Daily Devotional

[EastCoastRemnant]

The Lord’s Philosophy

To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because
there is no light in them. Isaiah 8:20.

The Lord’s philosophy, plainly outlined in HisWord, is to be our rule of life. The entire being
is to be under the control of the One who knows the end from the beginning. The Bible, and the
Bible only is to be our guide. We must follow and obey the life-giving principles of heaven, not
only for our inclinations. The wisdom and the power of God, working upon the receptive heart,
brings mind and character into harmony with the laws and rules of heaven. Individually we must
have the guidance of the Holy Spirit, in order to communicate to the world the great facts of truth
and righteousness....

We are bidden to sound an alarm to the people. The watchmen must not fail now. They
must watch unto prayer, that they may have a clear perception of their obligation to Him who,
though the only begotten Son of God, came to our world to lead men and women away from the
guidance of Satan.

We are to instruct and guide souls to look to Christ’s example, to realize their obligation to
Him, whose they are by creation and by redemption. He is the owner of every man and woman
and child who comes into the world. This He became by paying the redemption price. If fallen
human beings will consent to become sons and daughters of God in willing obedience, they will
become one with Christ. The Saviour has bought them by giving His life to pay the penalty of
sin.... Those who are truly converted will reveal the saving grace of Christ by laboring for these
souls blinded by Satan. In their own lives God’s workers are to show forth the power of truth and
righteousness. The world is soon to meet the great Lawgiver over His broken law. Those only
can hope for pardon who turn from transgression to obedience.

We are to raise the banner on which is inscribed, “The commandments of God and the faith
of Jesus.” This is the great issue. Let it not be put out of sight. We must strive to arouse church
members and those who make no profession, to see and obey the claims of the law of heaven. We
are to magnify this law and make it honorable. We are to arouse those who are sunk in spiritual
slumber.

 

[EastCoastRemnant]

When Truth Controls The Life

He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. John
8:12.

The Lord Jesus took upon Him the form of sinful man, clothing His divinity with humanity.
But He was holy, even as God is holy. If He had not been without spot or stain of sin, He could
not have been the Saviour of mankind. He was a Sinbearer, needing no atonement. One with
God in purity and holiness of character, He could make a propitiation for the sins of the whole
world.

Christ is the light of the world. Through Him light is shining amid the moral darkness. If He
were not light, the darkness would not be apparent, because light reveals darkness. The clearer
the light, the more manifest the contrast between light and darkness. Let the light be removed,
and there is nought but darkness.

Christ has declared our position. “He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall
have the light of life” (John 8:12). He is Himself the bright and morning Star. He is the Sun of
Righteousness, the brightness of His Father’s glory. He is the “true Light, which lighteth every
man that cometh into the world” (chap. 1:9). A Physician, a Healer, He came to restore the moral
image of God that was lost by transgression.

When Christ abides in the soul by faith, He makes the one who loves Him all light in the
Lord. It is true that many who say they believe the truth have only a nominal faith. They are not
doers of the Word. They profess to believe, but their profession will not convert them....

When Christ dwells in the heart, His presence is apparent. Good and pleasant words and
actions reveal the Spirit of Christ. Sweetness of temper is manifested. There is no angry passion,
no obstinacy, no evil-surmising. There is no hatred in the heart, because . . ideas and methods ...
are not accepted and appreciated by others....

When the truth controls the life, there is purity and freedom from sin. The glory, the fullness,
the completeness of the gospel plan is fulfilled in the life. The light of truth irradiates the soul
temple. The understanding takes hold of Christ.

 

[EastCoastRemnant]

Walk In The Footsteps Of Jesus

And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man
according to his several ability. Matthew 25:15.

Study the instruction found in Matthew 25:14-46. Compare this instruction with your life
record. Let every man put away his boasting.... Let us walk in the footsteps of Christ in all the
humility of true faith. Let us put away all self-trust, committing ourselves, day by day and hour
by hour, to the Saviour, constantly receiving and imparting His grace. I beg those who profess to
believe in Christ to walk humbly before God. Pride and self-exaltation are an offense to Him. “If
any man will come after me,” Christ declares, “let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and
follow me” (Matthew 16:24). Those only who obey this word will He recognize as His believing
ones. “As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them
that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the
will of man, but of God” (John 1:12, 13).

“And theWord was made flesh, and dwelt among us” (verse 14). O wonderful condescension!
The Prince of heaven, the Commander of the heavenly hosts, stepped down from His high
position, laid aside His royal robe and kingly crown, and clothed His divinity with humanity,
that He might become the divine Teacher of all classes of men, and live before human beings a
life free from all selfishness and sin, setting them an example of what, through His grace, they
may become.

“TheWord was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the
only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (verse 14). Praise God for this wonderful
statement. The possibilities that it presents seem almost too great for us to grasp, and put to
shame our weakness and our unbelief. I praise God that I can see my Saviour by faith. My soul
grasps the great gift. Our only hope in this life is to reach forth the hand of faith, and grasp the
hand outstretched to save. “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world”
(verse 29). If we would look away from self to Jesus, making Him our Guide, the world would
see in our churches a power that it does not now see.

 

[EastCoastRemnant]

The Need For A Reformation

But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto
holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is
eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:22, 23.

Paul felt that the Lord’s requirements must be obeyed, His judgments avoided. Like Paul, we
must make every effort to obtain the crown of life, which brings eternal honor to every victor.
We must not be content to live useless lives.

What is humility? That sense of sin and unworthiness which leads to repentance. But we
must be assured of the malignity of a disease before we feel our need of a cure. Those who do
not realize the sinfulness of sin are not able to appreciate the value of the atonement and the
necessity of being cleansed from all sin. The sinner measures himself by himself and by those
who like himself are sinners. He does not look at the purity and holiness of Christ. But when the
law of God brings conviction to his heart, he says with Paul, “I was alive without the law once:
but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died” (Romans 7:9)....

God created man for His glory. He will not, cannot endure the presence of sin in His
dominion. If there are in the church those who are willfully sinning against God, every possible
means should be used to bring them to repentance. If this is not done, God’s name is dishonored.
He is too pure to look upon iniquity with favor....

Adam’s sin would be regarded by the churches of today as a simple mistake, to be at once
forgiven and no more thought of. But God’s standard is high and His word immutable, and all
selfish, covetous practices are an abomination in His sight. The hearts of believers need to be
purified, sanctified, refined, ennobled....

Look up, my brethren. Has the gospel lost its power to impress hearts? Is it because the
regenerating influence of the Spirit of Christ has died away that hearts are not purified, sanctified,
and prepared for the Holy Spirit? No; the Sword of the Spirit, theWord of the living God, is with
us yet; but it must be wielded with earnestness. Let us use it as did God’s sanctified ones of old.
By its living, quickening power it will cut its way to hearts....

The Lord calls for a reformation all through our ranks.... When the church is awakened,
decided changes will be made. Men and women will be converted, and so filled will they be by
the Spirit of God that they will pass from country to country, from city to city, proclaiming the
message of truth. With hearts filled with earnest love for souls, they will open their Bibles and
present the Word.

 

[EastCoastRemnant]

To those that are new to reading these devotionals, they are taken from a compilation of Ellen Whites writings in a book called "Our Father Cares"

God bless you all and have a wonderful Sabbath!!

 

[EastCoastRemnant]

I Am A Child Of God

And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we
suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. Romans 8:17.

The influence of grace is to soften the heart, to refine and purify the feelings, giving a
heaven-born delicacy and sense of propriety. A Christian cannot be self-exalted, for this is not
Christlike. The world’s Redeemer, the sinner’s substitute and surety, says, “Come unto me, all
ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28)...

But let us continually bear in mind that the meek and lowly Jesus has the spirit and the
ambition of a conqueror. The vast dominions over which earthly potentates hold sway form no
adequate theater for the exercise of His grace, the expression of His love, and the manifestation of
His glory. He who loves the Lord Jesus Christ in truth and sincerity will love those whom Christ
died to save, and will eagerly embrace every opportunity to minister to Christ in the person of
His disciples.

We must look at our lives as sons and daughters of God, as laborers with Jesus Christ, living
for a noble purpose. We are representatives of Jesus Christ in character, and are to serve Him
with our undivided affections. Not only will we reveal the fact that we love God, but will, in
accordance with His holy character, live a pure, perfect life. We must live perfection, because in
looking at Jesus we see in Him the embodiment of perfection; and the great Center upon whom
our hope of eternal life and happiness is centered will lead us to unity and harmony....

The life we now live must be by faith in Jesus Christ. If we are Christ’s followers our
lives will not be as pieced out by little cheap spasmodic actions according to circumstances and
surroundings—jerking actions, revealing feelings to be our master, indulging in little frettings,
envious faultfindings, jealousies, and selfish vanity. These put us all out of harmony with the
harmonious life of Jesus Christ, and we cannot be overcomers if we retain these defects....

When exposed to varied scenes in life, and words are spoken that are calculated to cut and
bruise the soul, speak to yourself: “I am a child of God, an heir with Jesus Christ, a colaborer
with God. I must not therefore have a cheap mind, easily to take offense, always thinking of
myself, for this will naturally produce an inharmonious character. It is unworthy of my noble
calling. The heavenly Father has given me my work to do; let me be worthy of the trust.”

 

[EastCoastRemnant]

Infallible Assurance

And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn
many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. Daniel 12:3.

Many, very many, will be terribly surprised when the Lord shall come suddenly as a thief in
the night. Let us watch and pray, lest coming suddenly He find us sleeping. My soul is deeply
stirred as I consider how much we ought to do for perishing souls. The prediction of Daniel,
“Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased” (Daniel 12:4), is to be fulfilled
in our giving of the warning message; many are to be enlightened regarding the sure word of
prophecy....

The salvation of souls should be our first consideration. I am troubled when I see many
rejoicing in temporal prosperity, for those who possess worldly treasure seldom seek earnestly
to secure the heavenly. They are in danger of falling into temptation and a snare, and into many
foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown man in destruction....

We need a more firm reliance upon a “Thus saith the Lord.” If we have this, we shall not trust
to feeling, and be ruled by feeling. God asks us to rest in His love. It is our privilege to know the
Word of God as a sure and tried guide, an infallible assurance. Let us work on the faith side of
the question. Let us believe and trust, and talk faith and hope and courage. Let the praise of God
be in our hearts and on our lips oftener than it is. “Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me” (Psalm
50:23). Keep the mind stayed upon God, and know the love of Christ as theWord of God reveals
it. This Word is life. Talk of Christ; call others to behold Him as your Redeemer.

It is our privilege to rest in an active, living faith in Christ as the Life-giver. It is our privilege
to comprehend with all saints, what is the length and depth and height, and to know the love of
God which passeth knowledge, and be filled with all the fullness of God. Let us contemplate
Christ as the One in whom all fullness dwells. Beholding Him as our personal Saviour, we shall
appreciate the value of His saving grace. We should think about Jesus more than we do. We
should let His praise be in our hearts. We should speak of the love that has been so abundantly
expressed for us. We certainly have every reason to praise God with heart and soul and voice,
saying, I will praise the Lord for His great love wherewith He hath loved me....

Lift Him up, the Christ of Calvary; lift Him up, that the world may behold Him. Talk of His
goodness, sing of His love, and give Him the grateful thanks of your hearts.

 

[EastCoastRemnant]

Missed the last few days, so I will post up a couple or three...

God’s Plans Are Perfect​

By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in
tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: for he looked for
a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Hebrews 11:9, 10.​

Jesus ascended to the Father as a representative of the human race, and God will bring those
who reflect His image to behold and share with Him His glory. There are homes for the pilgrims
of earth. There are robes for the righteous, with crowns of glory and palms of victory. All
that perplexed us in the providences of God will then be made plain. The things hard to be
understood will then find an explanation. The mysteries of grace will unfold before us. Where
our finite minds discovered only confusion and broken purposes, we shall see the most perfect
and beautiful harmony. We shall know that infinite love ordered the experiences that seemed
most trying and hard to bear. As we realize the tender care of Him who makes all things work
together for our good, we shall rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.

Pain cannot exist in the atmosphere of heaven. In the home of the redeemed there will be
no tears, no funeral trains, no badges of mourning. "The inhabitant shall not say, I am sick:
the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity" (Isaiah 33:24). One rich tide of
happiness will flow and deepen as eternity rolls on. Think of this; tell it to the children of
suffering and sorrow, and bid them rejoice in hope.

The nearer we come to Jesus, the more clearly we behold the purity and greatness of His
character, the less we shall feel like exalting self. The contrast between our characters and His
will lead to humiliation of soul and deep heart searching. The more we love Jesus, the more
entirely will self be humbled and forgotten....

He who is meek in spirit, he who is purest and most childlike, will be made strong for the
battle. He will be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man. He who feels his
weakness, and wrestles with God as did Jacob, and like this servant of old cries, "I will not let
thee go, except thou bless me," will go forth with the fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit. The
atmosphere of heaven will surround him. He will go about doing good. His influence will be a
positive force in favor of the religion of Christ....

Our God is a very present help in time of need. He is acquainted with the most secret thoughts
of our hearts, with all the intents and purposes of our souls. When we are in perplexity, even​

before we open to Him our distresses, He is making arrangements for our deliverance.

 

[EastCoastRemnant]

Christ Lived A Life Of Humble Obedience​

Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And
being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.
Hebrews 5:8, 9.​

Christ came to our world, and lived in the home of a peasant. He wore the best garments His
parents could provide, but they were the humble garments of the peasants. He walked the rough
paths, and climbed the steeps of the hillsides and mountains. When He walked the streets He was
apparently alone, for human eyes did not behold His heavenly attendants. He learned the trade
of a carpenter, that He might stamp all honest labor as honorable and ennobling to all who work
with an eye single to the glory of God....

Christ, the Lord of the whole earth, was a humble artisan. He was unrecognized, neglected,
and despised. But He held His commission and authority from the highest power, the Sovereign
of heaven. Angels were His attendants, for Christ was doing His Father’s business just as much
when toiling at the bench as a carpenter, as when working miracles for the multitude. But He
concealed the secret from the world. He attached no high titles to His name, to make His position
understood, but He lived the royal law of God. His work must begin in consecrating the humble
trade of the craftsmen who have toiled for their daily bread. Had Christ passed His life among
the grand and the rich, the world of toilers would have been deprived of the inspiration which the
Lord intended they should have.

Meek and lowly was the life of Christ. He chose this life that He might help the human
family. He did not take His place upon a throne as Commander of the whole earth. He laid
aside His royal robe, He laid off His kingly crown, that He might be made one of the human
family. He took not on Him the nature of angels. His work was not the priestly office after the
appointments of men. It was impossible for man to understand His exalted position, unless the
Holy Spirit should make it known. For our sake, He clothed His divinity with humanity, and
stepped down from the royal throne. He resigned His position as Commander in the heavenly
courts, and for our sakes became poor, that we through His poverty might be made rich. Thus,
He hid His glory under the guise of humanity, that He might touch humanity with His divine,
transforming power....

Those to whom Christ has given a probation in which to form characters for the mansions He
has gone to prepare are to enter into His life example.​

 

[EastCoastRemnant]

The Ministry Of Angels​

And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the
Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of
horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. 2 Kings 6:17.​

How few contemplate the unseen agencies. Men are acting their part either for God or for
Satan, the Prince of light, or the prince of darkness. All heaven is intensely interested in human
beings who seem to be so full of activity, and yet have no thought for the unseen. Their thoughts
are not on the Word of God and its instruction. If they would appropriate the Word of God, they
would be astonished that there are agencies, good and evil, observing every word and deed. They
are in every assembly for business transactions, in councils, and in meetings for the worship of
God. There are more listeners in these public assemblies than can be seen with the natural sight,
and every man has his work to do. Those unseen agencies are co-laborers with God or with
Satan, and they work more mightily and more constantly than do men. Sometimes the heavenly
intelligences draw aside the curtain that hides the unseen world, that we may have our minds
withdrawn from the hurry and rush, and consider that there are witnesses to all we do and say
when we [are] engaged in business, or when we think ourselves alone.

The Lord would have our perceptions keen to understand that these mighty ones who visit our
world have borne an active part in all the work which we have called our own. These heavenly
beings are ministering angels, and they frequently disguise themselves in the form of human
beings. As strangers they converse with those who are engaged in the work of God. In lonely
places they have been the companions of the traveler in peril. In tempest-tossed ships angels in
human form have spoken words of encouragement to allay fear and inspire hope in the hour of
danger, and the passengers have thought that it was one of their number to whom they had never
before spoken.

Many, under different circumstances, have listened to the voices of the inhabitants of other
worlds. They have come to act a part in this life. They have spoken in assemblies, and opened
before assemblies human histories, and have done works which it was impossible for human
agencies to do. Time and again have they been the generals of armies. They have been sent forth
to cleanse away pestilence. They have eaten at the humble board of families. Often they have
appeared as weary travelers in need of shelter for the night.

We need to understand better than we do the work of these angel visitants.​

 

[EastCoastRemnant]

We May Overcome As Christ Overcame​

[He] was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 4:15.​

Christ, at an infinite cost, by a painful process, mysterious to angels as well as to men,
assumed humanity. Hiding His divinity, laying aside His glory, He was born a babe in Bethlehem.
In human flesh He lived the law of God, that He might condemn sin in the flesh, and bear witness
to heavenly intelligences that the law was ordained to life and to ensure the happiness, peace,
and eternal good of all who obey....

This is the mystery of godliness, that One equal with the Father should clothe His divinity
with humanity, and laying aside all the glory of His office as Commander in heaven, [should]
descend step after step in the path of humiliation, enduring severe and still more severe
abasement. Sinless and undefiled, He stood in the judgment hall, to be tried, to have His case
investigated and pronounced upon by the very nation He had delivered from slavery. The Lord
of glory was rejected and condemned, yea, spat upon. With contempt for what they regarded as
His pretentious claims, men smote Him in the face....

Pilate pronounced Christ innocent, declaring that he found no fault in Him. Yet to please the
Jews, he commanded Him to be scourged and then delivered Him up, bruised and bleeding, to
suffer the cruel death of crucifixion. The Majesty of heaven was led as a lamb to the slaughter,
and amid scoffing and jeers, ridicule and false accusation, He was nailed to the cross. The crowd,
in whose hearts humanity seemed to be dead, sought to aggravate the cruel sufferings of the Son
of God by their revilings. But as a sheep before His shearers is dumb, so He opened not His
mouth. He was giving His life for the life of the world, that all who believed in Him should not
perish....

Christ bore the sins of the whole world. He endured our punishment—the wrath of God
against transgression. His trial involved the fierce temptation of thinking that He was forsaken
by God. His soul was tortured by the pressure of a horror of great darkness.... He could not have
been tempted in all points like as man is tempted had there been no possibility of His failing. He
was a free agent, placed on probation, as was Adam and as is man. Unless there is a possibility of
yielding, temptation is no temptation. Temptation comes and is resisted when man is powerfully
influenced to do a wrong action, and knowing that he can do it, resists by faith, with a firm hold
upon divine power.​

 

[EastCoastRemnant]

Our Christian Experience Must Be Animated

I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white
raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear;
and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and
chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Revelation 3:18, 19.

Our conscience must be purged from dead works to serve the living God. Sanctification
means perfect love, perfect obedience, entire conformity to the will of God. If our lives are
conformed to the life of Christ through the sanctification of mind, soul, and body, our example
will have a powerful influence on the world. We are not perfect, but it is our privilege to cut away
from the entanglements of self and sin, and go on unto perfection....

Great possibilities, high and holy attainments, are placed within the reach of all who have true
faith. Shall we not anoint our eyes with eyesalve, that we may discern the wondrous things here
brought before us? Why do we not with persevering earnestness, work out this prayer, advancing
onward and upward, reaching the standard of holiness? We are laborers together with God, and
we must work in harmony with one another and with God, “for it is God which worketh in ...
[us] both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” ...

The Lord takes no pleasure in seeing us spiritually weak. “God, who commanded the light to
shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of

God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency
of the power may be of God, and not of us.” We have conflicts and trials to meet, but we need
not fail or be discouraged....
God can only be honored when we who profess to believe in Him are conformed to His
image. We are to represent to the world the beauty of holiness, and we shall never enter the gates
of the city of God until we perfect a Christlike character. If we, with trust in God, strive for
sanctification, we shall receive it. Then as witnesses for Christ, we are to make known what the
grace of God has wrought in us.

The greatest disquietude we can have is uncertainty. The acceptance of the blessings of God
brings righteousness and peace. The fruit of righteousness is quietness and assurance forever.
We must have simplicity and Godlike sincerity. We must have that wisdom which cometh from
above. Our Christian experience must be animated by piety, and instinct with the divine life.

 

[EastCoastRemnant]

Christlike Love Blends Heart With Heart​

With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love.
Ephesians 4:12.​

God is love. The love of the Father and the Son is an attribute of every believer. The Word
of God is the channel through which divine love is communicated to man. God’s truth is the
medium by which the intellect is reached. The Holy Spirit is given to the human agent who
works in cooperation with divine agencies. It transforms mind and character, enabling man to
endure as seeing Him who is invisible. Perfect love can be enjoyed only through the belief of the
truth and the reception of the Holy Spirit....

Christ prayed that His disciples might realize the importance of the love that He expressed by
giving His life for the world. He desired them to understand something in regard to His infinite
sacrifice. If they had more fully understood His self-sacrificing love, they would never have
engaged in alienation and strife.

I urge all who claim to believe present truth to practice that truth. If they do this, they will
have a stronger and more powerful influence for good. The world will see that the love expressed
by believers is the central and controlling principle of Christ’s followers. Christlike love blends
heart with heart. The truth draws men together. It brings into harmony and unity all who have
an earnest, living faith in the Saviour. Christ designs those who believe in Him to develop and
become strong by association with one another. All who work unselfishly in the Master’s service
bear credentials to the world that God has sent His Son to this earth.

Although a company of Christians united in church capacity have not all the same talents,
yet it is the duty of everyone to work. Talents differ, but to every man is given his work. All
are dependent upon Christ in God. He is the glorious Head of all grades and classes of people
associated through faith in the Word of God. Bound together by a common belief in heavenly
principles, they are all dependent on Him who is the Author and Finisher of their faith. He
has created the principles that produce universal oneness, universal love. His followers should
meditate upon His love. They should not stop short of reaching the standard set before them. If
the principles of Christianity are lived, they will produce universal harmony and perfect peace.
When the heart is imbued with the Spirit of Christ, there is no quarreling, no seeking for the
supremacy, no striving to be reigning lords.
261​

 

[EastCoastRemnant]

Things Thou Knowest Not

Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which
thou knowest not. Jeremiah 33:3.

We do not always consider that the sanctification we so earnestly desire and for which we
pray so earnestly is brought about through the truth and, by the providence of God, in a manner
we least expect. When we look for joy, behold there is sorrow. When we expect peace, we
frequently have distrust and doubt because we find ourselves plunged into trials we cannot avoid.
In these trials we are having the answers to our prayers. In order for us to be purified, the fire of
affliction must kindle upon us, and our will must be brought into conformity to the will of God.
In order to be conformed to the image of our Saviour, we pass through a most painful process of
refining. The very ones that we regard the most dear upon the earth may cause us the greatest
sorrow and trial. They may view us in the wrong light. They may think us in error, and that we
are deceiving and degrading ourselves because we follow the dictates of enlightened conscience
in seeking for the truth as for hid treasures....

Our prayers for conformity to the image of Christ may not be answered exactly as we desire.
We may be tested and proved, for God sees it best to put us under a course of discipline which
is essential for us before we are fit subjects for the blessing we crave. We should not become
discouraged and give way to doubt, and think that our prayers are not noticed. We should rely
more securely upon Christ and leave our case with God to answer our prayers in His own way.
God has not promised to bestow His blessings through the channels we have marked out. God is
too wise to err and too regardful of our good to allow us to choose for ourselves.

The plans of God are always the best, although we may not always discern them. Perfection
of Christian character can be obtained only through labor, conflict, and self-denial....

How inestimably precious are the gifts of God—the graces of His Spirit—and we shall not
shrink from the trying, testing process, be it ever so painful or humiliating to us. How easy would
be the way to heaven if there were no self-denial or cross! How worldlings would rush in the
way, and hypocrites would travel in it without number! Thank God for the cross, the self-denial.
The ignominy and shame our Saviour endured for us is none too humiliating for those saved by
the purchase of His blood. Heaven will indeed be cheap enough.

 

[EastCoastRemnant]

The Word Of God Your Guide

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105.

If we would work wisely and intelligently, our human passions, our hereditary and cultivated
tendencies, must be brought under the control of a higher and more commanding generalship
than human ability....

“Cease to do evil; learn to do well.” This is the lesson everyone should learn day by day. The
training due to one’s self comes first. The influence exerted by a life of strict integrity will be a
continual education to others. Those who are restrained and guided by the moral and religious
principles plainly laid down in God’s Word walk in accordance with the mind and will of God,
who is too wise to err and too good to do us harm.

If you would walk wisely, walk in the way of God’s commandments. The Word of God
you have in your keeping, right at hand. This Word is so plain that none need go astray
unless they allow themselves to be led by their hereditary and cultivated tendencies to wrong.
Your Redeemer met Satan’s treacherous advances with the words, “It is written,” and with the
imperative command, “Get thee behind me, Satan.” I counsel you to receive with meekness the
engrafted Word, which is able to save your soul. The Word of God is your haven. It is a tower of
strength, into which you may run and be safe....

The earnest, sincere searcher for truth will not mistake truth for error. TheWord of God is the
bread of life, of which all may partake and obtain eternal life. Error is falsehood and deception.
Those who partake of it must suffer in consequence, as did Adam and Eve in Eden. It is the
privilege of all to search with prayerful, eager interest for the truth. Truth is the tree of life, the
leaves of which the human family are to eat and live.

Those who try to interpret the Word according to their own ideas, who read it in accordance
with their opinions, will never see the truth, and will die in their sins. Those who eat of the
forbidden tree accept Satan’s fallacies in the place of “Thus saith the Lord,” and unless they
repent, they will never gain that life which measures with the life of God. As did Adam and Eve,
they exclude themselves from the tree of life, the fruit of which perpetuates immortality....

We are living amid the solemnities of the judgment. Our souls should be filled with awe, for
we are in God’s presence continually. Each one must decide for himself whether he will obey
and live or disobey and perish.

To those who obey, the Word of God is the tree of life. It is the word of salvation, received
unto eternal life.

 

[EastCoastRemnant]

Christ Calls For Unity​

That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may
be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. John 17:21.​

We each need the help we can receive from other minds. God will work in other minds than
ours. The various gifts given to different ones are to blend for the “perfecting of the saints, for
the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12)....

The Lord Jesus Christ will heal our infirmities and our weaknesses. He owns us. We are His
by creation and by redemption. We must all be united in Him. He is the only source of healing.
All restoring power comes from Him. He has opened a fountain “to the inhabitants of Jerusalem
for sin and for uncleanness.” He gives each one an invitation to come and be healed, and to drink
of the water of life. Let us not trust in ourselves, but in Jesus.

There will always be obstacles before us, but we are to follow our Leader, and meet our
difficulties unitedly, hand in hand. There is only one way to heaven. We must walk in the
footsteps of Jesus, doing His works, even as He did the works of His Father. We must study His
ways, not man’s ways; we must obey His will, not our own. Walk carefully. Do not go ahead
of Christ. Make no move without consulting your Leader. Ask in humble prayer, and “ye shall
receive.” He is the Way, the Truth, the Life.

Read and study carefully the prayer that Christ offered just before His trial, recorded in the
seventeenth chapter of John. Follow its teachings, and you will be brought into unity. Our only
hope of reaching heaven is to be one with Christ, and then, in and through Christ, we shall be
one with one another. No one is called to walk alone. In Christ life and immortality are brought
to light. He has opened the way to the kingdom of heaven to those who believe in Him, but He
assigns to no one a path different to that which all must travel. He calls for unity, and unity we
must have. God asks us to sink self in Christ. For the natural man this is not easy. But through
the power of the incarnation of Christ, God manifest in the flesh, the strength of God is revealed
in gentleness and beauty. To “as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the
sons of God.” By this power we may overcome our evil tendencies and so modify our imperfect​

dispositions that the will of God may be fulfilled in us.

 

[keyboard321]

Wow! you're on 143th daily devotions

keep posting brother

 

[EastCoastRemnant]

Are You Preparing For Heaven?

Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things
which God hath prepared for them that love him. 1 Corinthians 2:9.

What a work is before us. We need greater faith in Christ and the Father, for this we must
certainly have, else we shall be counted with the unbelievers. We see great opportunities and a
great amount of work to do. We want the sanctification of the Holy Spirit. We cannot afford
to miss the mark of the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus. The sanctification of the truth,
confirming man’s steadfastness in the faith, will constitute men laborers together with God.

United with the Source of all power, persevering in duty, enlarging the apprehension of the
love of God in Christ Jesus, they become one with Christ, until they are complete with Christ in
God.

The glories that await the faithful overcomer are beyond any description. The Lord will
greatly honor and exalt His faithful ones. They shall grow like the cedar, and their comprehension
will be certainly increasing. And at every advanced stage of knowledge their anticipation will
fall far beneath the reality. “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart
of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). Our
work now is to prepare for those mansions that God is preparing for those who love Him and
keep His commandments.... The Lord Jesus will enlarge every mind and heart for the reception
of the Holy Spirit....

Time is short. Let the little time you have be employed for your own present and eternal good
by active Christian service, doing all the good possible. Redeem the time that has been lost; seek
first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Then you will have something to impart in good
works, in cheerful, consecrated influence....

What preparation have you made for the future, eternal world? ... You want something
higher and better than you now have. You may exert a conscious and unconscious influence in
right doing. God deserves something better from you as His subject than that which you have
given Him. Carefully consider: Are you standing under the banner of Prince Emmanuel, or under
the black banner of the prince of darkness? There is an obligation resting upon you to return the
influence and money that is lent you of the Lord to advance His cause and glorify His name.

The Lord calls upon you, “My son, give me thine heart.”

 

[EastCoastRemnant]

Christ Intercedes For You

We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty
in the heavens; a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord
pitched, and not man. Hebrews 8:1, 2.

The natural eye can never behold the comeliness and beauty of Christ. The inward
illumination of the Holy Spirit, revealing to the soul its true hopeless, helpless condition without
the mercy and pardon of the Sin-bearer—the all-sufficiency of Christ—can alone enable man to
discern His infinite mercy, His immeasurable love, benevolence, and glory.

No one ever came to our world on such an errand of grace, infinite compassion, and
unspeakable love, as our Saviour; and none ever received such treatment at the hands of fallen
man. “Ye are not your own; ye are bought with a price” (see 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20). We are
Christ’s by creation, His by redemption. He is the only sinless Being who endured suffering,
shameful humiliation, and rejection in our behalf....

Then, how should those who become new creatures in Christ Jesus, saved by His merits,
conduct themselves before the universe of heaven? Shall they complain? Shall they accuse one
another? Would not a meek and submissive spirit be more becoming? “Learn of me,” said the
great Teacher, “for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my
yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Shall we reveal this spirit in our characters? Shall we wear
His yoke, and lift His burdens? ...

Could all see Christ before the throne, waiting for their prayers, waiting for them to surrender
their will, to cease their rebellion and come back to their allegiance to God, in deep penitence they
would pray the Father to forgive their transgression of His law, and forgive them for the influence
they have exercised in causing others to disregard the law of Jehovah. The confederacies of the
enemy’s army are triumphing in their delay. Will they longer remain under the condemnation
of the law? Or, will they stand on the side of Christ, and with their influence help the betrayed,
rebellious race by their own experimental knowledge? Will they now become co-workers with
Jesus Christ, who is making personal intercession for them before the Father? Angels are keeping
back the destroying agencies, for they have an intense interest for these rebellious sons, and they
want to help them to return to the fold in safety and peace, that they may finally be overcomers,
and be saved, eternally saved with the family of God in heaven.

 

[EastCoastRemnant]

God’s Hand Is On The Wheel​

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Ephesians
6:10.​

The future is before us, and unforeseen events will surely take place, changing the present
aspect of things in the world. Lust and greed are striving for the supremacy. Oppression and
hatred will be exercised to destroy. Inspired by a power from beneath, Satan’s instrumentalities
will work with intensity to carry out his will. "The wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the
wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand" (Daniel 12:10). Every truly converted
soul will put on the whole armor of God, and will bravely face the unseen foe. God’s servants
will realize the necessity of partaking of the divine nature....

Now is our time of peril. Our only safety is in walking in the footsteps of Christ, and
wearing His yoke. Troublous times are before us. In many instances, friends will become
alienated. Without cause, men will become our enemies. The motives of the people of God
will be misinterpreted, not only by the world, but by their own brethren. The Lord’s servants will
be put in hard places. A mountain will be made out of a molehill to justify men in pursuing a
selfish, unrighteous course.

The work that men have done faithfully will be disparaged and underrated, because apparent
prosperity did not attend their efforts. By misrepresentation, these men will be clothed in the dark
vestments of dishonesty, because circumstances beyond their control made their work perplexing.
They will be pointed to as men that cannot be trusted. And this will be done by the members of
the church. God’s servants must arm themselves with the mind of Christ. They must not expect
to escape insult and misjudgment. They will be called enthusiasts and fanatics. But let them not
become discouraged. God’s hand is on the wheel of His providence, guiding His work to the
glory of His name.

God calls upon His people to be bright lights in the world shining amid the darkness of sin.
Living the life of the Life-giver brings its reward. He went about doing good. This, every true
follower of His will do, filled with a sacred sense of his loyalty to God and his duty to his fellow
beings. Through the knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus, Christians are to grow in grace,
constantly drawing nearer perfection of character.
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