But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8.
To save the transgressor of God’s law, Christ, the one equal with the Father, came to live heaven before men, that they might learn to know what it is to have heaven in the heart. He illustrated what man must be to be worthy of the precious boon of the life that measures with the life of God.
The life of Christ was a life charged with a divine message of the love of God, and He longed intensely to impart this love to others in rich measure. Compassion beamed from His countenance, and His conduct was characterized by grace, humility, truth, and love. Every member of His church militant must manifest the same qualities, if he would join the church triumphant. The love of Christ is so broad, so full of glory, that in comparison to it, everything that men esteem as great, dwindles into insignificance. When we obtain a view of it, we exclaim, O the depth of the riches of the love that God bestowed upon men in the gift of His only-begotten Son!
When we seek for appropriate language in which to describe the love of God, we find words too tame, too weak, too far beneath the theme, and we lay down our pen and say, “No, it cannot be described.” … In attempting any description of this love, we feel that we are as infants lisping their first words. Silently we may adore; for silence in this matter is the only eloquence. This love is past all language to describe.—Fundamentals of Christian Education, 179.
The plan for our redemption was not an after-thought, a plan formulated after the fall of Adam. It was a revelation of “the mystery which hath been kept in silence through times eternal.”—The Desire of Ages, 22
With God at Dawn p. 55
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for Daniel and Joshua who were in a terrible accident. Kevin
—-Please pray for David as he is having mental and emotional issues again. Buck
—-I am asking for prayers for my husband who last night told me he is in a bad place. He is a former marine and has some issues. I am worried that without Gods intervention him being in a bad place may not end well. Pray for healing of his mind please. Teresa
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Dear Friends,
From the time that my Grandfather, Edwin Harmon, came home from work until bedtime, I was his constant companion. Most evenings he would tell me wonderful stories from his own experiences; but sometimes he would tire of repeating them over and over. Then, he would ask me to sing to him, or we would play a drawing game.
One winter evening, he thought of something that had delighted him when he was a child. Tipping the lampshade so the light shone brightly on the wall, he began making shadow pictures of butterflies, ducks, bunnies, and many other things. I was delighted! Patiently, he showed me how to make these shadow pictures just like he did. From that time, we added this activity to our list of favorite evening pastimes.
Our brief life is like those shadow pictures. The psalmist tells us, “LORD, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him! or the son of man, that thou makest account of him! Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away.” “My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass. But thou, O LORD, shalt endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations.” Ps 144:3,4; 102:11,12 James asks, “For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” James 4:14 Peter adds, “For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away.” 1 Peter 1:24
How important it is, then, to make our “calling and election sure” while there is still time. 2 Peter 1:10 “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Cor 6:2 “To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts,” but accept Jesus’ great gift of salvation while the door of mercy is still standing open. Very soon it will be too late. Very soon those who have put off this most important of decisions will cry, “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.” Jer 8:20
How vital to our future happiness that we live each day in close connection with our Best Friend and Saviour. He pleads, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matt 11:28-30 “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” Isa 55:1 “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” Rev 22:16
Peter warns us, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. ” 2 Peter 3:10-13
“Wherefore, beloved, seeing that [we] look for such things, [let us] be diligent that [we] may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.” vs 14 Let us “keep [our] heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Prov 4:23 Let us “study to show [ourselves] approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Tim 2:15
Rose