Over life’s tempestuous sea;
Unknown waves before me roll,
Hiding rock and treach’rous shoal;
Chart and compass come from Thee;
  Jesus, Savior, pilot me.
2
As a mother stills her child,
Thou canst hush the ocean wild;
Boist’rous waves obey Thy will
When Thou say’st to them, “Be still.”
Wondrous Sov’reign of the sea,
  Jesus, Savior, pilot me.
3
Though death’s valley I may pass,
Still Thy grace will fear surpass;
In Thy presence I will rest,
And, while leaning on Thy breast,
I will hear Thee say to me,
  “Fear not, I will pilot thee.”

Lyrics:Edward Hopper (1816-1888)
Music:John Edgar Gould (1822-1875)

HAPPY SABBATH TO ALL OUR REMNANT FAMILY
 

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Amen, Brother Beacon!!

Happy Sabbath!! Jesus did SO MUCH for us! May our praise ascend to Him in gratitude for how He laid down His life to save us from the depths of sin and degradation!

"'I lay down My life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.' While as a member of the human family He was mortal, as God He was the fountain of life for the world. He could have withstood the advances of death, and refused to come under its dominion; but voluntarily He laid down His life, that He might bring life and immortality to light. He bore the sin of the world, endured its curse, yielded up His life as a sacrifice, that men might not eternally die. 'Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows.... He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.' Isaiah 53:4-6." {The Desire of Ages, page 484, paragraph 1}

Because of what Jesus did for us, all of us can freely accept the salvation purchased for us at infinite cost, surrendering our will to Him, letting the Holy Spirit imbue us with all of the fruits of God's character without one missing, and empowering us to obey God's law as the very essence of liberty!

[Richard Myers]

Amen my dear brothers! God does indeed love us! It is by beholding His love for us that we are transformed into His image (2 Cor. 3:18). By His stripes that belong to us we are healed.

   Through all our trials we have a never-failing Helper. He does not leave us alone to struggle with temptation, to battle with evil, and be finally crushed with burdens and sorrow. Though now He is hidden from mortal sight, the ear of faith can hear His voice saying, Fear not; I am with you. "I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore." Revelation 1:18. I have endured your sorrows, experienced your struggles, encountered your temptations. I know your tears; I also have wept. The griefs that lie too deep to be breathed into any human ear, I know. Think not that you are desolate and forsaken. Though your pain touch no responsive chord in any heart on earth, look unto Me, and live. "The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but My kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of My peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee." Isaiah 54:10.   
     Because we are the gift of His Father, and the reward of His work, Jesus loves us. He loves us as His children. Reader, He loves you. Heaven itself can bestow nothing greater, nothing better. Therefore trust.   
     Jesus thought upon the souls all over the earth who were misled by false shepherds. Those whom He longed to gather as the sheep of His pasture were scattered among wolves, and He said, "Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice; and they shall become one flock, one shepherd." John 10:16, R. V.   

[Beacon]

"Jesus said...I have endured your sorrows, experienced your struggles, encountered your temptations."

"I know your tears; I also have wept."

"The griefs that lie too deep to be breathed into any human ear, I know."

"Think not that you are desolate and forsaken."

"Though your pain touch no responsive chord in any heart on earth, look unto Me, and live."

"The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but My kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of My peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee." Isaiah 54:10."

"Because we are the gift of His Father, and the reward of His work, Jesus loves us. He loves us as His children."

"Dear Reader, He loves you. Heaven itself can bestow nothing greater, nothing better. Therefore let us trust Him with all our heart and mind."

======================

1 Come, every soul by sin oppressed,
  There’s mercy with the Lord;
And He will surely give you rest
  By trusting in His Word.
    Only trust Him! Only trust Him!
  Only trust Him now!
He will save you! He will save you!
    He will save you now!
2
For Jesus shed His precious blood
  Rich blessings to bestow;
Plunge now into the crimson flood
  That washeth white as snow.
3
Yes, Jesus is the Truth, the Way,
  That leads you into rest;
Believe in Him without delay,
  And you are fully blest.
4
Come then, and join the holy band,
  And on to glory go;
In Christ’s redemption take your stand,
  And all His goodness know.

Lyrics & Music::John Hart Stockton (1813-1877)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcD9uhRC3Ew&list=PLR1KLB2-hnHyXFEL01WoPMdbCfm4rOY3p&index=43
 

[Richard Myers]

Amen Brother. Because Jesus loves us, we love Him.

    It is not the fear of punishment, or the hope of everlasting reward, that leads the disciples of Christ to follow Him. They behold the Saviour's matchless love, revealed throughout His pilgrimage on earth, from the manger of Bethlehem to Calvary's cross, and the sight of Him attracts, it softens and subdues the soul. Love awakens in the heart of the beholders. They hear His voice, and they follow Him.   

[Dorine]

"Through all our trials we have a never-failing Helper. He does not leave us alone to struggle with temptation, to battle with evil, and be finally crushed with burdens and sorrow. Though now He is hidden from mortal sight, the ear of faith can hear His voice saying, Fear not; I am with you. "I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore." Revelation 1:18. I have endured your sorrows, experienced your struggles, encountered your temptations. I know your tears; I also have wept. The griefs that lie too deep to be breathed into any human ear, I know. Think not that you are desolate and forsaken. Though your pain touch no responsive chord in any heart on earth, look unto Me, and live. "The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but My kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of My peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee." Isaiah 54:10.
   
A promise I cherish. He proves Himself over and over. We respond to His loving call because we are needy and empty without Him. We are pulled by a love that is unsurpassed by anything earthly we know or experience.

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Amen, Brother Beacon, Brother Richard, and Sister Dorine!!

Let's look up to Jesus, our great High Priest in the sanctuary in heaven! He is still the Shepherd of His people and desires to lead us in the path that is best! Trust Him fully with your entire life, invite Him to take away your sin and give you a new heart, and let the Holy Spirit flow through your life the very attributes of His divine nature--love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, meekness, goodness, faith and temperance without one of the fruit of the Spirit missing as you live by faith on the Son of God!

"Though now He has ascended to the presence of God, and shares the throne of the universe, Jesus has lost none of His compassionate nature. Today the same tender, sympathizing heart is open to all the woes of humanity. Today the hand that was pierced is reached forth to bless more abundantly His people that are in the world. 'And they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.' The soul that has given himself to Christ is more precious in His sight than the whole world. The Saviour would have passed through the agony of Calvary that one might be saved in His kingdom. He will never abandon one for whom He has died. Unless His followers choose to leave Him, He will hold them fast." {The Desire of Ages, page 480, paragraph 5}

Being kept by Jesus is the safest place to be. Let Him lead you in the center of His will moment-by-moment all the way to heaven! While we are pilgrims and strangers in this life, we are His ambassadors to reveal His character and invite as many as possible to be saved into His everlasting kingdom! Christ is coming soon and has given us His everlasting gospel message that is to go to the world (Revelation 14:6-12)! The greatest joy is in seeing another soul respond to Christ and become a new creature in Him!

[Beacon]

Today the hand that was pierced is reached forth to bless more abundantly His people that are in the world."

"And they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand."

"The soul that has given himself to Christ is more precious in His sight than the whole world. The Saviour would have passed through the agony of Calvary that one might be saved in His kingdom."

"He will never abandon one for whom He has died."

"Unless His followers choose to leave Him, He will hold them fast."

Will "OUR" Anchor Hold in the storms of life?? It will if "WE" are willing  'Now"  To Surrender "ALL" to Jesus it will!!

=================================
1
Will your anchor hold in the storms of life,
When the clouds unfold their wings of strife?
When the strong tides lift, and the cables strain,
Will your anchor drift or firm remain?
    We have an anchor that keeps the soul
Stedfast and sure while the billows roll,
Fastened to the Rock which cannot move,
  Grounded firm and deep in the Savior’s love.
2
It is safely moored, ’twill the storm withstand,
For ’tis well secured by the Savior’s hand;
And the cables passed from His heart to mine,
Can defy the blast, through strength divine.
3
It will firmly hold in the straits of fear,
When the breakers have told the reef is near;
Though the tempest rave and the wild winds blow,
Not an angry wave shall our bark o’erflow.
4
It will surely hold in the floods of death,
When the waters cold chill our latest breath;
On the rising tide it can never fail,
While our hopes abide within the veil.

Lyrics:Priscilla Jane Owens (1829-1907)
Music:William James Kirkpatrick (1838-1921)

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Amen, Brother Beacon!

What is your motivation?

"It is not the fear of punishment, or the hope of everlasting reward, that leads the disciples of Christ to follow Him. They behold the Saviour's matchless love, revealed throughout His pilgrimage on earth, from the manger of Bethlehem to Calvary's cross, and the sight of Him attracts, it softens and subdues the soul. Love awakens in the heart of the beholders. They hear His voice, and they follow Him." {The Desire of Ages, page 480, paragraph 3}

When we are moved by the love of Christ, we have the true, enduring motivation to follow Him all the way to heaven, in whatever paths of service He knows are best for us both in this life and in the life to come. The key to true happiness is entire conformity of the will to God's will, ever keeping before us God's goodness that leads us to repentance and transformation of life. By surrendering the whole heart to Jesus Christ, the divine-human Savior, we live by faith in an affectionate union and communion of our souls with Him whereby all of the fruits of the Spirit are seen in our lives as we gladly obey God's law up to the light of truth He has shown us! Praise God for the motivation of love! "We love Him, because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19).

[Dorine]

"As the shepherd goes before his sheep, himself first encountering the perils of the way, so does Jesus with His people. "When He putteth forth His own sheep, He goeth before them." The way to heaven is consecrated by the Saviour's footprints. The path may be steep and rugged, but Jesus has traveled that way; His feet have pressed down the cruel thorns, to make the pathway easier for us. Every burden that we are called to bear He Himself has borne."

He does not promise a smooth path but He promises to be with us all the way leading us through the trials and difficulties of life if we accept Him as our Shepherd and follow Him.  He is familiar with the journey for he has been over it before us. That is the only passage to safety and an eternal home with Jesus.

[Philip T]

  Jesus thought upon the souls all over the earth who were misled by false shepherds. Those whom He longed to gather as the sheep of His pasture were scattered among wolves, and He said, "Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice; and they shall become one flock, one shepherd." John 10:16, R. V. 

Jesus has compassion for all, he has people in all churches, when they hear His voice calling as we read in Revelation "Come out of her My people", that will respond, we are to be the voice (messengers) who pass this call on, so people will come out of her.

[Richard Myers]

Amen my dear brothers and sister! What a beautiful revelation of our Savior's love for us.

Through the prophet, Jesus declares, "I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee." He compels none to follow Him. "I drew them," He says, "with cords of a man, with bands of love." Psalm 77:20; Jeremiah 31:3; Hosea 11:4.   
     It is not the fear of punishment, or the hope of everlasting reward, that leads the disciples of Christ to follow Him. They behold the Saviour's matchless love, revealed throughout His pilgrimage on earth, from the manger of Bethlehem to Calvary's cross, and the sight of Him attracts, it softens and subdues the soul. Love awakens in the heart of the beholders. They hear His voice, and they follow Him.   
     As the shepherd goes before his sheep, himself first encountering the perils of the way, so does Jesus with His people. "When He putteth forth His own sheep, He goeth before them." The way to heaven is consecrated by the Saviour's footprints. The path may be steep and rugged, but Jesus has traveled that way; His feet have pressed down the cruel thorns, to make the pathway easier for us. Every burden that we are called to bear He Himself has borne.   
     Though now He has ascended to the presence of God, and shares the throne of the universe, Jesus has lost none of His compassionate nature. Today the same tender, sympathizing heart is open to all the woes of humanity. Today the hand that was pierced is reached forth to bless more abundantly His people that are in the world. "And they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand." The soul that has given himself to Christ is more precious in His sight than the whole world. The Saviour would have passed through the agony of Calvary that one might be saved in His kingdom. He will never abandon one for whom He has died. Unless His followers choose to leave Him, He will hold them fast.   

[Beacon]

"As the shepherd goes before his sheep, himself first encountering the perils of the way, so does Jesus with His people. "When He putteth forth His own sheep, He goeth before them."

"The way to heaven is consecrated by the Saviour's footprints."

"The path may be steep and rugged, but Jesus has traveled that way; His feet have pressed down the cruel thorns, to make the pathway easier for us."

"Every burden that we are called to bear He Himself has borne."
 
"Though now He has ascended to the presence of God, and shares the throne of the universe, Jesus has lost none of His compassionate nature. Today the same tender, sympathizing heart is open to all the woes of humanity. Today the hand that was pierced is reached forth to bless more abundantly His people that are in the world."

"And they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand."

"The soul that has given himself to Christ is more precious in His sight than the whole world."

"The Saviour would have passed through the agony of Calvary that one might be saved in His kingdom."

"He will never abandon one for whom He has died."

"Unless His followers choose to leave Him, He will hold them fast."

What Wonderful Promises and they come with a Solid Guarantee from the King of Kings!!

======================
1
Come, every soul by sin oppressed,
  There’s mercy with the Lord;
And He will surely give you rest
  By trusting in His Word.
    Only trust Him! Only trust Him!
  Only trust Him now!
He will save you! He will save you!
    He will save you now!
2
For Jesus shed His precious blood
  Rich blessings to bestow;
Plunge now into the crimson flood
  That washeth white as snow.
3
Yes, Jesus is the Truth, the Way,
  That leads you into rest;
Believe in Him without delay,
  And you are fully blest.
4
Come then, and join the holy band,
  And on to glory go;
In Christ’s redemption take your stand,
  And all His goodness know.

Lyrics:John Hart Stockton (1813-1877)
Music:John Hart Stockton (1813-1877)

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Amen, Brother Beacon!

Come to Jesus.

“Every soul is as fully known to Jesus as if he were the only one for whom the Saviour died. The distress of every one touches His heart. The cry for aid reaches His ear. He came to draw all men unto Himself. He bids them, ‘Follow Me,’ and His Spirit moves upon their hearts to draw them to come to Him. Many refuse to be drawn. Jesus knows who they are. He also knows who gladly hear His call, and are ready to come under His pastoral care. He says, ‘My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.’ He cares for each one as if there were not another on the face of the earth.” {The Desire of Ages, page 480, paragraph 1}

He will lead you safely home to heaven. His grace will convert your heart as you fully surrender to Him, filling you with all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing as you gladly obey the law of love!