Intercer Adventist News

Closer To Heaven
You are here: Home / Archives for News and Feeds / Rose's Devotional

The Father Seeks True Worshipers

By

But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for the Father seeketh such to worship him. John 4:23.

We are living in an age when all should especially give heed to the injunction of the Saviour, “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation.” One of your strong temptations is to irreverence. God is high and holy; and to the humble, believing soul, His house on earth, the place where His people meet for worship, is as the gate of heaven. The song of praise, the words spoken by Christ’s ministers, are God’s appointed agencies to prepare a people for the church above, for that loftier worship into which there can enter nothing that is impure, unholy….

Do not have so little reverence for the house and worship of God as to communicate with one another during the sermon. If those who commit this fault could see the angels of God looking upon them and marking their doings, they would be filled with shame and abhorrence of themselves.—Messages to Young People, 265, 266.

Those who are unwilling to forsake every sin and to seek earnestly for God’s blessing, will not obtain it. But all who will lay hold of God’s promises as did Jacob, and be as earnest and persevering as he was, will succeed as he succeeded.—Patriarchs and Prophets, 203.

Do not neglect secret prayer, for it is the soul of religion. With earnest, fervent prayer, plead for purity of soul. Plead as earnestly, as eagerly, as you would for your mortal life, were it at stake. Remain before God until unutterable longings are begotten within you for salvation, and the sweet evidence is obtained of pardoned sin.—Messages to Young People, 268.
With God at Dawn p. 78
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for travelling mercies for Brian as he is driving across country beginning this evening. Rose
—-Please pray for safety for my son who is going on a trip. Carla
—-I am asking for prayer for our friend Freddy, he is having heart surgery at this moment..they are putting in a Stent and a Pacemaker. His Mother Emma is very scared for him and needs our prayers as well. Debra
—-Please pray . We have a tornado warning in our area. Jean
—-Just when it seems like my wife is starting to get better, the coughing and shortness of breath comes back. She spoke with the doctor over the phone who told her that since they’ve prescribed everything that they could and nothing is changing, that we’ll have to bring her in to the hospital. She’s been sleeping all day, but she’ll be up in awhile and we’ll going then. We’re getting really concerned so Please pray for my Laurie, Thanks, David
—-Alyssa, age 2, was recently diagnosed with Neuroblastoma. She is getting a bone marrow biopsy done. I’m begging my Lord that the cancer hasn’t spread and that this tumor is something my baby’s body could fight. Maria
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Friends,

A couple of weeks ago, my grandchildren’s Sabbath School lesson was on the Rich Young Ruler. It reminded me of the time after I had moved away from Kalamazoo, and had returned for a visit. The church had gotten a new pastor, so I had the opportunity to hear him speak for the first time. His sermon was very different from what I was used to hearing. He spoke on the rich young ruler in Matthew 19:16-22.

This new pastor did not sermonize on this story but made up a “novel” about what happened to that young man after he turned away from following Jesus. I don’t remember much of his story but I do remember that everything went wrong for the young man and he eventually perished a pauper in the destruction of Jerusalem.

Of course, that could have happened as the pastor imagined, but it might not have been that way at all. Even so, it is certain that the young man’s window of opportunity had passed and his life was far different from that which God had intended.

This story serves as a warning to us living today. Throughout each day, we, too, are making decisions for or against our Dear Saviour. Each day we have the opportunity to do His will for our life, yet, our possessions, our desires, our wishes, our plans are first and foremost in our mind. How often we go through the day with scarcely a thought heavenward. Jesus tells us, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” Matt 19:24-26 “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Matt 6:24

There is a song by Rhea Miller that should be the theme of our life.

I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold, I’d rather be His than have riches untold; I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands, I’d rather be led by His nail-pierced hand. Than to be the king of a vast domain Or be held in sin’s dread sway; I’d rather have Jesus than anything this world affords today.

I’d rather have Jesus than men’s applause, I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause; I’d rather have Jesus than world-wide fame, I’d rather be true to His holy name. Than to be the king of a vast domain Or be held in sin’s dread sway; I’d rather have Jesus than anything this world affords today.

May this be the song of our heart each day is my prayer.

Rose

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/rosesdevotional/~3/cYS4i9_e1oM/the-father-seeks-true-worshipers.html

He Seeks the Very Young

By

Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. Mark 10:14, 15.

Christ is today the same compassionate Saviour as when He walked among men. He is as verily the helper of mothers now as when He gathered the little ones to His arms in Judea. The children of our hearths are as much the purchase of His blood as were the children of long ago…. When Jesus told the disciples not to forbid the children to come to Him, He was speaking to His followers in all ages—to officers of the church, ministers, helpers, and all Christians. Jesus is drawing the children, and He bids us, “Suffer them to come;” as if He would say, They will come, if you do not hinder them. Let not your unchristlike character misrepresent Jesus. Do not keep the little ones away from Him by your coldness and harshness. Never give them cause to feel that heaven would not be a pleasant place to them if you were there….

Do not give them the false impression that the religion of Christ is a religion of gloom, and that in coming to the Saviour they must give up all that makes life joyful.

As the Holy Spirit moves upon the hearts of the children, co-operate with His work. Teach them that the Saviour is calling them, that nothing can afford Him greater joy than for them to give themselves to Him in the bloom and freshness of their years.

The Saviour regards with infinite tenderness the souls whom He has purchased with His blood. They are the claim of His love. He looks upon them with unutterable longing.—The Ministry of Healing, 41-44.
With God at Dawn p. 76
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer Requests
—-Please continue to pray for Annie. She is still leaking spinal fluid and her doctor is on vacation for two weeks. They will not see her until after then. Please pray that they will reconsider. Pray also for insurance issues. Rose
—-Please pray for my brother, CHARLIE & his wife RUBI . Both tested positive for Covid -19, and are admitted to the _____ Adventist Medical Center in _______. Becky
—-David is depressed and angry. Please pray that God will heal him. Pray also for his family that they will be safe. Buck
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Friends,

When I was seven, my mother and George, a boyfriend she met at work, took me with them to go swimming at his house on one of the many lakes in the Kalamazoo area. I was excited! I loved going to the beach even though I did not know how to swim. All of the time we spent in the house visiting with his mother, seemed like an eternity. All I could think of was that invitingly cool water I could see through the window.

Finally, the formalities were over and George, my mother, and I headed for the beach. It wasn’t as much fun as I thought it would be, however. They left me to play around in the shallows while they went out into the deep water. They were having fun, but I soon tired of being alone with nothing to do. Looking out across the water, I decided that I would walk out to where my mother was. This was a shallow lake and although my mother was quite a long way from shore, the water was not very deep. I could tell that she was standing. My mother was not a strong swimmer.

Fearlessly, I started walking toward them. Suddenly I found myself completely underwater. I had stepped into a large dropoff. I had not even had time to shut my eyes and I remember that the bright sunshine made the water that enveloped me a yellow-green. A fish swam by. I was not afraid. Fascinated, I looked at it. Everything seemed so unreal and pleasurable, that I did not even realize my danger. I just held my breath and looked around. I must have held it a little too long, for the next thing I remember was being on the shore and gasping for breath. Thankfully, George had looked toward the shore and had seen me disappear from view. He suddenly remembered the huge hole and knew instantly what had happened. He was an excellent swimmer and soon had reached the place where he had last seen me. It did not take him long to find me and drag me to shore.

Every day we meet people who are looking around at the allurements of sin and walk headlong into them not realizing that they are walking into a trap: a trap that they cannot get out of by themselves. They do not know that “(their) adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” 1 Peter 5:8 They don’t realize that he has set many traps to capture them. They think they are enjoying life and having fun. Suddenly, without warning, everything begins to go terribly wrong. They find themselves in too deep to extricate themselves. They want to be free, but they are held too tightly. They feel like their very life is being snuffed out. They need someone to save them out of their danger.

Jesus bids us to rescue them just as quickly as George rescued me on that long-ago day. He bids us, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” Matt 28:19,20 He has promised to be with us as we follow this command. “Brethren, if any…do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.” James 5:19,20 “Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. 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.” Jude 21-25

Rose

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/rosesdevotional/~3/ZCoNtTZVQcI/he-seeks-the-very-young.html

Christ Came to Seek the Lost

By

For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. Luke 19:10.

The lost coin represents those who are lost in trespasses and sins, but who have no sense of their condition. They are estranged from God, but they know it not. Their souls are in peril, but they are unconscious and unconcerned. In this parable Christ teaches that even those who are indifferent to the claims of God are the objects of His pitying love. They are to be sought for, that they may be brought back to God…. The coin, though lying among dust and rubbish, is a piece of silver still. Its owner seeks it because it is of value. So every soul, however degraded by sin, is in God’s sight accounted precious. As the coin bears the image and superscription of the reigning power, so man at his creation bore the image and superscription of God; and though now marred and dim through the influence of sin, the traces of this inscription remain upon every soul. God desires to recover that soul, and to retrace upon it His own image in righteousness and holiness. The woman in the parable searches diligently for her lost coin…. So in the family, if one member is lost to God, every means should be used for his recovery. On the part of all the others, let there be diligent, careful self-examination. Let the life-practise be investigated. See if there is not some mistake, some error in management, by which that soul is confirmed in impenitence.—Christ’s Object Lessons, 193, 194.

Notwithstanding the defects of the people of God, Christ does not turn away from the objects of His care…. God will do justice for His own elect.—Christ’s Object Lessons, 169.
With God at Dawn p. 73
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer Requests
—-Please continue to pray for Annie who had an additional back surgery because of a leak in her spinal column. Rose
—-I am asking special pray for my brother Steve, he is on his way up to _____ for emergency surgery on his hip area, internal bleeding, possible infection in his bones, aortic aneurysm, and more! They are trying to get a team of vascular drs to do his surg. Patti
—-Please pray for Deandra that God will keep her safe,and that she give her life to God. Rosemary
—-please pray for my Partner’s safety. He’s traveling from _____. His name is Steve pray that he’s safe and protected from all danger and covid virus. Samantha
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Friends,

Mrs. Russell took the train home from visiting a friend. When the train stopped at a station along the way, a beautiful young lady with a baby boarded the train. She looked around at all the passengers and decided to sit beside Mrs. Russell. As the train pulled out of the station, the two women began to talk. Mrs. Russell was admiring the baby and before long the young lady asked her if she would please hold him while she went to the restroom. The train stopped at a station and more passengers got on. Some got off. Mrs. Russell talked to the baby and waited for his mother to come back. A half an hour passed. No mother. Forty-five minutes went by. She did not return. Finally Mrs. Russell stopped the conductor as he was walking by. She explained that the baby’s mother had not returned from the restroom and she was worried. The conductor checked. The restroom was empty. Then he remembered that the young lady had left the train at the last stop.

The conductor and the woman took the beautiful blanket off the little baby boy. Pinned to his garment was a note. It said, “Please care for my dear baby. When he is 21, he is to go to this bank in Chicago. At that time he will be told who he is and given enough money to go through the university.” When the train arrived in Battle Creek, Mrs. Russell took the baby to the authorities. She got permission (which was much easier in those far-off days) to keep the baby and raise him.

When James Russell was 21, Mrs. Russell told him this story. He was shocked and horrified. He was repulsed by the whole situation. After thinking about it, he decided that he did not want to know who he was. He did not want his real mother’s money. Mrs. Russell had loved him. She had raised him. She was his mother: not the one who gave him birth.

When my mother was a little girl, she lived next door to him. He was a bent-over old man who walked on crutches because he had arthritis so badly. He had lived his life as a common laborer in a small house, when he could have had a good education and great riches.

When I was a little girl, I used to look at his picture. He and his wife were standing on the steps of their very small wooden house. I would think of the mansion he could have had. It was within his reach. All he had to do was ask for it. But he would not.

God has provided everlasting life for us. All that can be done for mankind’s salvation has been done. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 It is probably the most familiar verse, but so full of meaning. Jesus is the “way, the truth, and the life.” He says, “No man cometh unto the Father but by Me.” John 14:6

How our Dear Saviour longs for us to accept His great provision. How He desires us to put our hand in His and allow Him to give us His great gifts of love. He says, “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands.” Isa 49:15,16 “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.” Isa 45:22 “I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” Jer 31:3

May we accept God’s Great Gift of adoption into His Royal Family and love and serve Him with all our heart is my prayer.

Rose

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/rosesdevotional/~3/Nmwh_mI0X_Y/christ-came-to-seek-the-lost.html

He Will Cleanse Us

By

Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. Ezekiel 36:25.
It is impossible for us, of ourselves, to escape from the pit of sin in which we are sunken. Our hearts are evil, and we can not change them…. Education, culture, the exercise of the will, human effort, all have their proper sphere, but here they are powerless. They may produce an outward correctness of behavior, but they can not change the heart…. There must be a power working from within, a new life from above, before men can be changed from sin to holiness. That power is Christ. His grace alone can quicken the lifeless faculties of the soul, and attract it to God, to holiness….
It is not enough to perceive the loving-kindness of God, to see the benevolence, the fatherly tenderness, of His character. It is not enough to discern the wisdom and justice of His law, to see that it is founded upon the eternal principle of love. Paul the apostle saw all this when he exclaimed, “I consent unto the law that it is good.” … But he added, in the bitterness of his soul-anguish and despair, “I am carnal, sold under sin.” He longed for the purity, the righteousness, to which in himself he was powerless to attain, and he cried out, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from this body of death?” Such is the cry that has gone up from burdened hearts in all lands and in all ages. To all there is but one answer, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” … With His own merits, Christ has bridged the gulf which sin had made, so that the ministering angels can hold communion with man. Christ connects fallen man in his weakness and helplessness with the Source of infinite power.—Steps to Christ, 20.
With God at Dawn p. 71
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for Griff who suffered a hemorrhagic stroke and is unable to see or move. Please keep Griff the family in your prayers. Laticia
—-Please pray for Annie. She had back surgery a few weeks ago and is leaking spinal fluid. She is very miserable and very weak. Pray that the doctor will fix the problem quickly. Rose
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Friends,
My grandfather had a friend named Freddie who lived a few houses down the street. Although my grandfather didn’t go down to Freddie’s house, Freddie came to ours quite regularly. It would have been just fine except for one big problem. Freddie was into the occult. Whenever he had the chance, he would speak to me about ghosts and goblins and other things of the occult. This would frighten me greatly, but I don’t remember ever telling anyone about what he was saying.
We have a very real enemy who will use any means he can to get us into his power. It might be a friend of a relative but more than likely it will be through the media. How careful we must be to shut every avenue that the devil can use to destroy us and our children. How vital to our future it is that we avoid movies, television, books, and stories that deal with the occult. This is not always easy for even the most harmless-appearing program often has references to mystics, wizards, ghosts, or horoscopes. Our language is so full of phrases that deal with such things that we hardly notice. Yet, all these tend to allow an opening for the evil one to enter in.
Our Great Creator declares to us as He did too Israel of old, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Prov 4:23 “Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.” “The soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.” Lev 19:31; 20:6 “There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD.” Deut 18:10-12 Think on this! We would never sacrifice our children to an idol, yet are we sacrificing them to the devil through Harry Potter, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, or whatever is today’s popular book or movie dealing with witchcraft and other occult practices? We would never expose our children to the flames to appease some evil idol, yet are we exposing them to evil through the television or through toys that promote some popular monster from some cartoon of the day?
God tells us what will happen to those who deal in the occult, “Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee. Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it.” Isa 47:13, 14 “For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.” Mal 4:1”The wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.” Ps 37:20 Precious promises! Someday soon there will be no more devil, no more occult, for evil and all who cling to it will be completely destroyed. Never again will there be evil anywhere in the universe. (Nahum 1:9)
May we guard carefully what we allow in our minds. May we seek out and destroy anything within our home that has to do with the occult whether it is a book, movie, game, or toy that our home and our heart may be pure and upright before God is my prayer.
Rose

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/rosesdevotional/~3/HrjK6zlYYCA/he-will-cleanse-us.html

He Will Give Us a New Heart

By

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26.
The truths of God’s Word are not mere sentiments, but the utterances of the Most High. He who makes these truths a part of his life becomes in every sense a new creature. He is not given new mental powers, but the darkness that through ignorance and sin have clouded the understanding, is removed.
The words, “A new heart also will I give you,” mean, A new mind will I give you. This change of heart is always attended by a clear conception of Christian duty, an understanding of truth. The clearness of our view of truth will be proportionate to our understanding of the Word of God. He who gives the Scriptures close, prayerful attention will gain clear comprehension and sound judgment, as if in turning to God he had reached a higher plane of intelligence.
If the mind is set to the task of studying the Bible, the understanding will strengthen and the reasoning faculties will improve. Under the study of the Scriptures the mind expands and becomes more evenly balanced than if occupied in obtaining information from books that have no connection with the Bible—Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 452.
When the Spirit of God takes possession of the heart, it transforms the life. Sinful thoughts are put away, evil deeds are renounced; love, humility, and peace take the place of anger, envy, and strife. Joy takes the place of sadness, and the countenance reflects the light of heaven. No one sees the hand that lifts the burden, or beholds the light descend from the courts above. The blessing comes when by faith the soul surrenders itself to God.—The Desire of Ages, 172, 173.
With God at Dawn p. 69
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for Jody, age 8 or 9, who just had brain surgery to remove a tumor. M
—-Please pray for my post open heart patient for healing. Emerson
—- My wife had bronchitis and pneumonia about a month or so ago and now seems to be coming back again as she has developed another cough/wheezing. Please pray for her health and well being. Also, I have a job interview tomorrow and and am in the process of looking elsewhere and need God’s guidance as to open and/or shut doors according to His will. David
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Friends,
In the spring, the grocery stores display some types of fruit such as peaches or nectarines at greatly inflated prices. Sometimes, I will give in to the temptation to buy just a couple pieces even if the price is high. Often, I am greatly disappointed. When I got them at the store, they were firm and not yet ripe, but I knew that in a few days, they would soften and become sweet and juicy. Rarely has that happened. Often they will become wrinkled and rubbery on the outside and still hard closer to the center and totally unfit to eat. I’m always disappointed and wonder why I bought them.
The Great Master Gardener called Israel the fruit of His labors. Their fruit disappointed Him far more than the fruit that shriveled from the store had disappointed me. “Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down: And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.” Isa 5:1-6
Using the illustration that He gave to Isaiah so long before, Jesus warned the nation of Israel when He was upon the earth, “There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof” Matt 21:33-43
Paul also speaks of this rejection of the nation of Israel and gives warning to His church (Gal 3:29) today, “Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness? For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them. For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.” Rom 11:11-21
This is a warning to us. If we as Christians don’t “ripen” correctly, we eventually will become worthless. Jesus put it this way, “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.” Matt 5:13 Jesus speaks of this in Matthew 25. “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.” vs 31-45 These “goats” really thought that they were “sheep.” What made the difference? Their love and concern for others, their selflessness, their daily walk with Jesus, a complete change of heart, motives, and focus.
David prayed, “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.” Ps 51:10-13 This also must be our daily prayer. Our Dear Saviour answers, “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.” Eze 36:26,27
May we be careful to make our “calling and election sure” that we may not be cast aside like shriveled, moldy fruit. 2 Peter 1:10 May we be diligent to “press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Phil 3:14 May we rely upon the Holy Spirit’s working in our life is my prayer.
Rose

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/rosesdevotional/~3/VArC1KJ_DCE/he-will-give-us-a-new-heart.html

About Intercer

Intercer is a website with biblical materials in Romanian, English, Hungarian and other languages. We want to bring the light from God's Word to peoples homes. Intercer provides quality Christian resources...[Read More]

Lucian Web Service


Intercer is proudly sponsored by Lucian Web Service - Professional Web Services, Wordpress Websites, Marketing and Affiliate Info. Lucian worked as a subcontractor with Simpleupdates, being one of the programmers for the Adventist Church Connect software. He also presented ACC/ASC workshops... [read more]

Archives

Categories