“You keep a firm spirit in perfect peace, for he trusts in You.” (Isaiah 26:3)
firm in spirit - At D. Yosifon: the spirit that is entrusted to You (Hebrew: Yetzer Samukh)
STRONG IN SPIRIT ARE THE THOSE WHO RELY ON ADONAI WITH ALL THE HEART! THESE ARE CREATIONS CREATED IN THE MESSIAH YESHUA FOR GOOD WORKS THAT GOD INTENDED TO PERFORM!
"A creature that (with all its heart) trusts in the Holy One, blessed be He, will not turn away from its faith because of some fear or torment." (Rashi)
“And Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego answered (Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego), and they said to King Nebuchadnezzar: There is no need for us to answer you to this. Our God, whom we serve, is able to save us from the fiery furnace, and deliver us from your hand, O king. If this does not happen, then let it be known to you, king, that we will not serve your gods and we will not bow to the golden idol that you set up. (Dan. 3:16-18)
“Even though the fig tree does not bloom and there is no fruit on the vines, and the olive tree changes, and the field does not give food, even if there are no sheep in the fold and cattle in the stalls, even then I will rejoice in the Lord and rejoice in God my salvation." (Hab. 3:17-18)
“Therefore, I take pleasure in weaknesses, in offenses, in needs, in persecutions, in oppressions for the Messiah (Christ), for when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:10)
TWO SHALOM IN A STRONG SPIRIT!
in a perfect world - lit.: shalom, shalom.
Shalom is peace, health, blessings, fullness in fullness! Why is the word "shalom" repeated twice? Think what blessings a tzadik (righteous person) will have, a firm spirit, whose spirit is entrusted to God: shalom inside and shalom outside, shalom with God and shalom with people! Shalom in this world and in the World to Come!
“Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock” (Isaiah 26:4)
“And it will come to pass in that day that the remnant of Israel and those who escaped from the house of Jacob will no longer rely on the one who struck them, but will put their trust in the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, sincerely.” (Isaiah 10:20)
“For we are His workmanship, created in Yeshua the Messiah (in Christ Jesus) for good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Eph. 2:10)
“Do not worry about anything, but always in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, reveal your desires to God, and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Yeshua the Messiah (in Christ Jesus).” (Phil. 4:6-7) WHAT ARE OUR THOUGHTS?
“And the Lord saw that the corruption of men was great on the earth, and that all the thoughts and thoughts of their hearts were evil at all times;” Gen. 6:5
“And when many disasters and sorrows come upon them, then this song will be a testimony against them, for it will not come out of the mouth of their offspring. I know their thoughts, which they have now, before I brought them into the land that I swore.” Deut. 31:21
"The Lord knows the thoughts of men that they are vain." Ps. 93:11
“Don't worry about getting rich; leave such thoughts of yours." Prov. 23:4
“then complete my joy: have the same thoughts, have the same love, be of one mind and of one mind;” Phil. 2:2
“This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” Heb. 8:10
P.S.:
“Seek righteousness, seek righteousness, so that you may live and possess the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” Deut. 16:20
Pay attention to the repetition of the words: truth, truth, seek! Also: to the truth in righteous ways!
LISTEN RAHEM (HAVE LOVE)
http://video.mail.ru/mail/elgizgadir/_myvideo/425.html
THE MERCY OF ADONAI RENEWED EVERY MORNING
“By the mercy of the Lord, we have not disappeared, for His mercy has not failed. It is renewed every morning; great is your faithfulness!” Pl. Jer. 3:22-23
HOW DOES AESAV SPEAK TO YACOB?
“And Esau (Esau) said to Jacob: Give me red to eat, this red, for I am tired. From this was given him a nickname: Edom. (Gen. 25:30)
"give me a drink - Lit. 'pour down my throat'. The verb used here to describe the action does not appear again in the text of the Torah. It serves to create an image of animal greed and intemperance." (Sonchino http://machanaim.org/tanach/a-beresh/inda06_1.htm)
WHAT LESSON FOR US? DON'T BE GREEDY, UNREStrained!
THE WISE COUNSEL TO SOLOMON
“And you, Solomon, my son, know the God of your father and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, for the Lord tests all hearts and knows all the movements of thoughts. If you seek Him, you will find Him, but if you leave Him, He will leave you forever.” 1 Par. 28:9
1st of January
The promise of peace
“You keep a firm spirit in perfect peace, for he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever; for the Lord God is an everlasting rock” (Isaiah 26:3,4).
I wish you a happy new year! Let's get rid of everything that makes us doubt and distrust Jesus forever. Let's start living a life of simple childish trust, relying not on our feelings, but on faith.
Do not dishonor Jesus by doubting His promises. He expects us to have faith, unwavering faith in Him. There are people who say, "I believe, I believe," and claim the promises made on the condition of obedience. They do not do the works of Christ, but make full claims to the fulfillment of God's promises. God is not glorified by such faith, it is just a counterfeit. We also meet people who try to keep all of God's commandments, but many of them do not use the high advantages given to them and do not claim anything. God's promises are for those who keep His commandments and do what is right in His sight....
I must fight the good fight of faith daily. I must believe with all my might, and not rely on feelings, and act as if I know that the Lord has heard me, that He will answer me and bless me. Faith is not a joyful flight of feelings, but trust in God's word, faith that if God promised something, He will fulfill it ...
I hope you won't be disappointed in any way...
God wants you to be free, He wants you to be a believer, full of confidence and no longer doubt. May God help you! New Year just opens before you. Let it be a happy new year!.. Hide in the saving arms of Jesus and do not escape from His hands. Believe, praise God and go ahead. We're almost home.
The Lord is coming. Look up and rejoice, for your deliverance draws near. I see in Jesus a compassionate, loving Redeemer who can save all who come to Him. Rely completely on the promises of God. Know that it is your advantage to believe (Letter 31, January 1, 1887 to Marthe Bedois, wife of one of the first ministers in Europe).
January 2
Unanimity
“Whoever says that he abides in Him must walk just as He walked” (1 John 2:6).
Many are in the enchanted territory of the enemy. Their minds are engrossed in the trivial - frivolous parties, singing, laughter, jokes; they serve God with a divided heart. At the same time, Satan, filled with hellish jubilation, is invisibly present in your midst, exciting you. Christ's words "No one can serve two masters" (Matt. 6:24) are ignored.
The Holy Spirit did not descend immediately after the ascension of Christ, only ten days later the Holy Spirit was sent to earth. The disciples devoted this time to the most earnest preparation for receiving such a precious gift. The abundant treasures of heaven were poured out upon them after they diligently searched their hearts and forsook all their idols. They stood before God with humble hearts, strengthening their faith, and confessing their sins. Their hearts were in harmony with each other. “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together with one accord. And suddenly there was a noise from heaven, as if from a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were” (Acts 2:1, 2). The Church needs a similar experience here, where the leadership of this work is concentrated.* Are we searching our hearts as we prepare to receive heavenly grace? The Lord is ready to show His mercy.
The Lord will reveal Himself to His people, but His children should seek the Lord with one accord.... The work we have to do at this time is the most important work. It's a matter of life and death...
Will the enemy, right now at this serious time, be allowed to engulf the mind with amusements, entertainments and fill it with empty, insignificant thoughts in which there is no place for God, eternity, or Heaven? (Manuscript 38, 1890, Diary, Battle Creek, Michigan, January 2, 1890).
*Church government from 1855 to 1903, Battle Creek, Michigan.
January 3
Heaven is near
“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18-20).
Work, watch, and pray for souls as those who must give an account. This year, experience the Lord's prescribed remedy for evil. Let each person do what the Lord expects of him, looking to Jesus, the Possessor of your soul...
Have small groups meet in the evenings or early mornings to study the Bible on their own. May they set aside time for prayer to be strengthened, enlightened, and sanctified by the Holy Spirit....
If you do this, you will receive a great blessing from the One who dedicated His whole life to service and who redeemed you. You must have the power of the Holy Spirit or you cannot be overcomers. How precious will be your testimony of warm fellowship with your fellow workers during this precious time as you seek the blessing of God! Let everyone tell their experience in simple words...
Every believer should actively work. His work is a daily struggle. Christ says, "You are my witnesses" (Isaiah 43:10). Think about it, talk about it and act accordingly. Heaven is near. Open the door that leads to Heaven and close the door that leads to the world... Will you hear His voice and open the door to Jesus? Will you love the One who gave His life for you?
Have small groups meet together to study the Scriptures. You won't lose anything from this, but you'll gain a lot. God's angels will be present at your meetings, and by eating the Bread of Life, you will gain spiritual strength, as if you were eating leaves from the tree of life. Only in this way will you be able to maintain your integrity. Loyalty to Jesus Christ will guarantee the most precious reward. Let every soul strive for eternal life, confessing Christ both in spirit and in word. He assures in His word - that with joy, from the bottom of his heart, he will confess you and me before His Heavenly Father. Isn't it worth fighting for? See what you can do personally to stay true to the principle, keep clean at every stage of your life; and you will behold His glory! (Letter 2.3 January 1900, to Sisli's brother and sister).
4 January
Raising the soul
“For as the earth brings forth its plants, and as a garden brings forth what is sown in it, so the Lord God will manifest righteousness and glory before all nations” (Isaiah 61:11).
The living words of God - "Thus it is written" - are the leaves of the tree of life, which people must eat in order to gain eternal life. When we “feast upon” the words of the Lord Jesus Christ, they become eternal life in us. “The words that I speak to you,” He said, “are spirit and life” (John 6:63). The restoring, living stream from Christ heals the wounds of sin.
“In Christ we have found such a friend who bore all our sins and sorrows; What a great privilege to carry everything in prayer to God.”
Whichever way others may follow, each of us personally must work out our own salvation in fear and trembling. Why? Yes, because God produces in us desire and action according to His good pleasure. For Your own glory He is working on the minds and hearts of human beings, which are of great value in His sight, if they only allow Him to do so in them.
When man fell, God began to work to destroy Satan's plans. "You are God's field, God's building" (1 Cor. 3:9). At the very beginning, God commanded man to till the ground, but because of the violation of God's law, this work became much harder. Violating the law, man began to act against his real and eternal good. The earth was cursed because, through disobedience, man made it possible for Satan to sow the seeds of evil in his heart. The soil, which in the beginning only produced good fruit, began to produce thorns, and their growth required a constant struggle with them.
Soil cultivation is a school in which a person can learn spiritual lessons. While cultivating the land, a person should see, like a reflection in a mirror, the work of God on human soul. Divine cultivation brings perfection. If work is done in union with God, then man through Christ will gain victory day by day and be ennobled in the struggle. Through the grace bestowed, he will overcome and be in a privileged position.—Letter 5, January 4, 1900, to Brother Colcord.
5 January
You are the God who sees me
“And there is no creature hidden from him, but everything is naked and open before his eyes: let us give an account to him” (Heb. 4:13).
The victory of truth is possible only if the workers work with a constant consciousness of God's presence. They should always remember that a faithful Witness is watching their every word, every deed at home or among people. Christ must direct every projected work, direct every effort made. At every council, the participants must speak and act as if a veil had been removed, as if they were seeing themselves. problem solvers in the presence of the heavenly universe. And it is an undeniable fact that all heaven is watching the workers. When planning an active fight, do not let your "I" stick out. It must be hidden, completely hidden in Christ....
Whatever can be sifted will be sifted, and whatever cannot be sifted will remain.
The Lord needs our undivided love. If people are not sincere, they will fail on the day of testing and testing. At the very moment when the enemy turns his forces against them, and the battle will seem very hard, when all the power of intellect, ability and all the art of warfare will be needed to repel the enemy, the indecisive ones will turn their weapons against their own soldiers; they will weaken the arms that must be strong to fight. God is testing all who have the knowledge of the truth to see if they can rely on Him to fight the battles of the Lord, at a time when they are under pressure from principalities, powers, the rulers of the darkness of this world, and spirits of wickedness in high places. Perilous times lie ahead of us, and our only safety lies in being filled with the transforming power of God every day—submitting ourselves completely to Him to do His will and live in the light of His countenance (see 1 Pet. 2:9).
Now that we are at the borders of the promised land, let no one repeat the sin of unfaithful spies. They acknowledged that the land they went to was a good land, but they said that the inhabitants of that land were strong - giants, so that they themselves looked like locusts in comparison. All difficulties were exaggerated and seemed to be insurmountable barriers... Thus, by their unbelief, they affected the whole society.—Manuscript 6, January 5, 1893, Work on the Plans of Christ.
6th January
The conflict is over
“For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one iota or one tittle will pass from the law until everything is fulfilled” (Matthew 5:18).
When Christ entered the fight, Satan stood up to Him and began to fight for every inch of territory, using all his power to defeat Him. Much was involved in this struggle, as questions of great importance were being decided. And they were to be answered: “Is God's law imperfect, does it need to be amended or changed? Or is he invincible? Is God's government secure, or does it need to be changed?" — these questions demanded an answer not only to those living in the city of God, but also to the inhabitants of the entire heavenly universe…
From the manger to the cross, Satan persecuted the Son of God. Temptations, like a storm, fell upon Him. But the fiercer the struggle, the more He learned of the temptations to which man is subject, and the better prepared He was to help those who were tempted.
The severity of the trial that Jesus endured was proportionate to the value of what Jesus gained or lost as a result of His success or failure. Not only our world was involved in the struggle. This world was a battlefield, but the result of this conflict had an impact on all the worlds created by God ... Satan sought to create the appearance that he was fighting for the freedom of the universe. Even when Christ was hanging on the cross, the enemy decided to diversify his arguments in such a way, resorting to lies and cunning, that everyone would be convinced that God's law is tyrannical. He thought of every detail, planned every evil deed, aroused every mind to inflict suffering on Christ. He provoked false accusations against the One who did only good. He inspired cruel deeds that deepened the suffering of the Son of God—pure, holy, innocent. By his course of action, Satan has forged a chain by which he himself will be bound. The heavenly universe will bear witness to the justice of God's punishment of Satan. Heaven saw for itself what it would be like if Satan had stayed there...
The inviolability of God's law was proved not only to a few limited creatures of this world, but to all the inhabitants of the heavenly universe... With one accord they glorified God as righteous, merciful, self-sacrificing, and just (Manuscript 1, January 6, 1902, "God's Justice").
Jan. 7
Appreciate the promises
“Not only with visible servility, like people-pleasers, but like servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, serving with zeal, as to the Lord, and not as to men” (Eph. 6:6,7).
Let us, in our life's work, strive continually to conform to Christ's prayer that we may be one with one another and with Him. Before we do anything, let's ask ourselves, “Will this please my Savior? Is it in harmony with the will of God?” The consciousness that we are doing the works of Christ in our Everyday life will give holy dignity to daily labor. Everything we do should be done in good faith, so that the Lord may be glorified by it. In this way we will show the world what Christianity can do for sinful people, continually equipping them with ever greater efficiency for service in this life and preparing them for the higher life in the world to come.—Manuscript 1, January 7, 1904, "The Call."
I praise the Lord! Today I woke up at four o'clock in the morning. This was not an ordinary awakening from a night's sleep. This has been a great blessing to me, for which I am grateful. I was weighed down with a heavy burden as I thought about the spiritual condition of God's people, who had lost the privileges of their exalted position. I lay awake and begged my heavenly Savior to come to our aid and raise up messengers who would carry the message with determination and to the point. “Thy word is truth” (John 17:17). I long for physical strength and strength, so that my mouth speaks from the fullness of the heart, moved by the Holy Spirit.
Often in the night vision, I turn to large groups and repeatedly cry out: “So if you have risen with Christ, then look for things above, where Christ sits at the right hand of God; think of the things above, and not of the things of the earth. For you are dead, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory” (Col. 3:1-4).
What a generous promise to us! Let us show that we value such promises and work in harmony with them, so that we may at least be zealous and grateful for such an assurance. To show that we are seeking the things above is what is necessary for our good and the good of all with whom we shall associate in the course of our work.—Manuscript 173, January 7, 1905, diary.
January 8
Christian humility
“Draw close to God, and he will draw near to you; cleanse your hands, you sinners; correct your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:8).
The Lord is patient with people, and when they are determined to follow their own judgment, He allows them to do so. I have seen the weakness and ignorance of fallen man, even in his best condition. When a person plunges deeper into his studies, improving in the ability to comprehend the will of God and His ways, he begins to better understand his own ignorance, thereby showing that he has made clear progress compared to the beginning of the Christian path.
The closer a Christian lives to the Lord, the more his mind is filled with divine enlightenment. He feels his own insignificance more sharply, sees the shortcomings of his character, as well as his duty in the light in which God presents him. The closer he is to Jesus, the more noticeable and tangible for him are his own flaws, which he had not noticed before. He sees the need to humble himself under the mighty hand of God. If his exaltation takes place, he does not exalt and exalt himself, but the Lord exalts him. While fixing his eyes on the purity and perfection of Christ Jesus, recognizing and obeying God's ways, he does not close his eyes to his own shortcomings and imperfections. God reveals to him the intentions and aspirations of his heart, even if from the outside his behavior looks perfect and irreproachable.
Christian humility is a wonderful quality, a true remedy for the apostasy of Satan, who harbors ungodly ambitions and all sorts of deceptions that he is capable of. The gift of humility in Christ Jesus will cause imperfect man to see his shortcomings and prepare for the inheritance of the saints in the light, where God will be all and in all....
Has not the Lord reproved your ways?.. You should entrust your abilities to God so that He will greatly improve them and make them more effective. Then His righteousness will go before you, and His glory will be your reward. “Without Me,” says Christ, “you can do nothing” (John 15:5). If you disregard God's counsel, you will be in danger.—Letter 21c, January 8, 1892.
January 9
fine clothes
“Arise, arise, put on your strength, Zion! Put on the clothes of your majesty, Jerusalem, holy city! (Isaiah 53:1).
That night I…experienced the same thing I did in Salamanca, New York, two years ago. When I woke up, it seemed that I was surrounded by light, and the room was filled with heavenly angels. The Spirit of God was upon me and my heart was full. Oh, what love burned in my heart! I exclaimed loudly, “Lord Jesus, I love You! You know I love you! My Heavenly Father, I praise You with all my heart. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). “The path of the righteous is like a radiant light, which shines more and more until full day” (Prov. 4:18). Jesus, my Redeemer, Representative of the Father, I trust You."
My world was like a river. It seemed to me that I was alone with God in blessed communion with Him both in a dream and in reality. What a high and holy privilege is bestowed upon me in the love of Jesus, His life and care!...
Oh, why don't the Church of Christ rise up and put on their fine garments! Why doesn't she shine? Christianity is so weak mainly because those who profess to believe in the truth know very little of Christ and underestimate what He can become for them and what they can be for Him. We possess the most solemn and important truths ever given to mortals.
If our words, thoughts, actions were more pure and sublime, if they were more in line with the holy faith that we profess, we would look at our duties in a completely different light. How serious and sacred they would appear! We would have a deeper sense of our duty and would strive to perfect holiness in the fear of God. The earthly, the temporal would be subject to the heavenly and the eternal...
I am so grateful to God for the blessed opportunity to communicate with Him at any time! I feel highly honoured. All I ask is that the Lord, in His great mercy, love, and goodness, give me the strength to be fit in His service.—Letter 20a, January 9, 1893, to Captain S. Eldridge.
January 10
Remedy for apathy
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jews, then to the Greeks” (Rom. 1:16).
There is no flaw in God's plan for saving people. If the gospel is not the power of God for the salvation of every soul, it is not because there is a defect in the gospel, but because people do not truly believe. They don't truly accept the grace and righteousness of Christ... The pretended believers don't accept Christ as their personal Savior, but follow Jesus from afar. The lack of personal spirituality is due to the fact that they were not brought up in these vital principles.
Another reason for the apathy and indifference in our churches is that the younger members have not been trained to labor as good soldiers in the army of Christ....
Many have accepted the truth without digging deep to understand its basic principles, and when resistance is raised against it, they forget the arguments and evidence that would support them. All should be persuaded that true and enduring knowledge can only be obtained through earnest labor and unremitting effort. If the minds of men were disciplined through the study of the Holy Scriptures, there would be hundreds converted to the truth where today there is only one...
Many are as ignorant as the Gentiles of the way in which a sinner can come to God and be justified before Him. They have no excuse for their ignorance, for the inspired word says, "The revelation of thy words enlightens, gives understanding to the simple" (Ps. 119:130). “The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord” (Prov. 9:10)…
Spiritual life that is not based on Christ, and only on Christ, is of no value.... People of intellectual ability need to hear a clear, scripturally based presentation of the plan of salvation. Let truth in simplicity and power be presented to them. Unless it captures their attention and arouses their interest, they can never be interested in the celestial and the Divine. In every community there are dissatisfied souls. Every Sabbath they want to hear something specific that tells them how they can be saved and how they can become Christians. It is important for them to know: how can a sinner be justified before God? (Letter 23a, January 10, 1893, to Brother E. H. Gates).
January 11
First reconciliation
“So if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go, first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift” (Matt. 5:23,24).
If our duty is clearly stated, why is it that many church members act contrary to the clear “Thus saith the Lord” and speak of their difficulties to people who know nothing about them or the people they are in contact with? difficult relationship? Jesus, the great Teacher, told us what our duty is. Our gifts, our prayers are not accepted by God as long as we leave our duty unfulfilled and allow the poison of envy, evil suspicions, jealousy to dominate our souls and destroy unity and happiness. Oh, how much trouble could be avoided and how many evil thoughts could be suppressed, if believers would take up the work that Christ entrusted to them, and would not allow wicked thoughts and evil words.
A few words of explanation could completely change the views of those who were in a quarrel, harboring bitter feelings. We cannot fulfill the law of God until we put all differences out of our minds, until we submit to the Spirit of Christ and let Him soften our hearts. Our prayers are hindered by our proud hearts, our refusal to confess faults and remove misconceptions.
We need to do everything in our power to remove any stumbling block that lies at the feet of our neighbor or our brother. My son [Edson], make every concession you can. Do not harbor in your suffering mind the false notion that steps of humility and gentleness will harm you. Satan is sure to approach the one who thinks in this way with the temptation to exaggerate everything and make an elephant out of a fly. A person who is easily pissed off by offended feelings will conjure up all sorts of erroneous views.
The Lord Jesus gave specific instructions as to what each of His "little children" should do. When we pray, “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors,” are we fulfilling our duty to answer this prayer?.. If our brother has anything against us, we must leave on the altar the gift that we offered to God and reconcile with our brother. Then we can come and offer our gift. This is the only way by which we can keep the peace of God in our hearts.—Letter January 1, 11, 1903, to Edson White.
January 12
Don't sleep in the service
"Son of man! I have made you the guardian of the house of Israel, and you will hear the word from my mouth, and you will instruct them from me” (Ezekiel 3:17).
God has entrusted each of us with a task. He requires you to be not only faithful watchmen, but conscientious workers. Never become indifferent, indifferent, passive; never sleep at your post and always perform the duties entrusted to you in accordance with your position.
There is a need for zeal, diligence, as well as serious effort, deep interest and unwavering fidelity. Filled with a sense of duty, you should be ready to take up the work. We don't know how much more time we have to work. This is the mystery of God, hidden for our own good. But no matter how much time remains, we will use it as people who are obliged to give an account. Think seriously, and in the light of eternity, how much more needs to be done in our world to awaken the careless, the careless, and the ignorant to know the laws of God, to feel the need to obey those laws for their own good and for the glory of God. For sin brings not only great disasters, but leads to the loss of life in this world and the loss of eternal life in the world to come. You must carefully consider this issue and realize that the happiness or grief of people largely depends on you.
Loyalty on your part can save many souls, while negligence and heedlessness can lead to the loss of your fellow men in the present and future lives. By your faithfulness, by your conscientious performance of your duty, you can prevent many troubles and transgressions of God's law... We must rise as one, and clothed with God's power, open our hearts to the demands of the present time.
Call upon God in faith so that He may pour out His light and His grace through the channels He has ordained for the benefit of those who suffer from lack of knowledge. As you pray and watch, making earnest efforts to suppress evil and stand guard against corruption and modern error, hold fast in living faith to the power you can wield that will bless your labors. You may gain light, knowledge, and power, and your influence will spread.... Any responsibility will temper and strengthen you for new struggle and successful work.—Letter 4a, January 12, 1879, to two young doctors at the Battle Creek Sanitarium.
13th of January
heaven's representative
“Finally, be all of one mind, compassionate, brotherly love, merciful, friendly, humble” (1 Pet. 3:8).
There is a great need to cultivate tenderness and gentleness in oneself. No one should be ashamed to show a tender, compassionate spirit to the erring. He who thinks he is free from error is far from standing without blemish before God. No one should think that showing compassion is something to be ashamed of...
When a crisis occurs in the life of a person, and another tries to give him advice, the personal example of the giver of advice and the spirit in which he is filled will have great importance whether this advice will have a beneficial effect. Consistent living, showing a sincere Christlike interest in a soul in danger, will give power of conviction to the council and set on a safe path. The one who is quick to condemn others, who inflicts acute pain and insult on an already wounded soul with a word, does the work of Satan and is the assistant of the prince of darkness...
Let tempted and tried souls remember, when punishment comes upon them, that the Lord will save them from death. Let souls who are under rebuke remember the words, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten” (Rev. 3:19).
A person filled with the Spirit of Christ will watch over souls as one who must give an account for them. Christ is counting on us, and we must understand our duty and act in the fear of God, fixing our eyes on His glory, and not be unfaithful. Don't let selfish thoughts and natural feelings keep you silent. Speak up, don't be afraid. With a heart full of tenderness and love for souls, warn, exhort, plead.
Never stop working for a person as long as one ray of hope remains. Your words can hurt the soul. Be careful and wrap your words in the love and tenderness of Jesus. Soften every rebuke with love and sympathy... As you treat people, as you judge others, so the Lord will judge you and deal with you. Let the worker who calls himself a child of God put into practice the lessons of Christ. If he was forced to hurt, let him consider it his duty and duty to heal. The truth must always be spoken in love, with the Spirit of Christ in the soul (Letter 70, January 13, 1894, "To Dear Brethren in Positions of Responsibility in the Review and Herald").
January 14
You asked?
“The Lord is good to those who hope in Him, to the soul that seeks Him. It is good for him who waits patiently for salvation from the Lord” (Lamentations Jer. 3:25,26).
The Lord wants us to ask for what we can receive. Heavenly messengers await sincere requests, and they approach the hungry, thirsty soul. Aspire to the Lord with all your soul, trust in the Lord. The heavenly messengers will pour their oil through golden tubes into golden vessels for the enlightenment of others. If you ask in faith, you will receive. Never, never be deprived of the golden oil, for it will not let your lamps go out.
Believe that you will receive what you ask for, you will certainly receive. Come with a humble heart, trusting in the promise. Then trust that you receive what you ask for. The name, the all-conquering name of our Savior, is our guarantee and our boldness. God reveals Himself to us as the One who hears prayers. Keep in touch with God so that you can have the witness of the Spirit that you are among His chosen ones, faithful and trusting in Him.
Never let Satan discourage you. Trust not in M_______, but trust in God. Pray, cultivate humility and meekness, and trust the preservation of your soul to God. In everything you do, rely on the Holy Spirit, for He is our strength and guarantee of success, j The Lord always brings us up through difficulties. Pray, pray, be persistent in prayer. In prayer, lay everything on God: your problems in business, disappointments, your joys and fears.
Do this, and you will be aware of God's presence, then joy and gratitude will flow abundantly from your heart and lips in loud praise. Your heart will soften and a song to God will sound in your soul ...
Strive for a lofty ideal, do not engage in empty talk, but let words about the love of Jesus flow from the soul through the mouth.
Let us always be serious and reverent, in contact with the Word of God. Properly used, our oratory talent, vocal talent, and other abilities given to us for polishing and development have eternal consequences. Our speech should be pure and our manner of speaking holiness as we draw near to God and He draws near to us (Letter 166, January 14, 1897, to a couple of co-workers).
January 15
Promised Help
“Is not my word like fire, says the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks rock?” (Jer. 23:29).
The Lord desires that His children faithfully fulfill their duty and through Christ the Peacemaker be at peace with one another. When Christ dwells in the heart, all human faculties work in unity and harmony. The intelligence of the human person, his attachments, his knowledge of how to do his job, all work together. Like a king on a throne, the mind controls the working mechanism.
Perhaps the building of your character will require much work, for you are a rough stone that must be hewn and polished before it can take its rightful place in God's temple. Don't be surprised if God's hammer and chisel cuts away the flaws in your character until you are ready to take the place He has meant for you. No man can do this work, only God can do it. And rest assured that He will not strike useless blows. Each of His blows is delivered with love for your own eternal good and happiness. He knows your infirmities and works to restore, not to destroy.
Why do we turn away from divine wisdom and turn towards human wisdom? God sees how we dishonor Him. He knows that man alone will not find comfort in his grief, and He has pity on us because we are in dire need. Yet we are not ready to trust the Lord to give Him our burden. He sees that people are neglecting the love and mercy that is offered to them, and he says with sorrow: "You do not want to come to Me that you may have life" (John 5:40).
By our distrust, we offend the One who has done so much for us. He never neglects those who come to Him. About the poor, weak soul, tired of relying only on man and as a result of this becoming a victim of betrayal and loneliness, Christ says: “Will he resort to My protection and make peace with Me? then let him make peace with me” (Isaiah 27:5).
Christ desires to say to His people, as He said to Israel of old: “And your glory swept through the nations because of your beauty, because it was completely perfect in that magnificent garment that I put on you, says the Lord God” (Ezek. 16: 14) (Manuscript 5, January 15, 1901, "Real Help").
January 16
Source of power in the universe
“Do not be afraid, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, and I will help you, and I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness” (Isaiah 41:10).
Jesus Christ is the greatest teacher in the world. The blessed proof of this I have experienced and verified for myself. He has made me His messenger to communicate great spiritual truths to many thousands... How much I desire to present His teachings in such a way that many people will be drawn to Him. I have never doubted His leading, and I know that I am supported by the One who commanded His disciples to go and proclaim the gospel message, “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
Since 1844 I have been working with people. The Lord has always strengthened me. I am aware that I am endowed with power from above, giving me physical, mental and spiritual strength. I am quite sure that Christ gives me His sustaining grace and witness that He is the light of the world. I acknowledge His power and desire to do all I can for Him as long as I live. On this day, I want in perfect hope to entrust my soul to God for safekeeping. When my work is done, I will retire. Sleeping in Jesus is not terrible for me. On the morning of resurrection I will see Him as He is...
Let us be convinced that our souls are right before God and that the Lord can teach us, guide us, and reveal His will to us. Please think about it. Let's talk a lot with God in prayer. The Lord is our Helper, Strength and Fortress. If we walk humbly with God, if we fear Him and glorify His name, then He will dwell in our thoughts and hearts, and we will become like His image. Let us humbly search our hearts and acquire the wisdom that only God can bestow.
Let us remember that doubts are dangerous. If nurtured, they will lead to unbelief... One thing our people need now is the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Stop arguing, put aside differences and enmity and seek the answer to the prayer recorded in the seventeenth chapter of the Gospel of John. I implore you to pray, to pray with heart, soul and voice (Letter 58, January 16, 1906, to Brothers Washburn, Prescott, Daniels, Colcord).
January 17
Measure of Christianity
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its potency, how will you make it salty? She is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out to be trampled by people” (Matt. 5:13).
Those placed in positions of responsibility should have power, but they should never use that power to withhold help from the needy and the helpless. It should never be used to disappoint or discourage a suffering soul. Let those who are entrusted with important offices always remember that God expects them to carry out the purposes of Christ....
True godliness is measured by the service done. Neither confession nor position, but a character like that of Christ, which we reflect, is proof that God sent His Son into the world. Those who bear the name of Christ, but do not do as Christ would have done in their place, do much harm to the cause of God. They misrepresent their Savior and stand under false banners.
The true disciple, in whom Christ dwells, shows the world how Christ loves people. He is God's helping hand. The light of spiritual health permeates his whole being when he receives grace from the Savior to pass it on to others...
Pure and undefiled religion is not a feeling, but works of love and mercy. Such a religion is necessary for health and happiness. She enters the defiled temple of the soul and drives out sinful evil spirits from it with a whip. Having taken the throne, she sanctifies everything with her presence, illuminating the heart with the bright rays of the Sun of Righteousness. It opens the windows of the soul to Heaven, letting in the radiance of God's love. With it comes peace and tranquility. Physical, mental, and moral faculties are strengthened because the soul is filled with the living and active power of the atmosphere of Heaven...
If Christians do not reveal Christ to the world, what is their value? Are they not likened to tasteless salt, “good for nothing”? But when they manifest in their lives the saving power of the truth, poor souls hardened by sin are not left to perish in wickedness. Good works are visible, for the living principles of righteousness cannot be hidden. The impact of the gospel is like salt that has a taste. It is a mighty power for the salvation of souls (Letter 7, January 17, 1901, "To the Brethren in Positions of Responsibility").
January 18
Do what you can
“The gifts are different, but the Spirit is the same, and the ministries are different, but the Lord is the same; and the actions are different, but God is one and the same, working everything in everyone” (1 Cor. 12:4-6).
It is not always the people who clearly possess the greatest abilities who are the most successful in this or that work. The Lord uses less gifted people. They may not be eloquent, but if they are connected with God, He will richly bless them. Their simple, understood words, coming straight from the heart, are of great value and dear to the Lord.
Let not those who are connected with the service of the Lord hope that men of great ability will do their work for them. God supports those who love Him above all else. Let every worker rely on His strength, and He will work on the hearts of those for whom this worker labors. A sincere, humble worker who realizes that success does not depend on external circumstances, but on the One who gave him the commission, can do much good ...
God wants His ministry to be varied. Let the people go out to work, trusting in the Lord, and He will go with them, convincing and converting souls. One worker may speak well, another may write well, a third may have the gift of sincere, fervent prayer, and a fourth may have the gift of singing. Some have a special gift for explaining the Word of God clearly. And each gift must become the power of God as God works with man. To one God gives the word of wisdom, to another knowledge, to another faith. But all must work under one Head. Differences in gifts lead to different kinds of ministry, "and God is one and the same, working all things in all" (1 Cor. 12:6).
Let no one neglect the lesser gift, let all enter into service. No one should fold their hands in disbelief, thinking that they cannot do a great job. Stop looking at yourself. Look to your Leader. Do what you can sincerely, meekly, with love...
God will certainly bless sincere workers. If the Lord chooses your feet to work, give your feet to Him. As you move about in the city, you can search for souls.—Letter 1, January 18, 1903, to the Haskells, city evangelists.
January 19
Live for today
"People! trust in Him at all times; pour out your heart before him: God is our refuge” (Ps. 61:9).
What a great privilege has been given to us—sinful, mortal men—the privilege of talking to God! Being in solitude, walking down the street, doing business, we can lift up our hearts to God, asking for advice, and our souls reach out to God, the fragrance of heaven. God will hear all the aspirations of our soul. We can take all our sorrows to God. With infinite love, God moves his hand to provide for our needs. How grateful I am that we have today to live! Today is the day to keep and strengthen our souls, today is the day to stay awake, today is the day to move forward in spiritual life, and only in this way can the days of our life become fruitful and precious to us.
We are obliged to perform military duty, to win victories, for we are not ignorant of the plans of Satan. We pray and watch so that Satan does not sneak up on us and make us forget the need for prayer, our need to watch and be sober.
If you do not watch your enemy and yourself vigilantly in the Christian war, you will surely fall into the net of Satan. Our safety depends on the condition of our heart. God helps us to be mindful of ourselves, otherwise we will definitely lose heaven. A little deviation from the truth, a little indulgence seems like a trifle in the present, but Satan will constantly lead us into a path that will separate us from righteousness and from God. We don't need our ways, but God's ways. We need to fight with all the strength of our being to crush Satan under our feet and be sure that we are right before God, that we have every right to our incorruptible heritage.
We may have to go through a process of purification before we come to humble submission and a willingness to be led and controlled by the will of God. We need humble and trusting childish hope, meekness, humility, not self-confidence, but uncomplaining trust in Jesus. What character traits do we cultivate? What will be as durable as eternity? Are we not completely consumed by vanity when our souls are deprived of blessings and our Heavenly Father is not glorified? Eternal life is worth a lifetime of persistent, relentless effort, and we cannot afford to act rashly. When it comes to the highest good of our souls, we cannot afford to keep Jesus in outer courts, away from our souls (Letter 81, January 19, 1887, to Edson and Emma White).
January 20th
Heaven is on my side
“The lamp for the body is the eye. So if your eye is clean, your whole body will be bright” (Matt. 6:22).
Satan is currently busy with deceit and blaming. The Lord calls him the accuser of the brethren, who does this day and night. Satan has long mastered the art of finding fault, and he will train anyone he can use in this work. He managed to deceive many and direct blinded people on his paths.
The earth is dominated by the devil. His throne is in the midst of the world, where God's throne should be visible. The church takes care of him, because the church has conformed to the world and lives in transgression of God's holy law.
Christ gave Himself to redeem man from the power of the destroyer. Bearing sin upon Himself, He destroyed the power of Satan. He proclaims, "I shall be the Center of the redeemed world"...
“I will set in motion,” says God, “all the powers of heaven to resist the hordes of the invisible enemy and destroy his power. The eternal mediation of the Holy Spirit will free man from the influence of sin and restore in him the image of God.”
The Lord will not allow His treasure — people, together with Christ, their Head, to go to battle with Satan without making every effort to protect them. Their only hope is keeping the commandments of God. This good news which has been proclaimed up to our time. Christ sends an invitation to all: “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest; take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls; for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30). For centuries, this invitation to "come, all you weary and weary" has been heard clearly over a world of confusion and sorrow. God will not allow a man to perish who lives according to his own will and goes his own way without making a determined effort to save him. The purpose of Christ's ministry, the extent of His far-reaching mercy and power, is limitless (Letter 78, January 20, 1900, to Brother and Sister Heismer).
January 21
The brightest and best
“And until your old age I will be the same, and until your gray hair I will carry [you]; I created and will carry, support and protect you” (Isaiah 46:4).
I wish with all my heart that in old age we, who have known the truth for a very long time, become softer in soul and our methods of service, so that we understand the simple, but important and deep truths of the third angel's message, and that we accept these truths in the love of God and pass on them to others...
Put on Christ every day. Keep your hope firm to the end. The Lord has not abandoned you. He wants you to grow in grace, in the ability to help people. If you are interested in them, then you must speak directly and to the point, and stop before you realize that you have gone off topic.
It is intolerable to me that any of our elderly believers should lose their influence and skill. The Lord wants you to cooperate with Him by doing your best. If you willingly join Him in this work, your last days will be the brightest and best ...
Open the windows of your soul to Heaven and close them to the earthly. Let the rays of the Sun of Righteousness illuminate the corners of your heart. Cultivating the meekness and humility of Christ, bearing His yoke and His burden is the lesson you need, and it concerns you and those with whom you come into contact. Cultivate heavenly virtues. Cleanse your soul from all filth. Prepare to be a member of the royal family.
Teachings from the Word of God, resounding right in the midst of the building work, will soften the hearts of the laborers with grace and help them do the work. When the Lord influences their minds, they will receive precious thoughts from one another. Angels of God are present on the grounds of the sanitarium [in Sydney]. Let the workers speak words that will be a blessing to those around them. Do your ministry, brother, in love and truth. Believe in the Holy Scriptures as the Word of the Living God (Letter 11, January 21, 1901, to Dr. M. G. Kellogg, working in Australia).
January 22
Look at the Sample
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Ps. 119:105).
The worker of God is not left without an example. He is given an example, following which he will become a spectacle for the world, angels and people. He is commanded to glorify God by carrying out selfless purposes and intentions. The Lord understands the nature of man, and He holds before him the laws of the Kingdom of Heaven, which man must respect and obey. God puts the Bible in His hands as a guidebook that will show him what the truth is and what he must do to inherit eternal life. This book directs attention away from temporal interests and toward spiritual realities. She tells a man, albeit fallen and sinful, that he can become a prince and king in heavenly abodes, an heir of God and a joint heir with Christ.
God sees how strong is the human inclination to hoard earthly treasures, and along the roads and paths His voice sounds: “For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his soul?” (Mark 8:36). “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up treasures for yourselves in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and do not steal, for where your treasure is, there your heart will also be” (Mark 6:19-21).
God's messengers are entrusted with the same work that Christ did on earth. They must consecrate themselves to all the kinds of service that He has done. With all seriousness and sincerity, they should tell people about the unsearchable riches and incorruptible treasures of Heaven. They must be filled with the Holy Spirit, they must repeat the heavenly offerings of peace and forgiveness, and, pointing to the gates of God's city, say: "Blessed are those who keep His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life and enter the city through the gates" (Rev. 22:14)…
He expects everyone to work for Him according to their ability. Man's activities must not be suppressed, they must be sanctified and rightly directed.—Manuscript 27, Jan. 22, 1907, "The New England Sanitarium."
January 23
Heavenly Dividends
“Give those who fear You a standard to lift it up for the sake of the truth” (Ps. 59:6).
See that the truth is written on your banner at all times and in all places...
The Jews, as a nation, refused to accept Christ. He led them on their wanderings like an invisible, infinitely great Leader. He revealed His will to them, but when tested they rejected Him—their only hope and their only salvation—and then God rejected them. “But to those who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave power to become children of God” (John 1:12). To those who accept and obey these conditions, God's gifts flow continually, without reproach or reminder. God bestows His gifts on man to use them not in accordance with hereditary or invented ideas, not in accordance with natural impulses and inclinations, but according to His will ...
Those who feared God had to think for themselves, and not live in someone else's mind. Their minds were no longer to be chained to erroneous rules, ideas, and doctrines. Ignorance and vice, crime and violence, oppression had to be revealed through the upper world. The light of life has come into this world to shine in the midst of moral darkness. Now the gospel will be proclaimed among the poor and oppressed. People who occupy a lowly position in society will be given the opportunity to understand what real qualities are needed to enter the Kingdom of God.
And today, people of low standing must take their place, obeying the command: "Go." By faith they must meet the difficulties, heedless of the strife and chatter of unbelieving tongues. They must move forward from success to success, always praying and exercising such faith that prayer does not go unanswered....
God has many resources! But of all who are willing to work in accordance with God's plans, these words are spoken: "You are God's field, God's building" (1 Cor. 3:9). God's servants must move forward so that no gift is lost. They must always be on guard, and when the hour of God comes, the rod will blossom. No one knows what kind of work awaits them, but God's servants are able to understand the ways and will of their Leader and should be ready for action. (Letter 8, January 23, 1899, to Dr. J. H. Kellogg, Chief Physician of the Battle Creek Sanitarium ).
January 24
Perfect in Him
“Be perfect therefore, even as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).
God requires moral perfection. Those who are given light and opportunity should, as God's servants, strive for perfection and never for a lesser standard of righteousness adjusted to inherited and acquired inclinations to evil. Christ took upon Himself our human nature and lived our life to show us that we, like Him, can be partakers of the divine nature. We can be holy, as God was holy in human nature. Then why are there so many people with a difficult character in the world? Because they do not suspect that their unpleasant manner of actions, rough, impolite speech, are the fruit of an evil heart.
The fragrance of our love for our neighbor reveals our love for God, and patient service brings peace to the soul. The prosperity of Israel is promoted by diligent, humble, conscientious workers. God supports and strengthens those who are ready to learn the way of Christ...
In Him, marvelous in counsel and great in deeds, is the source of all intelligent inventions and improvements. Whatever we do, whatever branch of work we labor in, God desires to purify and ennoble us. He desires to control the mind of man so that he can do his work perfectly.
The skillful touch of the doctor's hand on the nerves and muscles, his healing power, the knowledge of the delicate mechanism of the human body, used for the benefit of suffering humanity - all come from Divine wisdom and power. The art with which the carpenter works with his tool, the power with which the blacksmith strikes the anvil, all come from God. He has endowed man with abilities, and He expects people to turn to Him for advice. Therefore, they can make the best use of His gifts by testifying to God's glory and that they are His co-workers. In this way they purify their souls by means of the truth in sanctification from the Spirit. In their lives the words of Christ are being fulfilled, that pure in heart God will be seen (Matt. 5:8).
All should feel that they are working for one great purpose. Work in every industry God's work and those who do it carefully, without gross errors, represent God's perfection (Letter 9, January 24, 1899, to an important position in the General Conference).
The 25th of January
God's flag
“It is as if someone, going on a journey and leaving his house, gave authority to his servants and to each his own work, and commanded the gatekeeper to watch” (Mark 13:34).
We have a great work to do. We did not invent and plan it. All Heaven is interested in this work, and those who are engaged in it should stand under the blood-stained banner of Prince Emmanuel. God wants us to stand with our faces forward, watching our Leader's every move, ready to carry out His commands. To each person He entrusted His work. God has given human beings faculties which should not be wasted in idle contemplation and impulsive emotions, but should be used in decisive action. Our faculties should not be absorbed in something abstract or used in idle fuss. In the outer world, everything is excited by the power from the underworld. Those who know the truth must draw inspiration from God Himself. The lamps of the soul must be adjusted and lit.
The work we do is the least likely to exhaust us. We are debilitated by sin, which intrudes into all activities. By God's design, work should be nothing less than a blessing. There can never be happiness without doing something. The man did not have dark, judgmental thoughts before sin entered, his companionship was not a burden. He could contemplate the whole of nature, while receiving abundant blessings. But the vile trace of the serpent left its mark of suffering in a hardened conscience. Labor itself does not bring suffering, but the strength of the mind and body is exhausted when a person does not know the measure in lawful labor. And yet a life of the hardest work brings more happiness than a life of idleness.
The word of God is clear and definite about work. No person who turns to God can be anything but a worker...
Today is the last invitation to the Supper. The lamp of the soul, replenished with holy oil (see Zech. 4:11-14), must be adjusted and lit. In the name of the Lord, let every soul turn away from iniquity, lest the day of the Lord find them as thiefs. The truth must be proclaimed clearly, distinctly, but always as it is in Jesus (Letter 11, January 25, 1889, "Dear Brethren").
January 26
Sky pass
“For our short-term light suffering produces eternal glory in immeasurable excess, when we look not at the visible, but at the invisible: for the visible is temporary, but the invisible is eternal” (2 Eph. 4:17,18).
I'm talking to you and your children. I sympathize with you on your loss. If I were near you, I could say words of consolation, but I am not with you now. I can only let you know through a letter that I am with you in your grief...
We live in the evening time of earth's history and can bury our dead, knowing that they are hidden for a little while until the wrath passes. We need not weep for them as having no hope, for their life is hidden with Christ in God. We have every reason to be happy...
The difficulties experienced by people who put on Christ and keep His commandments are not planned by Christ. “If anyone wants to follow Me,” He says, “deny yourself, and take up your cross, and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24). The duty of intelligent believers is to hold on to the truth and practice the virtues. We were born with a reluctance to have both. It is sad to find in oneself resistance to the virtues approved in the sight of God, such as humility, benevolence, good nature and patience that does not get irritated. Tell yourself, dear children: I am weak, but Christ is my strength, He put me in the service. The Leader I serve commands me to be victorious...
May the misfortune that befell your family be your blessing. Our dear sister, your mother, loved Jesus. Her struggle is already over, and you must remember that she calmed down in hope. “When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory” (Col. 3:4). May the peace and comfort of the Holy Spirit descend into your souls. Open the door of your hearts so that Jesus can enter there as a welcome guest, and you will have a Comforter. “This is my commandment, that you love one another” (John 15:12). Let the hearts of the living attract each other, let each be a blessing to the other, and not a hindrance ...
Let us prepare for the coming of the Son of Man, let us remain faithful to God, and we will receive the crown of life (Letter 10,26 January 1898, to Brother Hea).
January 27
Keep up
“I beseech you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak one thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in one spirit and in one mind” (1 Cor. 1:10).
Last night I felt like I was standing in front of a large number of people who were not united among themselves. One wanted to step back, the other wanted to move forward. They were not in agreement with each other. I saw the heavenly messenger appear before them, and I heard him say, “Line up! No one fights a battle on their own orders. The Lord, who is above all, says: “Line up!”
After that, I couldn't sleep again. I wondered if the brethren in this congregation had lined up. Very often it is difficult for a large group of workers to come to an agreement with each other, but each must line up and take his assigned place. May God help His servants to do this is my prayer.
While some may go their own way for a time, there is an opportunity for them to return and be in line. The Lord sees no good in His children allowing themselves to do as they please and refusing to join their brethren who look at some problem a little differently than they do.
There are those who are not ready to respond to the invitation to leave their way and walk in harmony with God's way. They prefer to follow their choice. Those who choose to do so have the opportunity to follow their own unlit path, but the end of such a path is sorrow and destruction.
The Lord has ordained people whom He will use in His work as long as they allow to be used in His favor. He will never be able to use a person who seeks to humiliate someone. Brethren, humble yourselves. Then the holy angels will be able to communicate with you and put you in a privileged position. Then your experience will not be miserable, but filled with happiness. Try to behave in harmony with God's commands, and then you will be receptive to the influence of the Holy Spirit.
The Lord is coming! The end of everything is not far off. There is but little time left to develop character.—Manuscript 47, Jan. 27, 1910, Line Up.
28 January
Lord, You know everything!
“For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spirits of wickedness in high places” (Eph. 6:12).
After starting the meeting at the biennial session of the Pacific Union Conference, I had a strange experience. One day, after speaking before a conference, about a matter that concerned you (conference workers), I felt a heaviness in my soul, which continued to weigh on me after I returned to my room, and I experienced a headache. That night it seemed like I wouldn't be able to sleep at all. It seemed that in the room where I was, evil angels were present. It seemed to me that in addition to the headache, my whole body was in great pain: my right arm, which had been guarded by me for years from illness and suffering, hung like a whip, and I could not lift it. Then I felt a very sharp and excruciating pain in my ear, and then my jaw hurt terribly. It felt like I was about to scream in pain. But I just said, "Lord, You know all about it."
An unbearable agony seized me, suffering seized my brain and every part of my body. At times I got up and thought: “I won’t lie here for a minute longer,” but then another thought came: “You will only wake up those who are in this house, and they will not be able to help you.” And then I kept looking at the Lord and saying, “Lord, You know all about this pain.” Suffering continued in the jaw, then in the head, then in another part of the body until almost dawn. Just before sunrise, I slept for about an hour.
This morning my hand is fine. There were legions of evil angels in that room, and if I had not held on by faith to the Lord, I don’t know what would have become of me…
I can't describe the satanic forces that were at work in this room... But after speaking to you the next morning, the pain was gone.
Light has been given to me that unless we have clear evidence of the presence of the Spirit of God and greater manifestations of God's power among us, many of God's people will be defeated. Then the satanic forces will approach, as they approached me. But we cannot afford to be swayed by enemy power.—Manuscript 23, January 28, 1910, "Address to the Workers Assembled at the Pacific Union Conference."
January 29
Christian rest
“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29).
You [Addie Walling] are to me what my own child is. I have been a mother for many years when you were only six years old and you entered my life, became a part of me. If you are in trouble, if you are in need, if you are in need of funds, I expect you to come to me as to your mother.
I hope that the purpose of your adoption by me will come true, and I will see you both as useful women, children of God, forming character for the mansions that Jesus has gone to prepare for those who love Him. I really want you to make this the goal, the aspiration of your whole life. Character building is the most important work. It does not end in this life and affects the future life. What you achieve through the merits and grace of Christ will endure through the ages, and I very much hope that your standard will not be low. “Learn from Me,” says the great Teacher, “for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” The peace that Christ gives never brings sadness...
Be sober, watch in prayer, be critical of yourself, and do serious work. Be sincere, always aware that you are in the presence of God and the holy angels, that the Lord should be pleased, honored and glorified ...
Addie, make it your goal to be a noble woman, a true Christian. Have the truth in your heart. I want you to realize how precious the Savior's love is. If Jesus, the hope of glory, dwells in you, you will truly reveal Christ by talking about Him. If His peace is in your heart, you will definitely express it in your words and actions. Be humble and true to yourself, do not be hasty in words, but keep yourself modest. Never boast of yourself, but think and speak less and less about yourself, and place all your burden on Jesus. May the Lord help you achieve eternal life...
Much love, your Aunt Helena (Letter 92, January 29, 1886, to Addie Walling, daughter of Ellen White's niece, whom she took into her home with her sister May).
January 30
Your case is not hopeless
“This is whom I will look to: the humble and contrite in spirit, and the one who trembles at my word” (Isaiah 66:2).
You were shown to me in despair and doubt. Christ spoke to you the words He spoke to Peter: "Satan asked to sow you like wheat, but I prayed for you that your faith would not fail" (Luke 22:21, 32). I bring you good news: Jesus loves you, storm-tossed soul. You were not shipwrecked in faith, even though Satan tried to make you believe it. Look and live, go to Christ as you are. Accept Him as your personal Savior.
You made mistakes, but not intentionally - you were carried away by temptation. Possession of a huge amount of funds has intoxicated your mind and perverted your judgment. You have not understood how to use the means wisely for the glory of God. My brother, although you have not shown all the wisdom that you could and should have shown, God accepts everything that you have done, desiring to glorify Him ...
These are the words I have been commissioned to convey to you: “Therefore he must be made like the brethren in all things, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God, to be a propitiation for the sins of the people” (Heb. 2:17) through atonement. The penitent sinner must believe in Christ as his personal Savior. This is his only hope. He can rely on the merits of the blood of Christ, presenting to God the crucified and risen Savior as his personal property. Thus, through Christ's offering of Himself, innocent for the guilty, every hindrance is removed, and the forgiving love of God is poured out in bountiful torrents of mercy upon fallen man....
Just go to Jesus now, "as long as you can say 'today'." The experience you have gone through will be of great value to you as you bear the yoke with Christ and become a co-worker with God. You rejoiced in the truth, you believed in the truth, and beyond hope you continue to believe with hope, because the Holy Spirit struggles with you.
You have gone down crooked paths because of temptations, but resist the devil and he will flee from you; draw near to God and will draw near to you (Letter 91, January 30, 1895, to a wealthy Seventh-day Adventist businessman).
January 31
God will work with you
“I chose him to command his sons and his house after him to walk in the way of the Lord, doing righteousness and judgment” (Genesis 18:19).
I write words to comfort and support you. The Lord has not abandoned you. His mighty arms embrace you. He sent you an experience in spiritual life that has highest value. You have allowed your light to shine in your family, and its Divine rays are palpable. Yet there is a danger that your affection for your children will lead you to meet their demands, which, as you yourself understand, will not serve for their good and for the glory of God.
You are God's chosen instrument through which He has worked and will work for the salvation of the souls of your children. You must bear the witness that Jesus bore and repeat to them the words of Christ about the need to love one another as Christ loved them. The Holy Spirit will testify of their union with Christ, and believers and non-believers alike will know that you have been with Christ and have learned from Him. As you seek to know the Lord, you will reflect the character of Christ.
You will be subject to human infirmities and will undoubtedly make mistakes, but a compassionate and loving Savior will forgive all your errors because you ask Him for it and because you love Jesus. Your spirit will be fragrant with the meekness of Christ, and you will become a light in your home. Your words will be seasoned with grace, and holy anointing will fill your prayers. The Lord will support your efforts, as it has in the past. His righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your reward.
You have every reason to praise God for His love, kindness, tenderness and mercy. His all-redeeming blood is available to all your children. If you do not exhaust your physical strength, you can do a lot in the name of Jesus important work… For you, because of your faith, He is a treasure… Live in love as dear children of God. The Spirit of God fights for the children, inviting them to Christ with the words: “Go, for all is ready” (Luke 14:17). Do you listen? (Letter 94, January 31, 1895, to a widowed mother big family from adult children).
. On that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: We have a strong city; He gave salvation instead of a wall and a rampart.:
"On that day" - see.
"In the land of Judah". Although here, undoubtedly, we are talking about the future Church of Christ, which should embrace all mankind and spread over all lands, however, the prophet, as a member of the Old Testament Jewish Church, cannot imagine that the land of Judah would cease to be a place especially loved by God and especially protected by Him. .
"The city is strong". To the prophet, of course, here first of all Jerusalem is presented.
"Instead of a wall". The new city will not require particularly strong walls, for the Lord Himself will protect it from enemies.
. Open the gate; let the righteous people, who keep the truth, enter.
Wed :).
"Truth" - perhaps more correctly: fidelity (to the Lord).
. You keep a firm spirit in perfect peace, for he trusts in You.
. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock:
The prophet, turning either to God or to the chosen community of God, expresses confidence that God is the only hope for man.
Instead of an expression: "hard-hearted" Nägelsbach suggests reading: "as a firm establishment." The idea of the prophet, according to this interpreter, is that in the future city there should be various institutions and objects that serve to adorn the city and benefit its inhabitants, and that the most important institution will be peace, based on a solid foundation or pedestal. The Lord Himself gives this strength to the foundation. Therefore, the expression: “He trusts” Nägelsbach translates as follows: “it (this world) is based on You.”
. He overthrew those who lived on high, the city that stood high; threw him down, threw him to the ground, threw him into the dust.
. The foot tramples him, the feet of the poor, the feet of the poor.
"City" - see.
"Treading on it". The prophet, as a man of the Old Testament, was no stranger to joy at the thought of the future defeat of the wicked.
. The chosen community of the saved righteous expresses their constant hope in God, Who appoints his punishments to people with a corrective purpose. Unfortunately, the wicked did not understand this meaning of punishments, and therefore they are justly destroyed.
. The path of the righteous is straight; You level the path of the righteous.
. And in the way of Your judgments, O Lord, we trusted in You; our soul yearned for your name and remembrance of you.
"The path of the righteous is straight", i.e., the righteous goes to the goal in a direct, convenient and immediate way.
"You equalize". In this, however, the Lord helps him.
"In the way of Your judgments", that is, in all the works of God, in all the terrible punishments that befell both entire nations and individuals, the righteous saw support for themselves in their hopes for the final victory of good over evil.
"To Your name and to the remembrance of You". The righteous wished that the Lord would reveal His power so that people should call Him by His real name (God the Almighty and Savior) and that the correct knowledge of Him would spread throughout the earth.
. With my soul I have longed for Thee by night, and with my spirit I will seek Thee in my inward part from the early morning: for when Thy judgments committed on earth, then those who live in the world learn righteousness.
"Soul...and Spirit", i.e., with all your inner being.
"I aspired". The prophet begins to speak in the singular to show that this desire is peculiar, par excellence, to him personally. He experienced so many injustices on the part of people, and who, if not him, had to so often wish for the speedy appearance of God as the Judge of people!
"Those who live in the world learn the truth". However, this desire of the prophet did not reflect anything in the nature of ordinary human vindictiveness. The prophet so ardently expected the judgments of God because he hoped that once these judgments came upon the earth, people would learn righteousness.
. If the wicked will have mercy, then he will not learn the truth, he will act evil in the land of the upright and will not look at the greatness of the Lord.
The prophet proves the truth of his views on the judgments of God with negative side. If there is no judgment on ungodliness, if the wicked is pardoned, then he will not change for the better and will continue to do evil, even being among the righteous, not paying attention to those facts in which the greatness of the Lord is clearly revealed to the righteous.
. Lord! Your hand was lifted high, but they did not see it; those who hate your people will see and be ashamed; fire will devour your enemies.
The prophet notices the approach of great events, but other people do not see anything. The prophet complains to the Lord about this last circumstance. “Your hand,” he says to the Lord, “was raised to strike, but they don’t see it.” People, therefore, do not pay attention to signs (). But they will still have to admit their mistake when those events come, which were foretold by special signs from God, and this will bring them to shame. The fire of God's zeal - zeal for God's people - will consume these people who could see the danger but did not want to see it.
. Lord! You give us peace; for you arrange all our works for us.
In contrast to the wicked, the pious look forward to the day of God's judgment, as the day of their deliverance (), as the day on which the Lord will give them complete peace or comfort.
"You arrange our affairs for us". God was, according to the prophet, acting in the righteous the beginning of all their thoughts, words and deeds.
. The prophet depicts people who are in the power of some alien power and cannot praise God, because for this you need to abide in God, to be closely united with God. These are the dead, who, according to the conventional wisdom, cannot come back to life again, for God Himself destroyed them. This realm of death is spreading more and more. But even in the dead, the thirst for salvation has not completely extinguished: they seek the Lord and send their prayers to Him. Yes, in the realm of the dead, efforts are noticeable to return to life again - efforts are as painful as the torment of a woman giving birth, but there are no results from these efforts. Nevertheless, the hope of the dead is not in vain. At the very least, the dead of the Lord will again rise to life under the influence of miraculous Divine power.
. Lord our God! other lords besides Thee have ruled over us; but through You alone we glorify Your name.
In the present form of existence, all people, both evil and good, are subject to the power of evil. They live under various sinful influences. The power of death and disease is especially hard on them. These are the other lords that the prophet has in mind (cf. et seq.). This is the meaning of the first half of the verse. In the second half, the prophet points out the abnormality of the above order of things. Every creature must praise the name of its Creator (th, 19th, 103rd, etc.), and for this it is necessary that it be under the authority and in the service of its Lord and Creator, so that it abides in Him. But this is impossible while she is in the power of another ruler, under the power of death (cf.). So, the prophet here introduces us to that area, about which he speaks in more detail later - to the area, the inhabitants of which serve not God, but another ruler, and cannot glorify the name of God.
. The dead will not come to life; the rephaim will not rise, because you visited and destroyed them, and destroyed all memory of them.
. You have multiplied the people, O Lord, you have multiplied the people;
"The Dead Won't Live". The prophet expresses the general opinion of the Old Testament people that there is no deliverance from the bonds of death (etc.; ; ).
“The Rephaim will not stay.” Those aggressors have become insignificant, powerless shadows (Rephaim cf. ; ; ; ) can no longer rise to life - so the ancient people said!
"Because You visited...them". That is, it was precisely for this that You visited them, etc. (the Hebrew word lachen has such a meaning). The prophet wants to say that this is precisely the purpose of death, so that those who have undergone it no longer have the opportunity to come to life again. For this, God destroyed all memory of them.
"You ... multiplied the people". It continues with the same power of death. Because no one from the kingdom of death could return to life, the inhabitants of this kingdom (the people) are multiplying and multiplying in number. Sheol accepts more and more new residents, not letting go of any of the former. This multiplication of the inhabitants of the kingdom of the dead is at the same time the glorification of God (glorified Himself), for here God's judgment is fulfilled on man: "you are the earth - and to the earth you will return." (), the power of the Lord and the insignificance of man are proved (cf. and next).
. Lord! in distress he sought you; poured out silent supplications when Thy punishment befell him.
. As a pregnant woman, at the onset of childbirth, suffers, cries out from her pains, so we were before You, Lord.
. They were pregnant, tormented, - and gave birth, as it were, to the wind; salvation was not delivered to the earth, and the rest of the inhabitants of the universe did not fall.
But even in the realm of the dead there is still a search for life and the hope of an uprising - it does not fade away. Likewise, the dead in their distress seek the Lord, the source of all life (he was looking for you, that is, the people of whom verse 15 is spoken of).
"I poured out silent prayers", that is, he whispered something indistinctly, muttered, since a dead man cannot have a real voice (cf.).
"Like a Pregnant Woman". This is the speech of the inhabitants of the underworld. They say here what exactly was the subject of their quiet prayers to God. It was they who were tormented by the thought of the impossibility for them to return to life and complained to God about this.
“Were pregnant, suffered”. Here the prophet is probably referring to Psalm 17, v. 5 and 6(). David in this psalm compares his suffering to the torments of hell. He does not say that he himself was already dead and went down to Sheol, but he states that he was extremely close to death, that he was already entangled in its nets. And in this need, he turned with a prayer to the Lord, and received salvation. The prophet sees in this the deliverance that David received from the torments of hell, the basis for his assurance that redemption from hell is possible and that the inhabitants of it do not lose hope of liberation from the bonds of death. This hope awakens impulses in the inhabitant of the kingdom of death, which he compares with the painful efforts of a woman in childbirth, which, however, remain fruitless for the dead, because they are based only on their own efforts, and what powers do the dead themselves have to bring their desires to fruition? Yes, there is a so-called false pregnancy, when a woman has outward signs of pregnancy, but, of course, she does not give birth to anything. In the same way, the dead, without close organic communion with the Lord, cannot ascend to a new life.
"Salvation was not delivered to the earth"- perhaps more correctly translated: "did not bring happiness to the earth." The earth, deprived of its inhabitants taken away from it, is also depicted as suffering, grieving for them, and it could be happy only if the dead returned to life again.
"And the rest of the inhabitants of the universe did not fall"- perhaps more correctly from Hebrew: "there were no (new) citizens of the world." From the underworld, no one again came into the world (the Hebrew verb naphal, translated in the synod. translated by the word pali, can also mean to be born).
. Your dead will live, dead bodies will rise! Arise and rejoice, cast down in the dust: for thy dew is the dew of plants, and the earth will vomit up the dead.
“Your dead will live, dead bodies will rise!” These words, at first sight, contradict initial words 14th "the dead won't live", but the prophet here speaks of those dead who belong to the Most High, who stand near Him, to whom He Himself is close, in whom He dwells. The prophet, perhaps, himself did not clearly realize the full importance of the revelation communicated to him, and only in the New Testament is it clear who these dead, who belong to the Lord. These are those in whom Christ abides and who must therefore rise again, just as He Himself rose again (1 Corinthians 15 and ch.; ; ; ). It should be noted that the prophet expresses this thought not as a desire, but as a certainty, otherwise there will be no opposition in this place to the 17th and 18th verses. Condamin adds the pronoun "their" to the expression "dead bodies", according to the Targum and Pescito.
“Arise and triumph, defeated in the dust!” Here the prophet addresses with words of comfort to those inconsolable dead, whose speech is given in 17 and 18 v.
“For your dew” is an appeal to the Lord. On the morning of the resurrection, as is usually the case in the mornings in a sultry time in Palestine, the dew will cover the earth. But it will be a new, miraculous, God's (your) dew! All these individual small shiny dewdrops will be nothing but the resurrected light bodies of people who have risen in a glorified form, which the earth, which once swallowed them, will give back.
"Dew of plants" - possibly from Heb. more precisely: dew of lights (oroth) or light dew.
. Come, my people, enter thy chambers and shut thy doors behind thee, hide thyself for a moment, until the wrath has passed;
. for, behold, the Lord comes out of his dwelling to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity, and the earth will reveal the blood it has swallowed up and will no longer hide its slain.
The earth will not only give up the bodies of godly people. It will also bring to light all the bloody crimes that are buried in its bowels. This will coincide with the day of judgment. For a while, the community of the resurrected must hide, so that later, after it ends, they can begin a new life.
Here the prophet is already addressing the resurrected people. So, at least, it can be argued on the basis of the Apocalypse, in which the first and second resurrections are distinguished.
After the first resurrection (of the righteous), Satan will be released, who will attack the city of God, and then the general resurrection (second) and the terrible last judgment () will follow.
Where the righteous should hide for this time, in what chambers - the prophet does not explain.
The anger that the prophet speaks of is obviously that terrible judgment that will fall on Satan and all the wicked ( ). This verse gives the idea of the resurrection of sinners, who, of course, must rise to life in order to be judged at a terrible judgment for their crimes and atrocities.
Note. Orthodox Church in verse 19 he sees a prophecy about the resurrection of the dead, “Thy Theophany, O Christ, who has graciously come to us, Isaiah, having seen the light of the evening, crying out of the morning morning: the dead will rise and those who are in the tombs will rise, and all earthly people will rejoice.” So sings the church in the canon on Great Saturday in the irmos of the 5th song. It must be added that the 19th century, like Art. 9th 26th chapter of Isaiah, are often taken to compose irmos in the 5th ode of the canons.
The Slavic translation says this - "Enter into your temple, shut your doors... Until the wrath of the Lord is gone"- a clear indication that only one who ENTERS THE TEMPLE, that is, a believer, can be saved from the wrath of God. Note. ed.
Asks Katya
Answered by Alexandra Lantz, 03/02/2011
Peace be with you, Katya!
If you want to understand the meaning of a Bible verse, you need to take at least two steps:
1) find the beginning and end of the entire semantic passage in which this verse is located, and carefully look at how this verse is highlighted there.
2) find at least a few similar verses throughout the Bible. Ideally, of course, if you find all the verses like the one you are studying, because then you can get the whole picture. The more verses to think about, the less room for error when you come to a conclusion.
You are asking a question about the words recorded in the prophetic book of Isaiah. "God! You give us peace; for you arrange all our works for us.”
The semantic segment in which these words are located begins in chapter 25 and partially ends with the last verse of chapter 26. The theme of this passage can be defined as follows: Second Coming of Christ.
If you are at least a little familiar with what the Bible says about the day of the Second Coming of the Lord, then you probably know that this time will be very, very difficult for the inhabitants of the earth. The essence of this period is formulated as follows: "People will die of fear and expectation of disasters coming to the universe, for the powers of heaven will be shaken ...". In other places of Scripture, we find numerous confirmations that such disasters that will come to earth have not yet happened and will not happen again.
Now, returning to the words of the prophet Isaiah, against the background of our knowledge that the earth will turn into a place for the outpouring of the judgments of God, let's read these verses, which in different ways, in different words, in different shades, repeat the same thought:
“For you were the refuge of the poor, the refuge of the poor in his time of need, protection from the storm, a shadow from the heat; for the wrathful breath of the tyrants was like a storm against a wall. Like heat in a waterless place, You tamed the riot of enemies; like heat by the shadow of a cloud, the rejoicing of the oppressors is suppressed ”().
“You keep a firm spirit in perfect peace, for he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock: He cast down those who lived on high, the city that stood high; threw him down, threw him to the ground, threw him into dust ”().
"God! Your hand was lifted high, but they did not see it; those who hate your people will see and be ashamed; fire will devour your enemies. God! You give us peace (*health, security); for you also organize all our works for us ”().
“Come, my people, enter your chambers and shut your doors behind you, hide yourself for a moment until the anger passes; for, behold, the Lord comes out of His dwelling to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity, and the earth will reveal the blood it has swallowed up and will no longer hide its slain ”().
Do you see that these are God's promises that His children will be able to worthily pass through the terrible period of the end times of the earth's existence? God will tame the rage of the wicked (rulers and ordinary people) against those who belong to Him. Those people who are His will be firm in spirit, because they know their God, they know that they already live in Eternity, they know what all the terrible events that are happening lead to, and therefore they will not be afraid of anything. His children will live in perfect security, because God Himself will take care of this, arranging their affairs so that His people will not perish from the outpouring of His wrath on the lawless.
Yes, in this troubled time His children will also have a hard time, even harder than the rest, because the world will hate them for the name of Christ. Jesus himself warns of this: “Then they will hand you over to torture and kill you; and you will be hated by all nations because of my name ... "(). But still, they will die at the hands of the lawless, knowing that the end of the kingdom of Satan is not just close, but very close, that they are already exactly from those who will be resurrected for Eternity. None of them will suffer from the judgments of God (), “For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our legislator, the Lord is our king; He will save us "().
So the verse you're asking about is a promise that God will take great care of His children, arranging all their affairs so that when the time comes for judgments to be poured out on our land, each of His children will be safe, peace, although the whole world seems to go crazy.
Sincerely,
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