Must we wait until we are translated before we eat of the leaves of the tree of life? He who receives into his heart the words of Christ knows what it means to eat the leaves of the tree of life….

The knowledge that comes from God is the bread of life. It is the leaves of the tree of life which are for the healing of the nations. The current of spiritual life thrills the soul as the words of Christ are believed and practiced. Thus it is that we are made one with Christ. The experience that was weak and feeble becomes strong. It is eternal life to us if we hold the beginning of our confidence firm unto the end.

All truth is to be received as the life of Jesus. Truth cleanses us from all impurity, and prepares the soul for Christ’s presence. Christ is formed within, the hope of glory….

It is essential that those who pledge themselves to keep God’s commandments have an intelligent knowledge of the Scriptures. Thus we learn to deny self and to be strictly honest with God in using His goods. It was in order that we might understand the divine will that God gave us the Bible. We cannot obey His commandments until we know what these commandments are.

Parents are without excuse if they fail to obtain a clear understanding of God’s will, that they may obey the laws of His kingdom. Only thus can they lead their children to heaven. My brethren and sisters, it is your duty to understand God’s requirements. How can you educate your children in the things of God unless you first know yourselves what is right and what is wrong, unless you realize that obedience means eternal life and disobedience eternal death?

We must make it our lifework to understand the will of God. Only as we do this can we train our children aright. Your every word and action is to be in accordance with the will of God, irrespective of the opinions and practices of those who refuse to obey God….

“The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul” (Psalm 19:7). The Lord has kept back nothing that is necessary for the enlightenment of His children. No one can plead in excuse for transgression that he was left in ignorance, that the way to heaven was not clearly marked out. We have not been left to serve God in a vague, uncertain way.—Manuscript 103, July 29, 1902, “Doing God’s Will.”
The Upward Look p. 224
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray again for my friend Kerry. He’s deep in addiction and depression. Jodie
—-PLEASE pray for my prayer partner and best Friend who has some physical issues which could be very severe. Ann
—-Please, help me pray for Pastor Eric who is hospitalized in Florida and for his family! Y
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Dear Friends,
I miss some of the songs that were in the old hymnal that for whatever reason was not included in our church’s new one. One such song pointed our thoughts to our Heavenly Home. I’d like to share it with you today. Beautiful Valley of Eden by W.O.Cummings
Beautiful valley of Eden, Sweet is thy noontide calm; Over the hearts of the weary, Breathing thy waves of balm. Beautiful valley of Eden, Home of the pure and blest, How often amidst the wild billows, I dream of thy rest, sweet rest.
Over the heart of the mouner Shineth the golden day, Wafting the songs of the angels Down from the far away.Beautiful valley of Eden, Home of the pure and blest, How often amidst the wild billows, I dream of thy rest, sweet rest. There is the home of my Saviour; There, with the blood-washed throng, Over the highlands of glory, Rolleth the great new song. Beautiful valley of Eden, Home of the pure and blest, How often amidst the wild billows, I dream of thy rest, sweet rest.
In vision, John saw that wonderful place. He writes, “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.” “And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.” “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” Rev 21:1-7;22:1-5,14 It is so comforting to read both chapters in their entirety often as it brings to our hearts a longing for that glorious land where we will “follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth.” Rev 14:4 Our Dear Saviour promises, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” John 14:1-3
Think of it! Jesus has promised to take us to His Heavenly Home! He has assured us of the realities of His Kingdom where all is joy and happiness and peace. There will be no sickness there, no injury, no death. We can see through the eye of faith that glorious day! Jesus, Himself, will lead us to living fountains of waters. We will drink deeply of its clear unpolluted refreshment. As we sit under the shade of the tree of life, a lion walks over and lays down at our side. We reach over and pet him and he purrs in contentment. A huge elephant lumbers by and we go over to him. He allows us to get on his back and we take a ride along the river. From our vantage point, we look in every direction and what meets our eyes sends a thrill of joy to our heart. All creation is at peace. The beautiful flowers are sending forth their sweet perfume. The leaves of the trees will never die and fall to the ground as they do now. The various creatures are happily playing together without even a trace of fear. The redeemed are shouting praises to the One Who gave His life that they could be there As great as all these things are, the greatest will be the privilege of worshiping the Almighty King of the Universe face to face!
May we look away from this sinful world and let our minds dwell upon the Kingdom of Heaven. May we allow the Holy Spirit to fit us to dwell in that fair land. May we soon enjoy all the wonders of the Universe where “eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” 1 Cor 2:9 Rose

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/rosesdevotional/~3/aabSuRJRUDs/eating-the-leaves-of-the-tree-of-life.html

Satan had declared to his synagogue that not a single human soul would maintain his loyalty to God’s commandments. One soul saved would prove this statement to be false. One soul saved would demonstrate the righteousness of God’s government. Created in the image of God, man must not be left for Satan to rule and ruin. Christ came to this earth, and by a life of obedience showed that man could obey. He canceled the guilt resting upon the sinner. That the sinner might stand before God clothed with His robe of righteousness, He clothed Himself with the robe of sorrow.

Who can fathom the suffering of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane, as He felt to its fullest extent the weight of the sin of the world? So keenly did He feel the sinfulness of sin that for a moment the cup trembled in His hand, and all heaven heard the agonizing cry, “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me” (Matthew 26:39). “Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42). The omnipotent God suffered with His Son.

Stand before the cross of Calvary, and learn from it the cost of redemption. With breaking heart the holy Sufferer upon the cross of Calvary looks up to God, and cries, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). The angels of heaven sympathized with their loved Commander. Gladly would they have broken their ranks and gone to His assistance. But this was not God’s plan. Our Saviour trod the wine press alone, and of the people there was none with Him.

The plan of redemption was laid to bring salvation within reach of sinners. Christ has carried out His purpose. His death has brought eternal life to all who will accept Him as a personal Saviour. But many, many of those He died to save refuse to return their loyalty. The world is fast becoming as it was before the Flood….

Christ declares, “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” (Matthew 24:37-39).

Let not those who have had great light fold their hands, content to do nothing.—Manuscript 66, July 28, 1901, “Fragments: Work in the South.”
The Upward Look p. 223
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray that Ron will be able to find a job soon. Rose
—-Please pray for my post open heart patient for healing. Emerson
—-Please pray for Jennifer who is overwhelmed with life’s burdens. Let God show her He’s there. Nathan
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Dear Friends,
From the time I was a child, I had a very bad habit of “fiddling” with whatever was in or near my hands. It was as if my fingers had a mind of their own. One day when I was about 17, I was waiting for a bus on the main corners of Kalamazoo, Michigan, my home town. A postcard that I had just written was in my hand as there was no mailbox close by. I was not very happy at the moment as I had just missed my bus and had to wait for the next one. It was a long wait. Before long, my mind was deep in thought and my fingers were busy with the postcard. Rather than tearing the card, those fingers of mine were enjoying its smoothness. They rubbed and rubbed the freshly written card without my realizing it.
At last the bus arrived. I stepped aboard, paid my fare, and found a seat. It was only then that I looked at what used to be my postcard. I had rubbed it so vigorously, that it had split into three layers: the picture side, the message side, and an inner layer. I was shocked! That postcard that I had written so carefully was good for nothing but to be thrown away.
Just as I didn’t realize what my fingers were doing to that postcard so many years ago, so it is so easy for us to get so wrapped up in our own little world, that we do not think of Heavenly realities. How easy it is to go through a day, a week, a lifetime with very few thoughts heavenward, not realizing that we are speeding toward the end of all things, every day going faster and faster, more and more out of control.
Just as I have never gotten over that bad habit of playing with anything in or near my hands and even now my nervous fingers still “fiddle” with whatever is in them, so we often put off doing anything about the sins that bind us so tightly. How true is David description, “The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” Ps 14:2,3 Isaiah tells us, “we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” “The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.” Isa 64:6; 1:5, 6
Our Dear Saviour pleads, “Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die?” Eze 33:11 “there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.” “Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour.” “I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.” Isa 45:21,22; 43:1-3; 44:22 “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.” Matt 11:28,29
We cannot save ourselves any more than I could put that postcard back together so long ago. May we run, as a loving, trusting child, to our Great Redeemer’s outstretched arms, that we may receive the pardon and cleansing we so desperately need.
Rose

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/rosesdevotional/~3/Dm5gU7NgYsM/christs-death-brings-life.html

Dear Husband: I received your telegram….

Satan will not sift the chaff, because he gains nothing in this. He sifts the wheat. The devil will not try and tempt and persecute those whom he is sure of, because [they are] living in known transgression of the law of God. Those who have enlisted in the army of the Lord standing under the bloodstained banner of Prince Emmanuel, Satan will seek to harass and destroy. Christians will meet and have many and severe conflicts with the wily foe, who is merciless. He will bring them into the most difficult places and then exult in their distress. But, thank God, Jesus lives to make intercession for every one of us. Our safety is in committing ourselves to God and resting by faith in His merits who has said, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5).

I rejoice that Jesus has a firm hold of us. Our grasp is feeble and easily broken, but our safety depends upon the firm hold Jesus has upon us. I rejoice in Jesus today. We have, my husband, walked for more than thirty years side by side in the trials and conflicts of life amid temptations and the buffetings of Satan, his arrows aimed at us to wound and destroy; but Jesus has been our defense. Satan has been repulsed. The Spirit of the Lord has lifted up a standard for us against the enemy. Our sun is westering, but it will not set in darkness. Jesus ever liveth to make intercession for us. We will in the latter days of our pilgrimage repose in God and wait upon Him. If we walk with God, our faith will grow brighter and brighter unto the perfect day, and the reward of the faithful will be ours at last.

My spirit at times is triumphant in God. I see in prospect just before us the eternal weight of glory. We have not earned it. Oh, no, Jesus earned it for us and it is a free gift, not for any righteousness and goodness of our own. Let us, in the few probationary hours left us, walk humbly with God and do the work He has committed to our hands with fidelity.

I am glad you are in the grand old mountains [of Colorado]. I mean to be there soon. To be thus brought near to God through His created works is refreshing and inspiring…. While viewing the grand works of God’s creation, we may walk with God. We may talk with Him. To have God as our companion, as our guest, will be the most exalted honor that heaven can bestow upon us.

May the Lord bless you all is the prayer of your Ellen.—Letter 42, July 27, 1878, to James White, General Conference president.
The Upward Look p. 222
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Prayer Requests
—-I am asking for prayer for my grandson he is 30 yrs young but unable to work at his job at a hospital due to major back injury.He has had an operation prior but has not fixed the problem.He is in chronic pain and feeling depressed. Sandra
—-Please pray for my sister in Christ, she has a lot of knee pain and says it is a bad case of arthritis arthritis,…..also please pray for a very dear friend of mine. Please pray that she finds the truth and that it will set her free from bondage. Isaac
—-Please pray for David that God will give him a full conversion. Buck
—-Please pray for my cousin Larry as he prepares to move across country next month. Rose
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Dear Friends,
This holiday weekend commemorating our birth as a nation, we sat on our back porch and watched the fireworks displays large and small going on all around us. I couldn’t help thinking of the far more beautiful works of our Great Creator than any manmade fireworks we were seeing Saturday night. God’s Word reminds us, “By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.” “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.” “O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!” Ps 33:6-9; 19:1, 2; 8.
May we praise the Lord as we view His great creation. May our hearts swell with love for Him. May we someday soon leave this old earth behind and travel beyond our solar system as we journey toward His Heavenly Home is my prayer.
Rose

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/rosesdevotional/~3/JNSAd7qd1n8/hope-thou-in-god.html