Safety in Vigilance

I was shown Satan as he once was, a happy, exalted angel. Then I was shown him as he now is. He still bears a kingly form. His features are still noble, for he is an angel fallen. But the expression of his countenance is full of anxiety, care, unhappiness, malice, hate, mischief, deceit, and every evil. That brow which was once so noble, I particularly noticed. His forehead commenced from his eyes to recede. I saw that he had so long bent himself to evil that every good quality was debased, and every evil trait was developed. His eyes were cunning, sly, and showed great penetration. His frame was large, but the flesh hung loosely about his hands and face. As I beheld him, his chin was resting upon his left hand. He appeared to be in deep thought. A smile was upon his countenance, which made me tremble, it was so full of evil and satanic slyness. This smile is the one he wears just before he makes sure of his victim, and as he fastens the victim in his snare, this smile grows horrible.23Early Writings, 152, 153.

The people of God must be prepared to withstand the wily foe. It is this resistance that Satan dreads. He knows better than we do the limit of his power and how easily he can be overcome if we resist and face him. Through divine strength the weakest saint is more than a match for him and all his angels, and if brought to the test he [the weakest saint] would be able to prove his superior power. Therefore Satan’s step is noiseless, his movements stealthy, and his batteries masked….

Man is Satan’s captive and is naturally inclined to follow his suggestions and do his bidding. He has in himself no power to oppose effectual resistance to evil. It is only as Christ abides in him by living faith, influencing his desires and strengthening him with strength from above, that man may venture to face so terrible a foe. Every other means of defense is utterly vain.24Testimonies for the Church 5:293, 294.

The Faith I Live By p. 318
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for my neighbor. He and his wife has invested a lot of money in the place next door. Her daughter’s mother has been telling them for years that the place goes to her when she dies but she won’t put it in writing. She is in her 90’s. They have done thousands of dollars of remodeling of that house. Please pray that she will sign a document that the house goes to them at her death. M
—-I have a private prayer request. Buck
—-Please pray for my husband who is having trouble at work because of Sabbath. He thinks that they are going to fire him soon. A
—-Please pray for Fran. She has been transferred closer to home but will not have as intense physical therapy. Rose
—-Please pray for Danni and her family who are travelling and are having car trouble. Rose
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Dear Friends,
I was thinking the other day about how long I have been retired—Twelve years. That brought back memories both bad and good—the coworkers with their idiosyncrasies, the interesting criminal cases, the defendants that sometimes could be difficult to deal with, my desk overflowing with paperwork, the cart they got me for the heavy files I had to take to various offices or pick them up from others. Oh, so many memories!
For about the first five years or so that I worked there, I had to carry great stacks of heavy files, affidavits, criminal histories, etc. As our workload increased, that became very difficult for me as we had much more than we had had before. Several people advised me to ask for a cart, so that I could do my work with ease. I resisted for quite a while, but eventually I got up the courage to ask for one. Seeing the need for it, our supervisor ordered the cart. Bev, who did the ordering, and I selected a cart from the catalog that was like the one that I had seen in another office. I had often wished for one just like it.
When the cart arrived, however, we were surprised at how small the box was. When we opened it, we found the reason. It was completely unassembled. As we looked at all of the parts, we realized that we needed help. However, we knew that if we waited for the maintenance men to put it together, it could be days before they came as they had many duties much more important than assembling a cart. Now that I had it, I really wanted to use it that day.
Thankfully, several of the men in our department volunteered to assemble it. As they looked at all of the parts, they knew that the first thing that they needed to do was look for the directions that had to be included somewhere in that box. Once those directions were found and followed exactly, those many pieces began to take the shape of a cart. Before long, it was completed and I could use it that very day. I was delighted!
Just as the manufacturer had included directions for assembling the cart, so our Great Creator has given us directions that will bring us health and happiness and keep us on the path that leads to our Heavenly Home. How important, then, it is for us to read and follow those directions. James urges us, “be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” James 1:22-25
How important it is for us to be students of God’s Holy Word. How vital that we apply it to our life allowing it to transform us into a useful worker for the Master. As we hide God’s Word in our hearts, we become changed into His image. Paul tells us, “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Cor 3:18 As we read and heed the Scriptures, we are kept from falling into the snares of the evil one. The Psalmist David speaks of this. “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.” Psa 119:9-12
As we meditate upon God’s Word, the Holy Spirit reveals so many gems of truth in each text; that it becomes an exciting experience. Jeremiah says, “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.” Jer 15:16 David adds, “I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.” “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.” Psa 119:15,16; 19:7-11
May we “study to show [ourselves] approved unto God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth” is my prayer. 2 Tim 2:15

Rose

Source: https://rosesdevotional.org/safety-in-vigilance-2.html