The question which the lawyer put to Christ was one of vital consequence. The Pharisees who had prompted the lawyer to ask this question were expecting the Lord Jesus to answer it in such a way that they could find something against Him whereby they might accuse and condemn Him before the people. The self-possession of Christ, the wisdom and authority by which He spake, was something they could not interpret.

When this question was asked by the lawyer, Christ knew that the suggestion came from His bitterest enemies, who were setting a trap to catch Him in His words. The Lord Jesus responded to the question by placing the burden upon the lawyer to answer his own question before that crowd. “What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live” (Luke 10:26-28). Obedience to the commandments of God is the price of eternal life.

There is a very broad and deep work to be accomplished in fallen humanity. This is the true interpretation of genuine conversion. The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul. The answer to this question, as given by the lawyer, comprehends the entire duty of man, who is seeking eternal life. The lawyer was unable to evade the question so directly and pointedly expressed as to the conditions of eternal life. He understood its bearings, and the necessity of answering the demands of the law in loving God supremely, and his neighbor as himself. He knew he had not done either of these, and the conviction of his neglect to obey the first four commandments and the last six commandments plainly specified in the words of the holy oracles of God was impressed by the Holy Spirit upon his heart. He saw himself weighed in the balances of the sanctuary and found wanting. He did not serve God supremely, because he had not loved Him supremely, with his whole heart, with all his soul, and all his strength, and with all his mind. Lacking decidedly in this requirement of Jehovah’s law, he failed decidedly to love his neighbor as himself.

Thus, before the multitude he himself had given in concise words the gospel conditions of eternal life for every member of the human family, who are standing before God today.—Manuscript 45, July 26, 1900, “What Is the Chaff to Wheat?
The Upward Look p. 221
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray that God will direction in our lives. LS
—-A woman who used to attend our church was diagnosed with metastatic cancer to the brain. Please pray for her as she begins her treatment next week. Vicki
—-I wrote back in April about my Mama who broke her neck and went into the hospital/rehab center in Hawaii. She’s 88 years old. Praise report! She’s now walking assisted and her cervical 2 bone has healed enough wheee she doesn’t need a neck brace. The sad part, she can never go home to my dad and is still isolated because of the covid 19. Nobody can visit and her dementia has gone full blown because of what happened and doesn’t know me or my siblings or husband. Maybe this is a blessing in disguise? This way she’s in her little world and not suffering too much? I want to THANK those who prayed for my Mama Barbara! Connie
—-Please help me pray for one of my nephews, who is far away from home and family and is sick. Pray that he will feel better so he can come home. Thank you. Dora
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Dear Friends,
In this day and time when times are hard, it is good to remember how God has watched over us in the past. Some years ago, Eileen and I went shopping for a new blender. The one that I had just is not strong enough to make some of the recipes that I wanted to make. As we looked at all of the blenders, we found one that had all metal parts [a rarity in this day and age]and the capabilities that we needed. It was more than twice the price of a regular blender, so I had to put it on lay away.
Each week, I paid money on that blender and looked forward to the day when it would be paid for and I could take it home. Finally, that day arrived!
Carefully, Ron put the box on the bottom shelf of the shopping cart as it was in a larger cardboard box that had been used to store it in the lay away department. When the rest of our shopping was done, we loaded our items into the van and drove home. Ronnie Jay and Ron unloaded our purchases while I made dinner.
Suddenly, Eileen asked, “Didn’t you bring in the blender?” We all stopped what we were doing. We had not put the blender in the van. It was still on the bottom shelf of the cart! Our hearts sank! Surely someone would have seen the package and stolen it by then. Thievery abounds. The store was extra crowded and parking lot full. Surely someone was even at that moment going home with a free blender in their car.
With foreboding in my heart, I called the store. Eileen went to her room and prayed. We were all praying. When someone answered, I began my story, “We just got back from your store and somehow when we unloaded the cart we left our lay away….”
He interrupted, “Was it in a cardboard box that had once held boxes of training pants?” With hope in my heart, I told him that it was! “It’s here,” he said. We were so thankful that God had kept our blender from getting stolen!
Think of it! The great King of the Universe, He, Who upholds “all things by the word of his power,” is interested in every aspect of the lives of all those whom He has redeemed. “I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.” Ps 116:1,2 “O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.” Ps 107:1
Even though life is short and full of trials, God shows in a multitude of ways His great love for us. Indeed, He loves us with an everlasting love and draws us to Himself with His loving kindness. (Jer 31:3) David assures us, “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more. But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children; To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.” Ps 103:13-18
May we daily rejoice as we see evidence of our Dear Saviour’s love and care. May we “bless the LORD at all times: [and let His] praise… continually be in [our] mouth.” May we always recognize the blessings and goodness of God and “bless the LORD from this time forth and for evermore” is my prayer. Ps 34:1;115:18
Rose

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/rosesdevotional/~3/aGxMxf7buqo/obedience-is-the-price.html

The peace that Christ calls His peace, and which He bequeathed to His disciples, is not a peace which prevents all divisions; but it is a peace which is given and enjoyed in the midst of divisions. The peace that the faithful defender of the cause of Christ has is the consciousness that he is doing the will of God and reflecting His glory in good works. It is an internal rather than an external peace. Without are wars and fightings through the opposition of avowed enemies, and the coldness and suspicion of those even who claim to be friends.

Christ enjoins upon His followers to “love your enemies, … do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). He would have us love those who oppress us and do us harm. We must not express in words and acts the spirit they manifest, but improve every opportunity to do them good.

But while we are required to be Christlike toward those who are our enemies, we must not, in order to have peace, cover up the faults of those we see in error. Jesus, the world’s Redeemer, never purchased peace by covering iniquity, or by anything like compromise. Though His heart was constantly overflowing with love for the whole human race, He was never indulgent to their sins. He was too much their friend to remain silent while they were pursuing a course which would ruin their souls—the souls He had purchased with His own blood. He was a stern reprover of all vice, and His peace was the consciousness of having done the will of His Father, rather than a condition of things that existed as the result of having done His duty.

He labored that man should be true to himself in being all that God would have him, and true to his higher and eternal interest. Living in a world marred and seared with the curse brought upon it by disobedience, he [man] could not be at peace with it unless he left it unwarned, uninstructed, and unrebuked. This would be to purchase peace at the neglect of duty.

Everyone who loves Jesus and the souls for whom He died will follow after the things that make for peace. But His followers are to take special care lest in their efforts to prevent discord, the truth is surrendered, lest in warding off divisions, they make a sacrifice of its principles. True brotherhood can never be maintained by compromising principle. As surely as Christians approach the Christlike model, … so surely will they experience the strength and venom of that old serpent the devil.—Manuscript 23b, July 25, 1896, “How to Secure Peace.”
The Upward Look p. 220
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for Terry as he is back in the hospital. Please pray for his spiritual as well as physical healing. Mike
—-Please pray that God will heal David.
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Dear Friends,
Before my great-great-aunt Allie was married, she taught grade school for many years. Here is part of one of the poems she wrote about one of her students.
The Confession
by Aletha Phillips-Spoor
Years ago I used to teach
In a little red brick school,
To forty little girls and boys
I taught the golden rule.
I did the best I could, but then
You know as well as I,
You can’t make all things perfect
However hard you try.
Most of my cares and worries
Were caused by two small boys,
Who teased the girls and came in late
And made a lot of noise.
In every barrel of apples,
You’ll always find a few
That contaminate the others’
So with children this is true.
One day these boys came tumbling in
At the last stroke of the bell,
Then from that old wall register
There came a dreadful smell.
“Limburger cheese!” cried Mary,
“Ray put it in,” said she;
Indignantly he shouted,
“‘Twas Jay—it wasn’t me!”
Now which of these two lads it was
I really couldn’t tell;
My first thought was to rid the room
Of that terrific smell.
I threw the windows open wide,
Thanked heaven for the breeze,
I shut the old wall register
But still we smelled that cheese.
I thought what if the principal
Should chance to happen in;
If she should smell that odor
And hear that awful din.
I found the problem hard to solve,
I couldn’t even guess,
For both lads looked so innocent
And neither would confess.
I threatened, coaxed, and scolded,
But in spite of all my pleas,
I couldn’t tell who brought to school
That awful smelling cheese.
Just as that limburger cheese permeated the schoolroom that long-ago day, so our influence impacts for good of for ill all with whom we come in contact. We might try to seem as innocent as Ray and Jay did so long ago, but others soon find out who we really are inside. By this influence we can lead those around us to stay on the right path or to stray from it. One little word can cause someone to start down the path that leads to destruction. Solomon’s proverb is as true today as it was when he uttered it. “Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savor.” Ecc 10:1
Our words and actions tell what is in our heart. Our Dear Saviour says, “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” Matt 12:34-37
How important it is, then, that we give our heart to Jesus each morning, that we may exert a right influence on those with whom we come in contact. Jesus, when He was upon this earth, had an attraction the drew people to Him. “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.” Acts 10:38 When He was near, people felt loved, they felt accepted, they felt convicted of their sins, and desired to change for the better that they might do those things which pleased Him. (1 John 3:22)
Our Dear Saviour’s loving and kind influence was in direct contrast to that of the religious leaders who bound “heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and laid them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves would not move them with one of their fingers.” Matt 23:4 Jesus visited people in their homes, as well as on the mountainside, bringing them both physical and spiritual healing. He walked their streets pressed in by crowds of people all wanting to see Him, all wanting to touch Him. Even though most were there only for the excitement, or for the blessings He could bestow, He never turned them away. His influence even caused His enemies to marvel. When spies were sent to catch Him in His words, they declared, ” ‘Master, thou hast well said.’ And after that they durst not ask him any question at all.” Luke 20:39,40 When officers were sent to arrest Him, they returned to the Pharisees with the report, “Never man spake like this man.” John 7:46
May our influence lead others to our Dear Redeemer, drawing them closer to Him, that they may accept His free gift of salvation. May we daily pray, “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” Ps 19:14
Rose

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/rosesdevotional/~3/n9h0v9JGZ4A/no-peace-at-any-price.html

There have been sins among us as among ancient Israel, but thank God we have had an open door which no man can shut. Men may say, “I forgive all the injuries you have done to me,” but their forgiveness would not blot out one sin. But the Voice sounding from Calvary—“My son, my daughter, thy sins be forgiven thee”—is all-efficacious. That word alone has power and awakens the gratitude in the grateful heart. We have a Mediator. There is but one channel of forgiveness and that channel is ever open, and through that channel a rich flood of divine mercy and forgiveness comes pouring down to us….

Many have expressed wonder that God demanded so many slain victims in sacrificial offerings of the Jews, but it was to rivet in their minds the great and solemn truth that without shedding of blood there was no remission of sins. A lesson was embodied in every sacrifice, impressed in every ceremony, solemnly preached by their priests in holy office and inculcated by God Himself—this great truth that through the blood of Christ alone there is forgiveness of sins….

I wish I could present this matter before our people just as I view it—the great offering made in behalf of man. Justice asked for the sufferings of a man. Christ, equal with God, gave the sufferings of a God. He needed no atonement Himself. It was for man—all for man…. His depth of agony was proportionate to the dignity and grandeur of His character. Never shall we see and comprehend the intense anguish of the sufferings of the spotless Lamb of God until we feel how deep is the pit from which we have been delivered, how grievous the sin of which humanity is guilty, and by faith grasp the full and entire pardon.

Here is where thousands are failing. They do not really believe that Jesus pardons them individually. They fail to take God at His word. He has assured us that He is faithful that hath promised to forgive us and be just to His own law. His mercy is not wanting in anything. Were there one defective link in the chain, then we are hopelessly ruined in our sins…. There is not one flaw in it, not one missing link. Oh, precious redemption! Why do we not bring this great truth more fully into our lives? How broad it is, that God for Christ’s sake forgives us—me, even me—the moment we ask Him to, in living faith, believing that He is fully able to do this.—Letter 85, July 24, 1886, to Uriah Smith, editor of the Review and Herald.
The Upward Look p. 219
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Prayer Requests
—-I have a prayer request that the Lord will work in an important situation. LS
—-Please pray for the family and friends of Jason who was killed in a motorcycle accident. Rose
—-PLEASE pray for a friend of mine! She has been sick with Covid 19 for 3 days and she is VERY SICK! HER THROAT FEELS LIKE IT IS CLOSING UP AND SHE CAN HARDLY BREATHE! Connie
—-Please pray for a Soldier with whom I served-he just lost his wife unexpectedly. His name is Quentin. Clayton
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Dear Friends,
One time, while our children were still living at home, Esther got in the mood to rearrange the living room. She had been begging to do it for several months. Finally, I gave her permission. It was a good thing I did. As the four of us moved the furniture, we discovered many things had found their way underand behind the sofa. Jokingly, we called our sofa “the black hole” because so many items had ended up behind and under it.
For awhile the living room looked really messy. When it looked its worse, Ronnie Jay snuck to the front door, knocked, opened it, and pretended that someone was coming to visit us. “Oh no!” I thought, “I don’t want anyone to see the house in this condition.” Soon we discovered that there was no one there as Ronnie Jay began laughing heartily. After the startled feeling wore off, we all joined him. By the time Ron got home, everything was clean and orderly. We all agreed that the new arrangement made our old, worn out furniture look better.
Just as our house needed to be “stirred up” and rearranged, so it is good to do a little spiritual housecleaning from time to time. How many times, things need rearranging inside us. Our heart often becomes cluttered with the “junk” of this world. How often we need to pray as did David, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Ps 139:23, 24 Paul urged us to do this spiritual housecleaning when he said, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” Then he puts his advice in perspective. “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Phil 2:12, 13
Jesus is coming soon! Now is the time to rearrange the “furniture” in our mind that no “clutter” will be found there at His appearing, for then it will be too late to make it right. Now is the time to clean out from under the “sofa” in our heart. Now is the time to make the necessary preparations that we “may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.” 2 Peter 3:14 And if we find things within us that must be put out of our heart, we have the promise, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”1 John 1:9-2:2 Praise God! He offers us the forgiveness we need! We can be cleansed from all iniquity! Our Great Redeemer “shall supply all [our] need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Phil 4:19,20
Today, He is knocking at your heart’s door pleading for entrance therein. “To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.” Heb 3:15 “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. Precious promise! “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:10,11
May we allow our Loving Saviour to clean us up inside and do the rearranging necessary to make us ready for that Great Day of His Appearing is my prayer.
Rose

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/rosesdevotional/~3/f__z5Dmn7wA/forgiveness-full-and-free.html