Author Topic: The Desire of Ages--74--Gethsemane  (Read 33951 times)

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JimB

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Re: The Desire of Ages--74--Gethsemane
« Reply #40 on: September 10, 2017, 07:20:34 AM »
Gethsemane, what a scene to behold and think about. What Christ did there for us we will never fully understand but we can understand enough to see the extreme love the Savior has for the whole world. In times past I heard of stories where a person will save another person's life and the saved person out of gratitude will try to repay by doing favors and/or money etc...   However, in return Jesus only wants our hearts and when He has our hearts we become His and He becomes ours. What a thought!!!   
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--74--Gethsemane
« Reply #41 on: September 10, 2017, 10:02:57 AM »
Amen, Jim. What an amazing truth!! And, to think that He also has entrusted His precious truths to us as a people!!  We ought to have been off this evil speck of a planet years ago!
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--74--Gethsemane
« Reply #42 on: December 05, 2017, 05:05:34 AM »
Gethsemane--what a place to behold Jesus suffering inexpressible agony for us. Did He have to go through it? No--but infinite love constrained Him. He saw our lost condition, our utter helplessness and inability to break from Satan's power (selfishness which leads to death, for sin is the transgression of law of selfless love), and after pouring out His soul three times in prayer that the cup of God's wrath against sin might pass from Him, He consents to bear suffering infinitely greater than we can even imagine, for in Gethsemane we see the Son of God for the first time in the history of ETERNITY feeling the separation that sin brings between the soul and God. Let this thought solemnize our minds to realize how horrific sin is--for no sin is small in God's sight--and at the same time may our lips be filled with praise to God who would be wiling to risk sending Jesus to come and be born in this world, to face temptation stronger than we will ever bear, at the risk of failure and eternal loss. Let us behold Jesus afresh and let that love empower us to be His ambassadors of God's amazing grace. Beholding the love of God in Christ enables us to go from being unrepentant sinners to becoming repentant, believing sinners who are truly converted, who hate sin because of what it does to Jesus, and who love God with the WHOLE heart.

    "Having made the decision, He fell dying to the ground from which He had partially risen. Where now were His disciples, to place their hands tenderly beneath the head of their fainting Master, and bathe that brow, marred indeed more than the sons of men? The Saviour trod the wine press alone, and of the people there was none with Him." {The Desire of Ages, page 693, paragraph 1} 
     "But God suffered with His Son. Angels beheld the Saviour's agony. They saw their Lord enclosed by legions of satanic forces, His nature weighed down with a shuddering, mysterious dread. There was silence in heaven. No harp was touched. Could mortals have viewed the amazement of the angelic host as in silent grief they watched the Father separating His beams of light, love, and glory from His beloved Son, they would better understand how offensive in His sight is sin." {The Desire of Ages, page 693, paragraph 2}


I was deeply impressed by what Jesus had to endure, and what the Father had to do in order for Jesus to become sin for us--the Father's light, love, and glory were separated from Him, because that is what sin does to us.

"But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear" (Isaiah 59:2). And the solemn reality of what sin does to us really spoke to me this morning. If we commit a known sin, we choose to separate from God's light, love, and glory. This is not a small matter. 1 John 1:5-7 connects the light and darkness significance:

"This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin."

I need Jesus continually to abide in my heart, or I will walk in darkness. We have a continual need of Jesus, and without Him we will wander back into darkness because that is where the fallen nature tends. We need to be continually partaking of the divine nature, so that all of the fruits of the Spirit are seen in our lives without one missing.

If we sin a known sin, love no longer reigns in our hearts:

1 John 4:8: "He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." To know God is to love Him, and sin breaks that connection of faith working by love.

Glory also departs because of sin, and what is God's glory?

Moses prayed to God this prayer in Exodus 33:18: "And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory." And how did God answer that? We see His answer in Exodus 34:6-7: "And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation."

God's glory is His character, and a known sin severs us from a vital connection with God's unselfish character. Oh, how we need Jesus in our hearts and minds continually! Plead for Him to keep you from falling into sin, knowing that He is able!

Jude 24-25: "Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen." He has promised a way of escape whatever the temptation, however strong: "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Look to Jesus today. Remember that for YOUR sin and for MY sin He was willing to be separated from God's light, love, and glory--so we can be connected to Him moment-by-moment, and not fall back into our old sinful ways. Look and live! Jesus saves!

"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--74--Gethsemane
« Reply #43 on: December 05, 2017, 06:19:16 PM »
Amen Pastor Sean. If we are without excuse for sinning, then how about the disciples that night in the Garden? They had all been converted except for Judas, yet look at what they did to Jesus that night in the Garden and afterward. Those closest to Jesus ought to have been a blessing to Jesus, but they injured Him more than anyone. They above all ought to have been faithful to their Master.

What was the problem? It was the very same thing that happens to us today. We take our eyes off of Jesus and lose His power to resist sin. We must be vitally connected with Christ in order to bring honor and glory to Him. Without Him, we can do no good thing. With Him having possession of the whole heart, we can do all things He asks of us.

Let us learn from their fall from grace:

     They did not realize the necessity of watchfulness and earnest prayer in order to withstand temptation.
     Just before He bent His footsteps to the garden, Jesus had said to the disciples, "All ye shall be offended because of Me this night." They had given Him the strongest assurance that they would go with Him to prison and to death. And poor, self-sufficient Peter had added, "Although all shall be offended, yet will not I." Mark 14:27, 29. But the disciples trusted to themselves. They did not look to the mighty Helper as Christ had counseled them to do. Thus when the Saviour was most in need of their sympathy and prayers, they were found asleep. Even Peter was sleeping.   
     And John, the loving disciple who had leaned upon the breast of Jesus, was asleep. Surely, the love of John for his Master should have kept him awake. His earnest prayers should have mingled with those of his loved Saviour in the time of His supreme sorrow.
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--74--Gethsemane
« Reply #44 on: March 02, 2018, 05:38:28 AM »
Throughout His life on earth He had walked in the light of God's presence. When in conflict with men who were inspired by the very spirit of Satan, He could say, "He that sent Me is with Me: the Father hath not left Me alone; for I do always those things that please Him." John 8:29. But now He seemed to be shut out from the light of God's sustaining presence. Now He was numbered with the transgressors. The guilt of fallen humanity He must bear. Upon Him who knew no sin must be laid the iniquity of us all. So dreadful does sin appear to Him, so great is the weight of guilt which He must bear, that He is tempted to fear it will shut Him out forever from His Father's love. Feeling how terrible is the wrath of God against transgression, He exclaims, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death."

What a horrible thought. For one who was constantly walking in the light of the Father and now Jesus feels as though He's been cut off. What a transition in mental state. It also says that Jesus was tempted to fear but it doesn't say that He yielded to that temptation. This is a good lesson for us when dealing with our own feelings. However, it's far easy to endure such a circumstance if we are use to walking in God's presence and are intimately familiar with His character and who He is. Then like Job we can say... "though he slay me yet I will trust Him".
By communion with God in nature, the mind is uplifted, and the heart finds rest.  {DA 291.1}

Dorine

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Re: The Desire of Ages--74--Gethsemane
« Reply #45 on: March 02, 2018, 06:25:05 AM »
This was a very emotional read. 'My' sin caused such torture to my best friend, my Saviour.

"There was silence in heaven. No harp was touched. Could mortals have viewed the amazement of the angelic host as in silent grief they watched the Father separating His beams of light, love, and glory from His beloved Son, they would better understand how offensive in His sight is sin."

Please Father, open my heart with understanding that I may realize the horrendous results of sin. Give me a new heart today that I may vindicate your character in my thoughts, words and deeds. Amen.
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

Richard Myers

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Re: The Desire of Ages--74--Gethsemane
« Reply #46 on: March 02, 2018, 08:56:11 AM »
Amen, Sister Dorine. Oh how much we owe to God!  We can never repay what was paid for our salvation, but we can give Jesus His reward for His suffering. When He sees Himself reflected in us, this is His reward. Let us not deny Him that which He has earned!


What a horrible thought. For one who was constantly walking in the light of the Father and now Jesus feels as though He's been cut off. What a transition in mental state. It also says that Jesus was tempted to fear but it doesn't say that He yielded to that temptation. This is a good lesson for us when dealing with our own feelings. However, it's far easy to endure such a circumstance if we are use to walking in God's presence and are intimately familiar with His character and who He is. Then like Job we can say... "though he slay me yet I will trust Him".

Amen, Jim. The last group of Christians walking on this Earth when Jesus returns will know Jesus and our heavenly Father intimately and they will not hurt them. They will not sin, no matter what happens to them. Character is transformed at conversion, but strength of character comes through great trial when we refuse to be separated from the Ones who gave all for us while we were yet sinners.

How many professing Christians truly understand what is coming upon unrepentant sinners? We know that God will not burn sinners for eternity, why would we think He will not punish the wicked? And if so, how will He do so? Will there be pain? We need to understand and teach the truth so that all might understand how much Christ had to suffer when He paid the price for every human soul.

 As man He must suffer the consequences of man's sin. As man He must endure the wrath of God against transgression. Christ was now standing in a different attitude from that in which He had ever stood before. His suffering can best be described in the words of the prophet, "Awake, O sword, against My shepherd, and against the man that is My fellow, saith the Lord of hosts." Zechariah 13:7. As the substitute and surety for sinful man, Christ was suffering under divine justice.  He saw what justice meant. Hitherto He had been as an intercessor for others; now He longed to have an intercessor for Himself.   
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--74--Gethsemane
« Reply #47 on: May 28, 2018, 02:17:34 AM »
Are you struggling? Are you tempted? Pray not for God to remove the trial from you, unless it is His will. Jesus has modeled this to us in the Garden of Gethsemane. Pray that God will give you the strength to bear the trial and come forth with a finer faith, a faith purified by the baptism of suffering that you may be Jesus' reward! Pray that all of His sufferings for you may not be in vain, but that through the cooperation of your efforts with the divine nature given us by His promises through the impartation of the Holy Spirit, you also may be more than conqueror through Him that loved us and gave Himself for us!

"The worlds unfallen and the heavenly angels had watched with intense interest as the conflict drew to its close. Satan and his confederacy of evil, the legions of apostasy, watched intently this great crisis in the work of redemption. The powers of good and evil waited to see what answer would come to Christ's thrice-repeated prayer. Angels had longed to bring relief to the divine sufferer, but this might not be. No way of escape was found for the Son of God. In this awful crisis, when everything was at stake, when the mysterious cup trembled in the hand of the sufferer, the heavens opened, a light shone forth amid the stormy darkness of the crisis hour, and the mighty angel who stands in God's presence, occupying the position from which Satan fell, came to the side of Christ. The angel came not to take the cup from Christ's hand, but to strengthen Him to drink it, with the assurance of the Father's love. He came to give power to the divine-human suppliant. He pointed Him to the open heavens, telling Him of the souls that would be saved as the result of His sufferings. He assured Him that His Father is greater and more powerful than Satan, that His death would result in the utter discomfiture of Satan, and that the kingdom of this world would be given to the saints of the Most High. He told Him that He would see of the travail of His soul, and be satisfied, for He would see a multitude of the human race saved, eternally saved." {The Desire of Ages, page 693, paragraph 3} 
"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--74--Gethsemane
« Reply #48 on: May 28, 2018, 05:23:17 AM »
God will not allow is to be tempted beyond what we can bear. We can glory in our tribulation knowing it will work for our benefit and God's glory as we abide in Christ. In Christ's case, it worked for our salvation and strengthened His character beyond where it was prior to Gethsemane. One of the very sad experiences Jesus endured was the failure of those who were closest to Him to comfort Him. It is painful to contemplate.

 That those whom He had undertaken to save, those whom He loved so much, should unite in the plots of Satan, this pierced His soul. The conflict was terrible. Its measure was the guilt of His nation, of His accusers and betrayer, the guilt of a world lying in wickedness. The sins of men weighed heavily upon Christ, and the sense of God's wrath against sin was crushing out His life.
     Behold Him contemplating the price to be paid for the human soul. In His agony He clings to the cold ground, as if to prevent Himself from being drawn farther from God. The chilling dew of night falls upon His prostrate form, but He heeds it not. From His pale lips comes the bitter cry, "O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me." Yet even now He adds, "Nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt."
     The human heart longs for sympathy in suffering. This longing Christ felt to the very depths of His being. In the supreme agony of His soul He came to His disciples with a yearning desire to hear some words of comfort from those whom He had so often blessed and comforted, and shielded in sorrow and distress. The One who had always had words of sympathy for them was now suffering superhuman agony, and He longed to know that they were praying for Him and for themselves. How dark seemed the malignity of sin! Terrible was the temptation to let the human race bear the consequences of its own guilt, while He stood innocent before God. If He could only know that His disciples understood and appreciated this, He would be strengthened........ Again He had felt a longing for companionship, for some words from His disciples which would bring relief, and break the spell of darkness that well-nigh overpowered Him.




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--74--Gethsemane
« Reply #49 on: August 23, 2018, 05:32:10 AM »
The human heart longs for sympathy in suffering. This longing Christ felt to the very depths of His being. In the supreme agony of His soul He came to His disciples with a yearning desire to hear some words of comfort from those whom He had so often blessed and comforted, and shielded in sorrow and distress. The One who had always had words of sympathy for them was now suffering superhuman agony, and He longed to know that they were praying for Him and for themselves. How dark seemed the malignity of sin! Terrible was the temptation to let the human race bear the consequences of its own guilt, while He stood innocent before God. If He could only know that His disciples understood and appreciated this, He would be strengthened.

What a chapter! and how horrible a though to think my sin caused such anguish and temptation to Him. My Savior desired human comfort. He was hoping to receive that which He had always gave out to others, sympathy and encouragement. We are told that God is the same today, yesterday, and forever so to me that means that although He isn't now suffering in Gethsemane, He still desires human friendship and desires to commune with us. Why would anyone desire friendship with the person and people who has cause Him so much pain? Because He is love and He loves you & me!


John 15:15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
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--74--Gethsemane
« Reply #50 on: August 23, 2018, 05:55:54 AM »
Amen Jim. This is the saddest part of the whole book. Jesus longed for human sympathy, but received none. How very sad! We have it in our power today to make Jesus happy. He suffered and died because of our sins. His reward for all He went through, is to see himself reproduced in us. When we abide in Christ and He abides in us, we will be empowered to keep the Commandments of God. Our characters will be a reflection of the righteousness of Christ. This is what He Longs for today. This is His reward. And when we sin we cause Him much pain and sorrow.

     Christ was now standing in a different attitude from that in which He had ever stood before. His suffering can best be described in the words of the prophet, "Awake, O sword, against My shepherd, and against the man that is My fellow, saith the Lord of hosts." Zechariah 13:7. As the substitute and surety for sinful man, Christ was suffering under divine justice. He saw what justice meant. Hitherto He had been as an intercessor for others; now He longed to have an intercessor for Himself.   
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Dorine

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Re: The Desire of Ages--74--Gethsemane
« Reply #51 on: August 23, 2018, 07:43:58 AM »
"In this awful crisis, when everything was at stake, when the mysterious cup trembled in the hand of the sufferer, the heavens opened, a light shone forth amid the stormy darkness of the crisis hour, and the mighty angel who stands in God's presence, occupying the position from which Satan fell, came to the side of Christ. The angel came not to take the cup from Christ's hand, but to strengthen Him to drink it, with the assurance of the Father's love. He came to give power to the divine-human suppliant. He pointed Him to the open heavens, telling Him of the souls that would be saved as the result of His sufferings. He assured Him that His Father is greater and more powerful than Satan, that His death would result in the utter discomfiture of Satan, and that the kingdom of this world would be given to the saints of the Most High. He told Him that He would see of the travail of His soul, and be satisfied, for He would see a multitude of the human race saved, eternally saved.     Christ's agony did not cease, but His depression and discouragement left Him. The storm had in nowise abated, but He who was its object was strengthened to meet its fury. He came forth calm and serene. A heavenly peace rested upon His bloodstained face. He had borne that which no human being could ever bear; for He had tasted the sufferings of death for every man."

My heart overflows with gratitude to my dear Saviour who went through so much for me and because of me. What He had to suffer no human being will ever be called to endure. Oh what love and what mercy.
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--74--Gethsemane
« Reply #52 on: August 23, 2018, 10:23:38 AM »
This Sabbath I am looking forward to preaching in Greenland and Houghton a message entitled, "So Expensive" in connection with the Communion service. As I contemplate what Jesus' experience cost Him--the unutterable agony of how our sin separated Him from the Father and finally broke His heart upon Calvary, the deathly sufferings of which began so clearly in the Garden of Gethsemane, I am so thankful that God counted me, and you, and every soul in this world worth the infinite price. May we, by beholding Christ, realize that we are never called upon to make a real sacrifice, for the infinite Sacrifice has been made once and for all, and we are to enter into oneness with Him whose self-sacrificing love will be wrought out in us as we continually surrender our will and abide in Him. Such an experience purifies the heart and mind and fills us with all of the fruits of the Spirit so that not one is missing.

There is no higher calling or purpose than to have Christ's character reproduced in us. Such love wrought in us will prepare us to stand through the time of trouble such as never was, not as a band of defeated mourners, but as those whose appreciation of the love of Christ holds them steadfast because God's Spirit has sealed them--settled them into the truth both intellectually and spiritually so they cannot be moved. May we cooperate with God who will effect this experience in us. From first to last we are dependent upon Christ for such a work to be wrought in us. "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him" (Colossians 2:6). May we gladly count it a privilege to suffer for His dear sake who paid SO MUCH for us!

"Behold Him contemplating the price to be paid for the human soul. In His agony He clings to the cold ground, as if to prevent Himself from being drawn farther from God. The chilling dew of night falls upon His prostrate form, but He heeds it not. From His pale lips comes the bitter cry, 'O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me.' Yet even now He adds, 'Nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt.'" {The Desire of Ages, page 687, 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}

Pastor Sean Brizendine

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Re: The Desire of Ages--74--Gethsemane
« Reply #53 on: November 18, 2018, 01:58:22 AM »
From a human standpoint, the experience of Jesus in Gethsemane makes no sense. Why would a divine being consent to become a human, and then face all the weight of our guilt and sin--even though so few seem to even appreciate or receive this great salvation? The unexplainable, infinitely glorious answer is wrapped up in one word: grace. Gethsemane is such a powerful revelation of God's grace that it makes me silent, causing me to reflect on the value God has placed upon my soul--and your soul, and every soul in this dark speck of a world. We are of infinite worth to God because an infinite price has been paid for us. While Satan did his utmost to show all the reasons the plan of bearing the sin of the world was not worth it, I am so thankful that the infinite, unfathomable love of God manifested in Christ motivated Him to go through with the plan to redeem us. We have something to praise God for today--it is the love of God for us, and the power that this grace has (as we behold and contemplate it as manifest in Christ) to change us from rebellious sinners into humble, obedient, happy saints! What a miracle!!!!

"And what was to be gained by this sacrifice? How hopeless appeared the guilt and ingratitude of men! In its hardest features Satan pressed the situation upon the Redeemer: The people who claim to be above all others in temporal and spiritual advantages have rejected You. They are seeking to destroy You, the foundation, the center and seal of the promises made to them as a peculiar people. One of Your own disciples, who has listened to Your instruction, and has been among the foremost in church activities, will betray You. One of Your most zealous followers will deny You. All will forsake You. Christ's whole being abhorred the thought. That those whom He had undertaken to save, those whom He loved so much, should unite in the plots of Satan, this pierced His soul. The conflict was terrible. Its measure was the guilt of His nation, of His accusers and betrayer, the guilt of a world lying in wickedness. The sins of men weighed heavily upon Christ, and the sense of God's wrath against sin was crushing out His life." {The Desire of Ages, page 687, paragraph 1}

Christ did not accept Satan's version of the experience--He did consent to become sin for us, but by faith He overcame in the conflict. This nature of faith--of complete trust when everything seems dark and malignant--it is this "faith of Jesus" that alone can motivate us to lovingly obey God when all the powers of the world, the flesh, and the devil are arrayed against us to compel us to disobey God. The love of Christ constrains us. Let this love remain uppermost in your mind today, that you may go forth, in some degree, to diffuse this mysterious element of selfless love that is manifest in all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing (by abiding in Christ) in a world of sin and suffering.
"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--74--Gethsemane
« Reply #54 on: November 18, 2018, 10:28:39 PM »
Amen Pastor Sean. Do we really understand the wrath of God? Or do we treat sin lightly? How much does sin bother us?

"The sense of God's wrath against sin was crushing out His life."hi
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--74--Gethsemane
« Reply #55 on: February 13, 2019, 05:19:09 AM »
What was it like for Jesus to become sin for us? What did our redemption really cost? In the struggle of Gethsemane, the agony upon the cross, and the separation that sin makes between the soul and God that Jesus endured for us, we may better understand how offensive sin is to God. The cost of our redemption is the very life of the Son of God!! We have infinite value to God!! This love--that the Father would give His Son to suffer for us in this way so we could behold Him and by beholding that love, and the power of the expiatory sufferings of Christ be converted in character and have a new heart and mind--this love is without a parallel!

How can we comfort Jesus?

"Rising with painful effort, He staggered to the place where He had left His companions. But He "findeth them asleep." Had He found them praying, He would have been relieved. Had they been seeking refuge in God, that satanic agencies might not prevail over them, He would have been comforted by their steadfast faith. But they had not heeded the repeated warning, "Watch and pray." At first they had been much troubled to see their Master, usually so calm and dignified, wrestling with a sorrow that was beyond comprehension. They had prayed as they heard the strong cries of the sufferer. They did not intend to forsake their Lord, but they seemed paralyzed by a stupor which they might have shaken off if they had continued pleading with God. They did not realize the necessity of watchfulness and earnest prayer in order to withstand temptation." {The Desire of Ages, page 688, paragraph 1}

We are told that "He would have been comforted by their steadfast faith." Let us receive that faith from Him by beholding what He paid for us! The kind of faith that honors Him today is the faith that works by love and purifies the soul, that reveals all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing in the life. Jesus loves us and wants what is best for us. Let us not see how easy a path we can take, but let us behold the path trod for us by Jesus and let Him use us to go and inspire others to walk in the faith of the Son of God. Love awakens love, and faith inspires 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}

Richard Myers

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Re: The Desire of Ages--74--Gethsemane
« Reply #56 on: February 13, 2019, 09:09:26 AM »

Amen, Pastor Sean!   Such love!  That God would allow Jesus to come to this dark spot in the universe, a helpless babe, to fight the battle of life as each of us must fight it, at the risk of failure and eternal loss!! Wonder O heavens and be astonished O Earth!!

This chapter reveals one of the saddeth things I have ever experienced. The disciples that night in the Garden failed to help Jesus when the sins of the world were crushing Him so much that blood was seeping out of His pores. Oh, that one would have been praying for Him, but none were. How so very sad.

    The human heart longs for sympathy in suffering. This longing Christ felt to the very depths of His being. In the supreme agony of His soul He came to His disciples with a yearning desire to hear some words of comfort from those whom He had so often blessed and comforted, and shielded in sorrow and distress. The One who had always had words of sympathy for them was now suffering superhuman agony, and He longed to know that they were praying for Him and for themselves. How dark seemed the malignity of sin! Terrible was the temptation to let the human race bear the consequences of its own guilt, while He stood innocent before God. If He could only know that His disciples understood and appreciated this, He would be strengthened.
     Rising with painful effort, He staggered to the place where He had left His companions. But He "findeth them asleep." Had He found them praying, He would have been relieved. Had they been seeking refuge in God, that satanic agencies might not prevail over them, He would have been comforted by their steadfast faith. But they had not heeded the repeated warning, "Watch and pray."


Jesus longed for human sympathy, but He received it not. Today, we can be His friend. We can testify to His love for sinners and His character. He has been maligned and many do not know of His wonderful character. Let us be His witnesses today by manifesting His character, every one of the fruits of  the Spirit.
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Dorine

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Re: The Desire of Ages--74--Gethsemane
« Reply #57 on: February 13, 2019, 09:41:02 AM »
Richard you have expressed my thoughts so clearly this morning. When we reach this chapter in our readings each time my heart becomes so heavy. I don't want to go there but I must. He had the power to escape this horrendous experience but His love for us was much stronger than his own suffering. All He asked for was some prayerful support from His friends but they did nothing to stay awake. Yes, how very sad.

Are we sleeping too during these closing hours of this world's history or are we wide awake proclaiming the gospel of Christ. Our lives will testify to whom our allegiance belongs.




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

Richard Myers

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Re: The Desire of Ages--74--Gethsemane
« Reply #58 on: February 13, 2019, 10:10:59 AM »
Amen, dear Sister. And what was  His response? With an aching heart He said  "the spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak."  Loving Savior!! Does this not touch our hearts. Do we not want to bless Jesus today! As we behold His grace, it causes us to love Him more. May we keep these thoughts in our minds today.
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Beacon

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Re: The Desire of Ages--74--Gethsemane
« Reply #59 on: February 13, 2019, 10:18:09 AM »
The sins of men weighed heavily upon Christ, and the sense of God's wrath against sin was crushing out His life...Behold Him contemplating the price to be paid for the human soul. In His agony He clings to the cold ground, as if to prevent Himself from being drawn farther from God. The chilling dew of night falls upon His prostrate form, but He heeds it not. From His pale lips comes the bitter cry, "O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me." Yet even now He adds, "Nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt."

We have been told that we should spend a thoughtful hour every day contemplating what Jesus went through to make our salvation possible.  The question is...Are we willing in our relationship with Jesus to show our love and appreciation to Him by saying "Nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt."

As I read this chapter this morning I've been reminded how strongly our enemy, Satan, keeps us too busy with "other" things which have no eternal value. Will you join with me this morning and determine by His Grace to spend more time focused on what " Really Counts "  thereby bringing joy to Jesus for all He has done for us?
Look up and listen for the shout.