For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8, 9.
Salvation is a free gift, and yet it is to be bought and sold. In the market of which divine mercy has the management, the precious pearl is represented as being bought without money and without price. In this market all may obtain the goods of heaven. The treasury of the jewels of truth is open to all. “Behold, I have set before thee an open door,” the Lord declares, “and no man can shut it.” No sword guards the way through this door. Voices from within and at the door say, Come. The Saviour’s voice earnestly and lovingly invites us: “I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich.”
The gospel of Christ is a blessing that all may possess. The poorest are as well able as the richest to purchase salvation, for no amount of worldly wealth can secure it. It is obtained by willing obedience, by giving ourselves to Christ as His own purchased possession. Education, even of the highest class, can not of itself bring a man nearer to God. The Pharisees were favored with every temporal and every spiritual advantage, and they said with boastful pride, We are “rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing;” yet they were “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” …
We can not earn salvation, but we are to seek for it with as much interest and perseverance as though we would abandon everything in the world for it…. Abandon the idea that temporal or spiritual advantages will win for you salvation. God calls for your willing obedience. He asks you to give up your sins.—Christ’s Object Lessons, 116, 117.
With God at Dawn p. 64
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for Lotti she’s now believes there is a God. And she wants the guy she is not married to out of her life, and she doesn’t want him coming over to her home anymore because his abusive too. Please pray that she will be safe and strong. Rosemary
—-please say an urgent pray for my friend who’s family’s son Ben went missing in Albany who are waiting for their nephew to be recovered from the ocean… Jeanie
—-Please keep me in prayer as I will be in surgery at 7AM PST. Please pray all goes well. Donnell
—-Please pray for my daughter, she had surgery last week, and now she is back in the hospital with a blood clot on her left lung. Tamera
—-Praise the Lord….No surgery, no pacemaker. Buddy does have to go home with a pic-line where we put the antibiotics in. (When he gets to go home.) They said he has to have the antibiotics every day for six to eight weeks. He will also have to wear a heart monitor for a month. Kay
—-Going in for shoulder surgery today. May I have some prayers please? Tracy
—-Please pray for a girl by the name of Lauramae as she’s fighting for her life right now. She’s like a little sister to me and please pray for God’s intervention and to save her. Tui
—-Please pray that Daphne who has been kidnapped will be found soon.
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Dear Friends,
About twenty years ago, when Esther lived in South Dakota, she drove down to our house so we could all go to a family reunion together. Eileen and I decided to meet her in McCook, Nebraska which was about half way. A 750 mile trip can be tiring when one is driving alone and Esther was still a teenager.
Once we met at McCook, I took over driving Esther’s car to give her a rest and soon we were busily catching up on all the “details” since we had seen each other last. Eileen drove our van. Suddenly we saw her signal that she wanted us to pull over to the side of the road. She had been listening to the radio and it was giving the area that was experiencing severe thunderstorms with large hail and damaging winds. There were even reports of a tornado that was on the ground. We looked ahead of us and saw what we should have been able to see all along but were too busy talking. Ahead of us and to the east of us the sky was dark and foreboding. Eileen told us that the little town we were soon to be in was experiencing large hail at that very moment. We had to turn to the southeast and drive many miles around the storm. How thankful we were, however, for the warning that kept us out of the bad weather.
The Bible warns us of a “storm” that is soon to break upon the world as an overwhelming surprise. Jesus has given us ample signs of the approaching storm, so we do not have to be surprised. We may have to change some of our plans, just as we had to change our route that day, but that is a small price to pay for our future with Him. Just as He warned His disciples of His approaching death, so He says to us, “And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.” John 14:29 Then He gave a brief outline of the future to his disciples. Most of those things have been fulfilled. “And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. . . . Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. . . . Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. . . .But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. . . .Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. Matt 24
From cover to cover the Bible is full of all the instruction we need to be ready for that Great Day. Let us search the Scriptures daily that we may be prepared for the coming “storm.” Let us “lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Heb 12:1,2 Let us heed the great warnings found in God’s Word that we may be able to stand in that fearful and glorious day is my prayer.
Rose

My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust. Isaiah 51:5.
I saw the beauty of Heaven. I heard the angels sing their rapturous songs, ascribing praise, honor, and glory to Jesus. I could then realize something of the wondrous love of the Son of God. He left all the glory, all the honor which He had in Heaven, and was so interested for our salvation that He patiently and meekly bore every indignity and slight which man could heap upon Him…. He was stretched on Calvary’s cross, and suffered the most agonizing death, to save us from death; that we might be washed in His blood, and be raised up to live with Him in the mansions He is preparing for us, to enjoy the light and glory of Heaven, to hear the angels sing, and to sing with them. I saw that all Heaven is interested in our salvation; and shall we be indifferent? Shall we be careless, as though it were a small matter whether we are saved or lost? Shall we slight the sacrifice that has been made for us? Some have done this. They have trifled with offered mercy, and the frown of God is upon them. God’s Spirit will not always be grieved. It will depart if grieved a little longer.
After all has been done that God could do to save men, if they show by their lives that they slight Jesus’ offered mercy, death will be their portion, and it will be dearly purchased.—Testimonies for the Church 1:123, 124.
With God at Dawn p. 62
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for Ilene whose best friend and sister-in-law passed away. Rose
—-Update: Today is the day Buddy will have the testing to see if there is any infection in the heart valve. Yesterday he got antibiotics all day. Prayer warriors keep praying that the infection is completely gone from his body. Kay
—-My wife and I are going to begin a new adventure we are going to begin a healthier lifestyle and weight loss adventure and could use prayers. Fred
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Dear Friends,
It is good to reflect daily upon the goodness and great love of God. David says, “O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary. Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips: When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches. Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.” Ps 63:1-7
Our Great Redeemer’s love is beyond our comprehension. He has provided His Greatest Gift, the gift of His only Son, One equal to Himself. When we look at our own children, we have such great love for them that we would never want to sacrifice one of them for the life of someone else; but “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 Think of it! “God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!” Rom 5:8; 11:33
During those 33 years His Dear Son was upon this earth, God was tenderly watching, feeling every hurt, every disappointment, every care. Three times the Great Sovereign of the Universe spoke audibly to mortal man. At Jesus’ baptism He announced, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Matt 3:17 Again on the Mount of Transfiguration He declared, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.” 17:5 Near the end of Jesus earthly life, He told the people, “Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.” John 12:27,28
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus began to feel, stronger than He had ever felt before, the sins of the whole world being laid upon His shoulders. As our sins threatened to crush out His very life, Jesus committed His will to His Father. God answered by sending an angel to strengthen Him to endure His Great Sacrifice. But then, He must withdraw His presence and allow Jesus to go through the sense of separation from God that the unrepentant sinner will feel in the day of executive judgment. That separation that was far worse for Jesus than the great physical pain of crucifixion. It was equally difficult for The Father to see His Son suffer so. Think of the heart-wrenching agony God the Father felt as Jesus was upon the cross. The pain that pierced His Great Heart of Love is beyond our comprehension. Yet He willingly sacrificed His All because He loves us so.
Yet how easy it is for us to take that Great Sacrifice for granted. How easy it is for us to get so busy that we have hardly a thought Heavenward. How easy it is for us to be so self-centered that our needs, our desires, our momentary happiness is all that matters to us. How that must hurt our Redeemer Who sacrificed so much that we might dwell with Him throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity. He Who has given His life for us desires above all else to spend every moment right beside us, communing with us, leading us, guiding us, giving us a peace that passes all understanding. In gratitude, may we daily give Him our heart, our life, our thoughts, our words, our everything is my prayer.
Rose

And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul. Deuteronomy 10:12.
Let the youth be impressed with the thought that they are not their own. They belong to Christ. They are the purchase of His blood, the claim of His love. They live because He keeps them by His power. Their time, their strength, their capabilities are His, to be developed, to be trained, to be used for Him. Next to the angelic beings, the human family, formed in the image of God, are the noblest of His created works. God desires them to become all that He has made it possible for them to be, and to do their very best with the powers He has given them.
Life is mysterious and sacred. It is the manifestation of God Himself, the source of all life. Precious are its opportunities, and earnestly should they be improved. Once lost, they are gone forever.
Before us God places eternity, with its solemn realities, and gives us a grasp on immortal, imperishable themes. He presents valuable, ennobling truth, that we may advance in a safe and sure path, in pursuit of an object worthy of the earnest engagement of all our capabilities.
God looks into the tiny seed that He Himself has formed, and sees wrapped within it the beautiful flower, the shrub, or the lofty, wide-spreading tree. So does He see the possibilities in every human being. We are here for a purpose. God has given us His plan for our life, and He desires us to reach the highest standard of development. He desires that we shall constantly be growing in holiness, in happiness, in usefulness.—The Ministry of Healing, 396-398.
With God at Dawn p. 59
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Prayer Requests
—-Update: We finally had a few answers from the tests. Buddy has a cyst on his right kidney and that is where the infection is coming from. They were able to narrow the antibiotic down specifically for the type of infection he has. That is an answer to prayer. He hopefully will be released from the hospital today. They will have the results of the MRI today. Thank you all for your prayers. Kay
—-Please pray for one of my son’s. I can’t get a hold of him and I am so worried. He is living with a very evil person and I don’t know if he is dead or alive. Connie
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Dear Friends,
When we lived in Washington state, when my children were little, I worked as a home health aide. I had four elderly or disabled clients and visited their homes on different days of the week and helped with whatever they needed. Sometimes it was as simple as taking them to a doctor’s appointment, bathing them, cooking a meal, or cleaning. One day when I came home and was receiving my usual hugs of greeting from my children, when I noticed that Esther was smelling my clothes. I thought that was rather strange, so I asked her what she was doing. Esther replied that she was seeing whose house I had been to. I challenged her to tell me where I had been that day. She named it accurately. I was surprised that she had such an acute sense of smell.
Just like the smells from the places I had been had clung to my clothes, so the places we go, the things we do, what we see and hear have a lasting effect upon us. Scientific studies have shown that we take on the characteristics of those we come in contact with, even if we are with them for as little as ten minutes. How important, then, it is to choose our friends wisely. The Bible says, “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” Amos 3:3 The influence of our associates changes us for good or for evil. How vital it is that we choose carefully what we watch on TV, what we listen to on the radio, what books we read. We must ask ourselves, “Will this draw me closer to Jesus or further away?” Paul advises, “whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Phil 4:8
We have the promise that if we behold our Loving Saviour through His Holy Word, meditating upon His life, His goodness, speaking with Him as we would to a dear friend, we will be changed into His likeness. “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 This should be our goal! To be like the One Who loved us so much that He gave Himself unreservedly for us. Daily our prayer should be, “Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way.” Ps 119:37 And if we are careful to turn away from the bad and cling to the good, God has promised a reward beyond our greatest dreams “He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure. Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off.” Isa 33:125-17 Think of it! He will protect and care for us now and when He comes again He will take us to His Heavenly Home to dwell with Him forevermore. Precious promise!
May we guard carefully the avenues of the soul. May we determine as did David, “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes”101:3 May our face shine with glory from our communion with our Great Redeemer just as Moses’ face shone from the time he spent with Him. (Ex 34:29)
Rose

Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. Isaiah 53:10.
It is the mystery of God in the flesh, God in Christ, and divinity in humanity. Christ bowed down in unparalleled humility, that in His exaltation to the throne of God, He might also exalt those who believe in Him, to a seat with Him upon His throne. All who look upon Jesus in faith that the wounds and bruises that sin has made will be healed in Him, shall be made whole.
The themes of redemption are momentous themes, and only those who are spiritually minded can discern their depth and significance…. Faith and prayer are necessary in order that we may behold the deep things of God. Our minds are so bound about with narrow ideas, that we catch but limited views of the experience it is our privilege to have. How little do we comprehend what is meant by the prayer of the apostle, when he says, “That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge….” Jesus beheld the human race, ignorant, apostate from God, standing under the penalty of the broken law; and He came to bring deliverance, to offer a complete pardon, signed by the Majesty of heaven. If man will accept this pardon, he may be saved; if he rejects it, he will be lost.—Fundamentals of Christian Education, 180.
With God at Dawn p. 57
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Prayer Requests
—-Praise—My friend responded very well to treatment and got to come home from the hospital Friday evening. She wasn’t even there a week! Thank you so much for your prayers! I know all the prayers that were going up made the difference for her! Martha
—-Update on Buddy – He has been having a fever every day and not seeming to get better. He was admitted to the hospital last evening and will be having tests done today. Please pray that they will find the source of his illness and be able to help him quickly recover his strength. Thank you all for your prayers. Kay
—-Please pray for my cousin Fay and her husband Arnie! He had a heart attack last night and he is in a induced coma!! Sherrie
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Dear Friends,

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