Heavenly Haystack.com

Written on the Heart

Wed, 08 May 2013 09:15:11 -0400

After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts… . I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. Jeremiah 31: 33, 34.

The same law that was engraved upon the tables of stone, is written by the Holy Spirit upon the tables of the heart. Instead of going about to establish our own righteousness we accept the righteousness of Christ. His blood atones for our sins. His obedience is accepted for us. Then the heart renewed by the Holy Spirit will bring forth “the fruits of the Spirit.” Through the grace of Christ we shall live in obedience to the law of God written upon our hearts. Having the Spirit of Christ, we shall walk even as He walked.

There are two errors against which the children of God — particularly those who have just come to trust in His grace — especially need to guard. The first … is that of looking to their own works, trusting to anything they can do, to bring themselves into harmony with God. He who is trying to become holy by his own works in keeping the law, is attempting an impossibility… .

The opposite and no less dangerous error is, that belief in Christ releases men from keeping the law of God; that since by faith alone we become partakers of the grace of Christ, our works have nothing to do with our redemption… . If the law is written in the heart, will it not shape the life? … Instead of releasing man from obedience, it is faith, and faith only, that makes us partakers of the grace of Christ, which enables us to render obedience… .

Where there is not only a belief in God’s Word, but a submission of the will to Him; where the heart is yielded to Him, the affections fixed upon Him, there is faith— faith that works by love, and purifies the soul. Through this faith the heart is renewed in the image of God. And the heart that in its unrenewed state is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be, now delights in its holy precepts, exclaiming with the psalmist, “O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day” (Ps. 119: 97). And the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us, “who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Rom. 8: 1).

From God’s Amazing Grace - Page 135

A Light to Shine

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 11:04:06 -0400

Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. Isa. 60: 1.

Through the social relations, Christianity comes in contact with the world. Everyone who has received the divine illumination is to brighten the pathway of those who know not the Light of life… . Social power, sanctified by the grace of Christ, must be improved in winning souls to the Saviour. Let the world see that we are not selfishly absorbed in our own interests, but that we desire others to share our blessings and privileges. Let them see that our religion does not make us unsympathetic or exacting. Let all who profess to have found Christ, minister as He did for the benefit of men.

We should never give to the world the false impression that Christians are a gloomy, unhappy people. If our eyes are fixed on Jesus, we shall see a compassionate Redeemer, and shall catch light from His countenance. Wherever His Spirit reigns, there peace abides. And there will be joy also, for there is a calm, holy trust in God.

Christ is pleased with His followers when they show that, though human, they are partakers of the divine nature. They are not statues, but living men and women. Their hearts, refreshed by the dews of divine grace, open and expand to the Sun of Righteousness. The light that shines upon them they reflect upon others in works that are luminous with the love of Christ.

The confession of faith made by saints and martyrs was recorded for the benefit of succeeding generations. Those living examples of holiness and steadfast integrity have come down to inspire courage in those who are now called to stand as witnesses for God. They received grace and truth, not for themselves alone, but that, through them, the knowledge of God might enlighten the earth. Has God given light to His servants in this generation? Then they should let it shine forth to the world.

We are to be channels through which the Lord can send light and grace to the world… . The entire church, acting as one, blending in perfect union, is to be a living, active missionary agency, moved and controlled by the Holy Spirit.

From God’s Amazing Grace - Page 123

On Witnessing

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 09:13:43 -0400

As witnesses for Christ, we are to tell what we know, what we ourselves have seen and heard and felt, If we have been following Jesus step by step, we shall have something right to the point to tell concerning the way in which He has led us. We can tell how we have tested His promise, and found the promise true. We can bear witness to what we have known of the grace of Christ. This is the witness for which our Lord calls, and for want of which the world is perishing.

http://www.whiteestate.org/devotional/ag/04_06.asp

About the Cross and the Joy in Redemption

Sun, 31 Mar 2013 10:44:00 -0400

Even for Ever

Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. Isa. 9: 7.

In this life we can only begin to understand the wonderful theme of redemption. With our finite comprehension we may consider most earnestly the shame and the glory, the life and the death, the justice and the mercy, that meet in the cross; yet with the utmost stretch of our mental powers we fail to grasp its full significance. The length and the breadth, the depth and the height, of redeeming love are but dimly comprehended. The plan of redemption will not be fully understood, even when the ransomed see as they are seen and know as they are known; but through the eternal ages, new truth will continually unfold to the wondering and delighted mind. Though the griefs and pains and temptations of earth are ended, and the cause removed, the people of God will ever have a distinct, intelligent knowledge of what their salvation has cost.

The cross of Christ will be the science and the song of the redeemed through all eternity. In Christ glorified they will behold Christ crucified. Never will it be forgotten that He whose power created and upheld the unnumbered worlds through the vast realms of space— the Beloved of God, the Majesty of heaven, He whom cherub and shining seraph delighted to adore— humbled Himself to uplift fallen man; that He bore the guilt and shame of sin, and the hiding of His Father’s face, till the woes of a lost world broke His heart, and crushed out His life on Calvary’s cross. That the Maker of all worlds, the Arbiter of all destinies, should lay aside His glory and humiliate Himself from love to man will ever excite the wonder and adoration of the universe. As the nations of the saved look upon their Redeemer and behold the eternal glory of the Father shining in His countenance; as they behold His throne, which is from everlasting to everlasting, and know that His kingdom is to have no end, they break forth in rapturous song: “Worthy, worthy, is the Lamb that was slain, and hath redeemed us to God, by His own most precious blood!”

From God’s Amazing Grace - Page 96

http://www.whiteestate.org/devotional/ag/03_30.asp

A Testimony About Testimonies About Jesus

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 11:43:13 -0400

I’m actually self conscious about posting about how much I love Jesus because I’m afraid people would think that I’m boasting,

but I was just thinking, you know what, maybe I am. I don’t mean any offense. but Jesus loves me. How can I keep bottling it up?

Bottling it up.

This is something I’ve been wanting to say for a long time, but I didn’t want to be…weird, or too “different” to connect with people. (A friend Jenna and I just watched “Power of Vulnerability” again by Brene Brown, and that’s exactly how fear of vulnerability is described: fear of not being able to connect.)

So as a response to the video, and to a sermon I heard recently, here will be my first step out of the boat.

I wish to be able to say whats on my heart. I don’t think I’ve ever admitted this because I don’t know if people would understand, and by saying that I don’t want to sound…fake.

It’s almost like a taboo to say things like “Jesus loves you” or “I love Jesus. I really do.” We’re tired of people saying things they don’t mean, so we question whether they really mean it. And then we look at their lives and think, “they must not mean it. See how they ___?” Here’s my struggle: this taboo has affected me a lot. I have a hard time finding courage; my fear always wins. I can’t seem to share exactly whats on my heart: that Jesus is enough for me. When you hear that, wouldn’t you think it’s the most cliche thing in the world?

I found myself being able to tell with more boldness the things that He’s done in my life: the cool stuff. The “cool testimonies.” You know what I mean? Like, “Jesus provided!” or “God pulled through!”
But what about simply saying “Jesus loves me!”

Inside, thats what I want to share above the other testimonies, but I always shrink back, and then I hit myself in the head for not having the courage, and doubting whether I do love Him at all. If I can’t even say it without fear…

So God has been active with me this past Sabbath. Last night a bunch of girls randomly came to our room, and I ended up making myself fairly vulnerable… okay so I didn’t feel completely understood, but I was really encouraged to be myself. And then I questioned my motives. And during church I asked God for courage, and the sermon was on point, and then we watched that video on vulnerability in my room.

Letting it out

I feel like a coward typing all this on my blog quietly, but I guess this is my first step. I want to be honest. Really honest. I don’t want to be afraid of sounding cliche and limp. I lack faith in the Holy Spirit, assuming that it’s not powerful to tell of the simplicity of the gospel, (though its simple message has become the most meaningful to me).

So here is the punch line: Jesusis my desire. There is nothing that fills me like He does. I don’t care as much for the miracles anymore, because knowing Him (just Him) is so much better!

Unfair Expectations

Also, one more thing: one of the reasons why I hesitate in saying this is because of the unspoken expectation that I feel, whether Satan generates it in my mind, or whether it’s really in the environment: we’ve gotta stop putting expectations on people. Don’t expect people who love Jesus/call themselves Christians to never make mistakes, to never hurt people, to never judge, to never have false intentions. Don’t expect them to be the friend of solutions, the friend who you’ve been looking for, the friend who will relieve your grief and finally be one who accepts you as you are, the friend who won’t disappoint, the friend who will just “get it”, the friend who won’t hurt you. It’s not fair. It’s not fair to expect such perfection out of people. Don’t get me wrong, I am completely all for striving to be the best friend that I can be, and I don’t mean to give excuses for it all, but I’m just saying, don’t lay such heavy expectations on people. The people who profess to know Jesus genuinely and are in love with Jesus are by no means less fallen than those who don’t know Him at all. Please, we are all human. We must forgive each other, love each other.

Who knows, but here it goes…?

Okay I don’t know where that came from, but I think it’s something thats been on my heart. An anxiety and standard I felt, and perhaps even beheld. A strive to be perfect, and feelings of guilt and failure when I hurt someone. And yeah, to be honest, I do feel that pressure because I have disappointed people in the past, and later realized (or maybe I was wrong) that there was a preconceived idea of a friend that I didn’t measure up to be.

http://tatianakim.wordpress.com/2013/02/17/trying-something-new/

The Seventh Day Documentary Series Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part...

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 23:44:19 -0400

The Seventh Day Documentary Series

"In the Beginning" A Documentary Series

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 22:58:46 -0400

An investigative documentary series created by the North America Division on various issues of faith and science.

E9 - Radiometric Dating

To Date or Not to Date

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 18:55:51 -0400

Q: It seems all the adults I know dated when they were young but discourage me and others from dating. Is dating wrong?

A: I saved this question for now because with Valentine’s here and spring fever right around the corner, love is in the air :o). Sorry for the delay.

First of all, let me tell you a secret: adults discourage you because they have made mistakes they want to help you avoid. You see it as restrictive, but it is motivated by love.

Your question is complex because there are many levels to it. Is romantic love wrong? Of course not! Is it potentially dangerous? Absolutely. God created romantic love. He created marriage and sexuality. He designed us literally for love. However, we live in a culture that places a huge emphasis on physical love and seems rather clueless about heart and mind love.

Let me approach your question from a perspective we don’t consider often enough. We worry about our own opinions and the opinion of others but what about God’s? Here is His desire for you: He wants to partner you for life with someone who will love your heart, your mind and your body, and you will love his/her heart, mind and body. He wants to partner you with someone who will love Him supremely and love you above himself/herself. He wants your future home to be a Garden of Eden, a slice of heaven on earth. That is His desire for you. Sounds good, right?

Here is the devil’s desire for you. He wants to entice you with someone who appears to be all you ever wanted, but somewhere in the equation there is compromise. Just enough appeal to keep you hooked and just enough compromise to eventually draw you away from your One true love: Jesus.

Dating is the cultural process we use to determine if the person we think we like is “the one.” Here is the problem: dating requires you to invest yourself—your heart, your mind and, too often, your body—in someone you may not marry. When that relationship fails, it is a lesser form of divorce; and the tragedy is that a piece or pieces of you are left behind, so that when you meet the next person who might be “the one,” you have less to give them then you had before. If this cycle continues to repeat itself, you’ll end up with a heart in pieces, a mind afraid of love that no longer believes you’ll find anyone, and too often a body that’s been given away on the deepest levels.

When I was “younger,” I fell in love, deeply. She was “the one”! I remember two things vividly about that relationship. It involved compromising values I had committed to before I met her, and before I got too involved, the Lord had indicated she was definitely not “the one.” I did not listen and I paid the price. God will forgive anything, but the scars of sin remain.

Here is the bottom line. God has better plans for you than any you’ll make for yourself. Give your heart, soul, mind and body to Him every day and let Him direct your romantic love. Saying no to “the wrong one” who feels like “the right one” will hurt, but not nearly as much as saying yes to “the wrong one” will hurt later. Is dating wrong? No. Is it dangerous? Absolutely. Listen to the One who loves you…

Credit: Dan Wilson, Canadian Adventist Messenger Magazine

Surrender and God Will Provide

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 14:04:12 -0400

by Ellen G. White

Many who profess to be Christ’s followers have an anxious, troubled heart because they are afraid to trust themselves with God. They do not make a complete surrender to Him, for they shrink from the consequences that such a surrender may involve. Unless they do make this surrender they cannot find peace.

There are many whose hearts are aching under a load of care because they seek to reach the world’s standard. They have chosen its service, accepted its perplexities, adopted its customs. Thus their character is marred and their life made a weariness. The continual worry is wearing out the life forces. Our Lord desires them to lay aside this yoke of bondage. He invites them to accept His yoke; He says, “My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” Worry is blind and cannot discern the future; but Jesus sees the end from the beginning. In every difficulty He has His way prepared to bring relief. “No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly.” Matthew 11:30; Psalm 84:11.

Our heavenly Father has a thousand ways to provide for us of which we know nothing. Those who accept the one principle of making the service of God supreme, will find perplexities vanish and a plain path before their feet.

The faithful discharge of today’s duties is the best preparation for tomorrow’s trials. Do not gather together all tomorrow’s liabilities and cares and add them to the burden of today. “Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” Matthew 6:34.

Let us be hopeful and courageous. Despondency in God’s service is sinful and unreasonable. He knows our every necessity. To the omnipotence of the King of kings our covenant-keeping God unites the gentleness and care of the tender shepherd. His power is absolute, and it is the pledge of the sure fulfillment of His promises to all who trust in Him. He has means for the removal of every difficulty, that those who serve Him and respect the means He employs may be sustained. His love is as far above all other love as the heavens are above the earth. He watches over His children with a love that is measureless and everlasting.

In the darkest days, when appearances seem most forbidding, have faith in God. He is working out His will, doing all things well in behalf of His people. The strength of those who love and serve Him will be renewed day by day.

He is able and willing to bestow upon His servants all the help they need. He will give them the wisdom which their varied necessities demand.

Said the tried apostle Paul: “He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9, 10.

Published in The Ministry of Healing, pp. 480-482.

The LORD Our Defense

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 07:08:00 -0500

Psalm 33:12-22

(Modernized Version)

The Lord looks from heaven;

He sees all the sons of men.

From the place of His dwelling He looks

On all the inhabitants of the earth;

He fashions their hearts individually;

He consideres all their works.

No commander is saved by the multitude of his army;

A mighty man is not delivered by great strength.

A combat vehicle is a vain hope for safety;

Neither shall it deliver any by its great design.

Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him,

On those who hope in His mercy,

To deliver their soul from death,

And to keep them alive in distress.

Our soul waits for the LORD;

He is our help and our shield.

For our heart shall rejoice in Him,

Because we have trusted in His holy name.

Let Your mercy, O LORD, be upon us,

Just as we hope in You.

The Spirit of Service

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 08:42:49 -0500

…All over the world men and women are looking wistfully to heaven. Prayers and tears and inquiries go up from souls longing for light, for grace, for the Holy Spirit. Many are on the verge of the kingdom, waiting only to be gathered in… .

In the trust given to the first disciples, believers of every age have shared. Every one who has received the gospel has been given sacred truth to impart to the world. God’s faithful people have always been aggressive missionaries, consecrating their resources to the honor of His name, and wisely using their talents in His service… .

Everyone who has received Christ is called to work for the salvation of his fellow men. “The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come” (Rev. 22: 17). The charge to give this invitation includes the entire church. Every one who has heard the invitation is to echo the message from hill and valley, saying, “Come.” …

Long has God waited for the spirit of service to take possession of the whole church, so that every one shall be working for Him according to his ability. When the members of the church of God do their appointed work in the needy fields at home and abroad, in fulfillment of the gospel commission, the whole world will soon be warned and the Lord Jesus will return to this earth with power and great glory.

From God’s Amazing Grace - Page 25

For Adventists in the Military

Thu, 10 Jan 2013 23:22:21 -0500

“Combat Ready” by David Wolstenholm

Combat Ready was written by and for veterans and active-duty personnel. It takes you on the journey from beginning to end of the military life paralleled by the life of a Christian. Personal and combat stories are interwoven into the book to bring it to life. Unfortunately, some people have gone through live-action combat. But few people know that everyone is in the middle of the largest war ever fought. There is a battle being waged between good and evil. Combat Ready will show you how to be properly equipped for this battle, to come out on top. Combat Ready shows how you are uniquely qualified to be a soldier for Christ.

Purchase the Book

David Wolstenholm served in the US Marine Corps from September 1998 to November 2002. He was in the infantry as a TOW gunner in Second Battalion, Sixth Marine Regiment. David turned his life over to God and was baptized in January 2005. He has a passion to reach those who are suffering through life. Veterans have been through many hard times, and he wants to show them they can have a better life and there is hope for the future. He has learned that veterans and active-duty service members are uniquely qualified to be Christians. Without his military experience, David may not be a Christian today. David now lives in southwest Michigan, with his wife and two dogs, getting his master’s degree in divinity at Andrews University. He has been a youth pastor in the past and now works in a local Seventh-day Adventist church.

REST for the RESTLESS Are you always TIRED? You want better...

Wed, 09 Jan 2013 22:23:00 -0500

REST for the RESTLESS

Are you always TIRED?

You want better SLEEP?0

Here.

Families will be Reunited!

Sun, 23 Dec 2012 14:41:10 -0500

Thus saith the Lord; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the Lord; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy. And there is hope in thine end, saith the Lord, that thy children shall come again to their own border. Jer. 31:16, 17.

Christ is coming with clouds and with great glory. A multitude of shining angels will attend Him. He will come to raise the dead, and to change the living saints from glory to glory. He will come to honor those who have loved Him, and kept His commandments, and to take them to Himself. He has not forgotten them nor His promise. There will be a relinking of the family chain.

The day of God will reveal how much the world owes to godly mothers… .

When the judgment shall sit, and the books shall be opened; when the “well done” of the great Judge is pronounced, and the crown of immortal glory is placed upon the brow of the victor, many will raise their crowns in sight of the assembled universe, and pointing to their mother say: “She made me all I am through the grace of God. Her instruction, her prayers, have been blessed to my eternal salvation.”

With joy unutterable, parents see the crown, the robe, the harp, given to their children. The days of hope and fear are ended. The seed sown with tears and prayers may have seemed to be sown in vain, but their harvest is reaped with joy at last. Their children have been redeemed.

Oh, wonderful redemption! long talked of, long hoped for, contemplated with eager anticipation, but never fully understood.

To His faithful followers Christ has been a daily companion and familiar friend. They have lived in close contact, in constant communion with God. Upon them the glory of the Lord has risen. In them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ has been reflected. Now they rejoice in the undimmed rays of the brightness and glory of the King in His majesty. They are prepared for the communion of heaven; for they have heaven in their hearts.

From Devotional: Our Father Cares, p. 338.

Angelic Protection in the Time of the End

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 02:19:49 -0500

Thursday- December 20, 2012

Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. Isa. 26:20.

In the day of fierce trial He [Christ] will say, “Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.” What are the chambers in which they are to hide? They are the protection of Christ and holy angels. The people of God are not at this time all in one place. They are in different companies, and in all parts of the earth.
I saw the saints leaving the cities and villages, and associating together in companies, and living in the most solitary places. Angels provided them food and water, while the wicked were suffering from hunger and thirst.
During the night a very impressive scene passed before me. There seemed to be great confusion and the conflict of armies. A messenger from the Lord stood before me, and said, “Call your household. I will lead you; follow me.” He led me down a dark passage, through a forest, then through the clefts of mountains, and said, “Here you are safe.” There were others who had been led to this retreat. The heavenly messenger said. “The time of trouble has come as a thief in the night, as the Lord warned you it would come.”
In the time of trouble just before the coming of Christ, the righteous will be preserved through the ministration of heavenly angels; but there will be no security for the transgressor of God’s law. Angels cannot then protect those who are disregarding one of the divine precepts.
In the closing period of earth’s history the Lord will work mightily in behalf of those who stand steadfastly for the right… . In the midst of the time of trouble—trouble such as has not been since there was a nation—His chosen ones will stand unmoved. Satan with all the hosts of evil cannot destroy the weakest of God’s saints. Angels that excel in strength will protect them, and in their behalf Jehovah will reveal Himself as a “God of gods,” able to save to the uttermost those who have put their trust in Him.
From Devotional: Our Father Cares, pp. 333, 334.

"In These Hours of Probation"

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 18:22:29 -0500

I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 2 Cor. 6:2.

We believe without a doubt that Christ is soon coming. This is not a fable to us; it is a reality. We have no doubt, neither have we had a doubt for years, that the doctrines we hold today are present truth, and that we are nearing the judgment. We are preparing to meet Him who, escorted by a retinue of holy angels, is to appear in the clouds of heaven to give the faithful and the just the finishing touch of immortality. When He comes He is not to cleanse us of our sins, to remove from us the defects in our characters, or to cure us of the infirmities of our tempers and dispositions. If wrought for us at all, this work will all be accomplished before that time. When the Lord comes, those who are holy will be holy still. Those who have preserved their bodies and spirits in holiness, in sanctification and honor, will then receive the finishing touch of immortality. But those who are unjust, unsanctified, and filthy will remain so forever. No work will then be done for them to remove their defects and give them holy characters. The Refiner does not then sit to pursue His refining process and remove their sins and their corruption. This is all to be done in these hours of probation. It is now that this work is to be accomplished for us.

We embrace the truth of God with our different faculties, and as we come under the influence of that truth, it will accomplish the work for us which is necessary to give us a moral fitness for the kingdom of glory and for the society of the heavenly angels. We are now in God’s workshop. Many of us are rough stones from the quarry. But as we lay hold upon the truth of God, its influence affects us. It elevates us and removes from us every imperfection and sin, of whatever nature. Thus we are prepared to see the King in His beauty and finally to unite with the pure and heavenly angels in the kingdom of glory. It is here that this work is to be accomplished for us, here that our bodies and spirits are to be fitted for immortality.

From Devotional: Our Father Cares, p. 330.

Preparation for What Lies Ahead : Devotional

Sun, 16 Dec 2012 12:14:48 -0500

Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, who do His just commands; seek righteousness; seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the anger of the Lord. Zeph. 2:3.

Transgression has almost reached its limit. Confusion fills the world, and a great terror is soon to come upon human beings. The end is very near. God’s people should be preparing for what is to break upon the world as an overwhelming surprise.

The “time of trouble, such as never was,” is soon to open upon us; and we shall need an experience which we do not now possess and which many are too indolent to obtain. It is often the case that trouble is greater in anticipation than in reality; but this is not true of the crisis before us. The most vivid presentation cannot reach the magnitude of the ordeal. In that time of trial, every soul must stand for himself before God. “Though Noah, Daniel, and Job” were in the land, “as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.” Ezekiel 14:20.

The last great conflict between truth and error is but the final struggle of the long-standing controversy concerning the law of God. Upon this battle we are now entering—a battle between the laws of men and the precepts of Jehovah, between the religion of the Bible and the religion of fable and tradition.

We should study the great waymarks that point out the times in which we are living. . We should now pray most earnestly that we may be prepared for the struggles of the great day of God’s preparation.

Those who place themselves under God’s control, to be led and guided by Him, will catch the steady tread of the events ordained by Him to take place. Inspired with the Spirit of Him who gave His life for the life of the world, they will no longer stand still in impotency, pointing to what they cannot do. Putting on the armor of heaven, they will go forth to the warfare, willing to do and dare for God, knowing that His omnipotence will supply their need.

From Devotional: Our Father Cares, p. 325.

A Self-denial Box

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 07:23:50 -0500

A Self-denial Box at Home—Let everyone have a self-denial box in his home, and when he would spend pennies and shillings in self-gratification let him remember the needy and starving in Africa and India and those close by his own door.

There are poor among us. Practice economy, and in every line present your case to God. Ask Him to give you the spirit of Christ, that you may be in every sense of the word Christ’s disciples and receive His blessing. As you turn from the worship of self and try to relieve suffering humanity, pray that God will give you a true missionary work to do for souls. Then those who come to worship in the house of God will see a people clothed in modest apparel in harmony with the faith and Word of God. It is these things that steal away the love and trust and confidence of God’s people in Him, that mar the religious experience and develop a selfishness that God cannot look upon.—Manuscript 52, 1898.

HUMANITARIAN GIFT CATALOG Give a gift that matters, a gift that...

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 19:28:00 -0500

HUMANITARIAN GIFT CATALOG

Give a gift that matters, a gift that changes lives, a gift that will last longer than a giftcard to designer coffee.

Gifts starting from $2 and up.

ADRA’s Gift Catalog

Humanitarian Gift Catalog for this Christmas

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 18:33:00 -0500

Humanitarian Gift Catalog for this Christmas:

Give a gift that matters, a gift that changes lives, a gift that will last longer than a giftcard to designer coffee.

Gifts starting from $2 and up.

ADRA’s Gift Catalog