Eternal redemption never looked so exceedingly precious as at the present time, and I never felt more deeply in earnest to overcome on every point as now. There must be no defects in our character, not one. Every spot and wrinkle must be effaced by the blood of the Lamb. Our own peculiar traits of character will disappear when the transforming power of the grace of God is felt upon our hearts. The fruits we bear in patience, kindness, forbearance, and self-denial will testify of us that we have learned of Jesus.

The fruit of the tree testifies if it is a good or corrupt tree. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit; neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. By their fruits ye shall know them. Let us so speak and so labor that our fruit may be unto righteousness and we letting our light shine forth in good works. Profession is nothing. A godly life alone will God approve….

I am determined to gain the victory of self. I am determined my life shall be hid with Christ in God. I will beseech the throne of grace for power, for light, that I may reflect it upon others, that souls may be saved.

The great desire in this age of the world is for more power. I want more grace, more love, [a] more deep and earnest living experience. The Christian who hides in Jesus will have power without measure awaiting his draught upon it. Living faith unlocks heaven’s storehouse and brings the power, the endurance, the love so essential for the Christian soldier.

Husband, let us not fail of the eternal reward. We have suffered too much on the field of battle to be conquered by any foe now. We must be wholly victorious.

We want our last days to be the most triumphant. It may be so. God would have it so. If we pray much and diligently use the means within our reach, we shall not falter, we shall not fail….

We want no worldly honor. I care not for it. I want the “Well done” from the lips of my Redeemer to fall like music upon my ears. For this I will labor. I will do right because I love the right. I will obey God at any cost to myself, and the crown will be given by and by.—Letter 28, May 20, 1880, a private letter to James White.
The Upward Look p 154
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for me and my little Jonathan. We’ve been sick, I have symptoms and then he has the same symptoms the next day. He tested positive for the flu. I’m praying my other little one Alan and my husband Cody stay healthy and we recover quickly. Jennifer
—-Prayers for my mum’s friend,who is seriously sick. EN
—-Prayer request for my cousin, Andrea. She is in the hospital with MS related seizures. Meds aren’t helping. They may transfer her to ICU and put her in a medical coma to stop the seizures. At this point, it doesn’t look good. Please pray for a miracle! Also, pray for my Aunt and her brother for peace and comfort. Renee
—-Please pray for David who is battling depression. His family is suffering because of it. Buck
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Friends,
When I was a little girl, we had a neighbor man, whom I called Uncle Jap. His name was Jasper Francisco, who was originally a cowboy from from Montana. I can still remember the old, faded photo of him and a friend on horseback herding cattle. He eventually gave up that job and became a fireman on the railroad. Next to my grandfather, he had a very important place in my heart. He worked nights, so he was home during the day. While my grandfather was at work, I followed Uncle Jap around as he worked in his garage or in his workshop.
The yard of my grandparents’ house had about a three foot slope down to their shared driveway. I called that my “hill” and had fun sliding down it in the winter. Of course it was a very short ride, but I had fun sliding down it. One day I mentioned something about my “hill” to Uncle Jap. He laughed and said, “That’s not a hill, that’s a mole hill.” Being from a state that has beautiful mountains, Michigan’s rolling hills seemed flat indeed, and my “hill” was no hill at all.
I took him seriously. My grandparents didn’t joke, so I took everything literally. In my childish mind, I tried to imagine the mole that had made my “hill.” That spring, my mother saw me sitting very still on the grass watching my “hill.” She asked me what I was doing. I told her that Uncle Jap had told me that my hill was a mole hill and I was waiting for the mole to come out. I wanted to see it, so I was being very quiet so it would not know I was there. My mother tried very hard not to laugh. She explained to me what Uncle Jap really meant. I was so embarrassed.
Little children have perfect trust and confidence in the people they love. How our Heavenly Father yearns for us to have that same belief, that same trust and confidence in Him. “And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Matt 18:2,3
Of course, Jesus was speaking of an unspoiled little child. Such a child is completely trusting. He has a very tender heart. A little child forgives easily. He might argue with a friend over a toy, but within a minute or two, all is forgiven and they are happily playing again. In these ways we should be as children.
How important little children are to our Dear Saviour. He says, “Suffer 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 shall in no wise enter therein.” Luke 18:16,17 Unless we have a little child’s perfect trust in our Heavenly Father, we will fail to receive our goal. Unless we love Him completely, we will eventually turn away. Jesus bids us, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” Matt 22:37 That whole-hearted experience is what He desires, because it is that whole-hearted experience that gives us the perfect love, the perfect trust, the perfect heart that unites our heart with His Great Heart of Love.
May we have a childlike faith in our Loving Redeemer. May we love Him with our entire being. May we take hold of His outstretched hand and walk with Him all the way to His Heavenly Kingdom in perfect love and confidence is my prayer.
Rose

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/rosesdevotional/~3/A4XsZ_cDMwk/by-their-fruits.html

Let us make it known that provision has been made for our redemption. Christ left the heavenly courts and came to this world to make an atonement for us. All who come to Him in living faith will be enabled to stand on vantage ground. As God’s servants proclaim these things, Satan steps up to some of those who have itching minds and presents his scientific problems. Men will be tempted to place science above God. But who, by searching, can find out God? Men may put their own interpretation upon God, but no human mind can comprehend Him. This problem has not been given us to solve. Let not finite man attempt to interpret Jehovah. Let none indulge in speculation regarding His nature. Here silence is eloquence. The Omniscient One is above discussion.

Christ is one with the Father, but God and Christ are two distinct Personages. Read the prayer of Christ in the seventeenth chapter of John, and you will find this point clearly brought out. How earnestly the Saviour prayed that His disciples might be one with Him as He was one with the Father. But the unity that is to exist between Christ and His followers does not destroy the personality of either. They are to be one with Him as He is one with the Father. By this unity they are to make it plain to the world that God sent His Son to save sinners. The oneness of Christ’s followers with Him is to be the great, unmistakable proof that God did indeed send His Son into the world to save sinners. But a loose, lax religion leaves the world confused and bewildered.

My brethren and sisters, take your stand on an elevated platform, and work to the point to be one with Christ. The heart of the Saviour is set upon His followers’ fulfilling God’s purpose in all its height and depth. They are to be one with Him, even though they are scattered the world over. But God cannot make them one in Christ unless they are willing to give up their own way for His way.

In view of all that Christ has suffered for us, should we complain when we are called to endure self-denial and suffering? Would not this make God ashamed of us? Let us rejoice that it is our privilege to be partakers in the sufferings of Christ, for thus only can we be fitted to be partakers of His glory…. Let us live lives that will lead sinners to the Saviour. Christ carried His humanity with Him into the heavenly courts, and all humanity can claim Him as their representative. We may be made complete in Him.—Manuscript 58, “The Work in Washington,” a talk given May 19, 1905.
The Upward Look p. 153
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer Requests
—-update—Thank you everyone who has been praying for my mother Sue. She has been in the hospital since Saturday with sepsis. I know the prayers are working. God is so good! He has been healing her. She is doing so much better and may get to go home in the next couple of days. Please continue to pray for the infection to go down. Jenny
—-Urgent prayer for my Aunt Watie. she is very sick right now and under critical care. Her heart is weak, please include her in your prayers. Samantha
—-Pray for the people of Nashville as they continue to find victims of the tornado as well as those who have lost loved ones in the devastation. AC
—-Please continue to pray for Travis. it seems like demons taking over his life. Rosemary
—-I am asking for prayer for my Uncle Dale and his salvation. he was told he only has two weeks to live. Also prayers for his family for strength and comfort while going through this. Debra
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Friends,
When Ronnie Jay was about one, our church had a series of meetings. One of the people who joined the church was a lady who had recently moved to town. When she heard that we had recently lost everything when our house burned to the ground, she gave us a wool blanket that had great sentimental value to her. Even though it was precious to her, she wanted us to have it. It was an old woven blanket that had been made from the wool of her brother’s own sheep. It was not dyed, but it was a strange shade of black with a greenish tinge. Her brother raised black sheep. Most wool feels prickly but not this blanket. It wasn’t soft, but it wasn’t irritating either. She loved that blanket, but she gave it to us because she knew we had need. That blanket became very special to me because of the sacrifice that woman made.
The blanket became Ronnie Jay’s. He loved that blanket and used it for many years. Eventually, it wore out. Still, Ronnie Jay did not want to get rid of it. Neither did I. In spite of our wishes, Ron threw it away while I was at work. Ronnie Jay was very sad and upset and pleaded with his father to let him keep it. All his pleading did no good.
Eileen, knowing how much that wool blanket meant to her little brother and to me, had an idea. She would make him a quilt and use that blanket inside for warmth. She told her father her plan and he let her have it. She had never made a quilt before, but she had seen them, so she had a fairly good idea as to how they were made. She took our old clothes and cut them into pieces and sewed them together. She left pockets and zippers in the cut up pieces. Day after day she worked on that quilt whenever she had free time and her brother was napping or outside.
Months later the quilt was completed. She gave it to Ronnie Jay for Christmas. He was thrilled when he found that he could unzip the zippers she had incorporated into the quilt and “visit” his well-loved wool blanket. He was also delighted with the pockets that he found she had stuffed with candy and little toys. Each pocket brought a new discovery. It was truly a labor of love, and her little brother’s happiness was a great reward for all those many hours she had spent sewing it all by hand.
Our Loving Heavenly Father gives us gifts that have cost much more than that quilt ever did. He gave us His own Dear Son. It was the greatest sacrifice He could make! All Heaven was wrapped up in that Great Gift. He poured out all His Love, all His Care in His Great Sacrifice. “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. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:16,17 What wonderful love!
Yet our Great Redeemer goes even beyond that Gift. He yearns to be intimately involved in every aspect of our life, to dwell with us each moment of the day leading in all of our experiences, guiding us through them, sharing our good times with Him as well as our times of trial and discouragement. He pleads, “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.” Rev 3:20 He assures us, “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.” Isa 43:1-3
And if that isn’t enough, He promises to answer every prayer “above all that we ask or think.” Eph 3:20 “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” Luke 11:9-13
May we ask our Loving Saviour to dwell with us each day guiding our thoughts, words, and actions that we may be pleasing in His sight. May our focus so be upon Him that others will notice that we have been with Jesus. (Acts 4:13) May we always point those around us to the One Who loves them so.
Rose

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/rosesdevotional/~3/dtDlBtRy-LI/oneness-with-christ.html

At this time—the last days of this earth’s history—we are to make the book of Revelation a special study. Why? Because it depicts the scenes that we are to meet. We need to understand what we are to meet, and how we are to meet it. We must know what efforts we are to make, so that in this perilous time we shall not be taken by the enemy’s devices. We know that the last great conflict will be Satan’s most determined effort to accomplish his purposes. He will come, not only as a roaring lion, but as a seducer, clothing sin with beautiful garments of light that he may take human beings in his snare.

The Lord desires us to realize that it is of great importance that we stand in these last days upon the platform of eternal truth. Those who think that the church militant is the church triumphant make a great mistake. The church militant will gain great triumphs, but it will also have fierce conflicts with evil that it may be firmly established upon the platform of eternal truth. And every one of us should be determined to stand with the church upon this platform….

There are those today who call the Revelation a sealed book. [It is a mystery,] but it is a mystery unfolded. We need to understand what it tells us in regard to the scenes that are to take place in the last days of this earth’s history. The enemy will bring in everything that he possibly can to carry out his deceptive designs. Are they not lacking in wisdom who have no desire to understand in regard to the things that are to take place on this earth? …

In a representation which passed before me, I saw a certain work being done by medical missionary workers. Our ministering brethren were looking on, watching what was being done, but they did not seem to understand. The foundation of our faith, which was established by so much prayer, such earnest searching of the Scriptures, was being taken down, pillar by pillar. Our faith was to have nothing to rest upon—the sanctuary was gone, the atonement was gone….

Do you wonder that I have something to say, when I see the pillars of our faith beginning to be moved? Seductive theories are being taught in such a way that we shall not recognize them unless we have clear spiritual discernment.—Manuscript 46, May 18, 1904, “The Foundation of Our Faith,” a talk given at Berrien Springs, Michigan.
The Upward Look p. 152
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer Requests
—-
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Friends,
Computers and texting have certainly sped up communication with our friends and family. Letters that took days to reach their destination via the postal system take only a few seconds.
Just as we can get a quick response because of modern technology, so we can always ask our Loving Heavenly Father for help in every situation. Indeed, the Great King of the Universe longs to hear our requests and delights to answer. Even though we may not get an immediate answer to our prayer, we can be assured that He always hears. Jesus reminds us, “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” Matt 7:11 Although the answer may not be what we expect and may not come as soon as we’d like, He always answers. He does not always answer “Yes.” Sometimes we ask for the wrong things. “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” James 4:3 Because of His great love for us, He does not always give us what we want, but He gives us what we need. And through it all, He is there, just waiting for us to commune with Him.
A few years ago, I saw a survey on the amount of time spent in prayer each day. The average was three minutes. How lonesome God must be to hear from us! Indeed, He is filled with longing desire for our voice to be lifted up to Him. He pleads, ” Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” Jer 33:3
Think of it! He, alone, can help us, yet we tend to forget the very One Who can solve our problems. How His Great Heart of Love must ache with sadness to watch us go about our daily duties with scarcely a thought Heavenward.
When He walked this earth, our Blessed Saviour felt a strong need to pray. In fact, he sometimes spent all night in prayer and supplication. “And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.” Luke 6:12 If He, Who is one with the Father, had need of constant communion with His Heavenly Father, should not we spend more time in communion with Him?
Paul advises, “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving” Col 4:2 “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” Phil 4:6 Just as a parent is overjoyed by the sincere love of their child, so He loves to hear us praise Him when our hearts are full of love and gratitude to Him Who gave His All for us.
Just as we want our children to confide in us, to come to us when they have a problem, to tell us all their joys; so our Heavenly Father longs to have us tell Him all that is going on in our life. He is standing there just waiting to guide, just waiting to help us. He says, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Matt 7:7
Let us “Pray without ceasing.” 1 Thes 5:17. Let us walk in constant communion with God just as Enoch did so long ago. Let it be said of us, as it was of Abraham, that we are the friend of God.
Rose

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/rosesdevotional/~3/6Mj8d0MOnGA/beware-seductive-theories.html