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The Life of Our Savior / Re: The Glory of God

« Last post by Sean James on December 23, 2023, 02:38:34 AM »

Happy Sabbath!!

When we look at Jesus in His infinite loveliness of character and experience the joy of divine communion by a complete surrender to Him, all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing will flow into our lives! We can gladly go where God leads us to go by His divine grace, humbly and happily obeying God because we have learned day by day that His ways are higher and better than anything we can ask or think!

He who loves Christ the most will do the greatest amount of good. There is no limit to the usefulness of one who, by putting self aside, makes room for the working of the Holy Spirit upon his heart, and lives a life wholly consecrated to God. If men will endure the necessary discipline, without complaining or fainting by the way, God will teach them hour by hour, and day by day. He longs to reveal His grace. If His people will remove the obstructions, He will pour forth the waters of salvation in abundant streams through the human channels. If men in humble life were encouraged to do all the good they could do, if restraining hands were not laid upon them to repress their zeal, there would be a hundred workers for Christ where now there is one.

By beholding we become changed, and as we behold Jesus, learn of His complete dependence upon the Father, and then learn to fully depend on Jesus through the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives, it is a joy to go forth on His missions of mercy to seek and save souls in copartnership with Christ!

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The Life of Our Savior / Re: The Glory of God

« Last post by Sean James on December 22, 2023, 05:35:14 AM »

Since real greatness can dispense with outward show, it follows that being like Jesus is a revelation of true wisdom.

Because their understanding was darkened by selfish prejudice, they could not harmonize the power of Christ's convicting words with the humility of His life. They did not appreciate the fact that real greatness can dispense with outward show. This Man's poverty seemed wholly inconsistent with His claim to be the Messiah. They questioned, If He was what He claimed to be, why was He so unpretending? If He was satisfied to be without the force of arms, what would become of their nation? How could the power and glory so long anticipated bring the nations as subjects to the city of the Jews? Had not the priests taught that Israel was to bear rule over all the earth? and could it be possible that the great religious teachers were in error?

Look at Jesus. He lived truth, even when many religious teachers walked in error and did not accept Him. As we surrender fully to Christ, all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing will be seen in our lives as we are empowered to true obedience to all of God's commandments. May we walk even as Jesus walked by fully surrendering to His will for us as He reveals it to us day by day.

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The Life of Our Savior / Re: The Glory of God

« Last post by Sean James on December 21, 2023, 04:15:38 AM »

What is the best way to watch and pray for the second coming of Jesus? We daily need to behold Him, fully surrender to Him, repent and forsake sin, experience the baptism of the Holy Spirit, get active in mission service, and let the Holy Spirit lead continually in a life experience manifesting all of the fruit of the Spirit without trait of the divine nature missing! We can know what God wants us to do because we have a more sure word of prophecy to guide us heavenward!

As the message of Christ's first advent announced the kingdom of His grace, so the message of His second advent announces the kingdom of His glory. And the second message, like the first, is based on the prophecies. The words of the angel to Daniel relating to the last days were to be understood in the time of the end. At that time, “many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” “The wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.” Daniel 12:4, 10. The Saviour Himself has given signs of His coming, and He says, “When ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.” “And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.” “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” Luke 21:31, 34, 36.

Jesus is coming soon!! Does your life reflect this reality in how you use your time, resources and influence? Let us fall on our knees and ask the Lord to lead us to value what heaven values--the salvation of souls--and do all we can to help them be saved by cooperation with Christ in loving obedience to all of His commandments!

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The Life of Our Savior / Re: The Glory of God

« Last post by Sean James on December 20, 2023, 04:04:52 AM »

How much do you trust God? With your whole heart? Because if you do, it means you accept that His leading is best, and may not look the way you thought. Through a full-heart surrender, it is the intimate union and communion with God in Christ, beholding the loveliness of Jesus in His selfless life and ministry, that makes it possible for the soul to bear each trial as an impetus for rejoicing, reflecting even more fully all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing. Even when it is very difficult to bear, God will enable His trusting children to remain obedient to all of His Ten Commandments. The faith of Jesus is inseparable from obedience to all the commandments of God, and such a supernatural experience is offered all who fully trust Christ. Let God lead you. It will be best!

God never leads His children otherwise than they would choose to be led, if they could see the end from the beginning, and discern the glory of the purpose which they are fulfilling as co-workers with Him. Not Enoch, who was translated to heaven, not Elijah, who ascended in a chariot of fire, was greater or more honored than John the Baptist, who perished alone in the dungeon. “Unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake.” Philippians 1:29. And of all the gifts that Heaven can bestow upon men, fellowship with Christ in His sufferings is the most weighty trust and the highest honor.

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The Life of Our Savior / Re: The Glory of God

« Last post by Sean James on December 19, 2023, 02:59:13 AM »

Jesus didn't break the Sabbath or commit blasphemy. But Satan stirred up those whose minds were not fully surrendered to the Holy Spirit to hurl charges at Jesus that were false. We need to let the word of God reveal to us God's true character, will and purpose--not only so we can see Him clearly so as to love, worship and obey Him in true conversion, but so we can follow in His steps of faithfulness!

Jesus repelled the charge of blasphemy. My authority, He said, for doing the work of which you accuse Me, is that I am the Son of God, one with Him in nature, in will, and in purpose. In all His works of creation and providence, I co-operate with God. “The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do.” The priests and rabbis were taking the Son of God to task for the very work He had been sent into the world to do. By their sins they had separated themselves from God, and in their pride were moving independently of Him. They felt sufficient in themselves for all things, and realized no need of a higher wisdom to direct their acts. But the Son of God was surrendered to the Father's will, and dependent upon His power. So utterly was Christ emptied of self that He made no plans for Himself. He accepted God's plans for Him, and day by day the Father unfolded His plans. So should we depend upon God, that our lives may be the simple outworking of His will.

In complete surrender to Christ we find an amazing experience of rest from self and sin while also being constrained forward in good works of love and mercy, for Christ abiding in us by the Holy Spirit not only produces love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, and righteousness in truth (without one of the fruit of the Spirit missing), but He empowers us to obey Him up to the light He's shown us on the path He knows is best for the fulfillment of His omnipotent purposes! God designs to save each soul, and as we cooperate with Him, He makes it possible for us to be a part of this amazing work of redemption, in harmony with what He said would happen before He returns (Matthew 24:14, Matthew 28:18-20, and Revelation 14:6-12 give us clear guidance)! Praise the Lord!

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The Life of Our Savior / Re: The Glory of God

« Last post by Sean James on December 18, 2023, 01:35:15 AM »

Life is a lot like a mosaic. While we may not see it at the time, the different experiences, trials, and blessings all have their part in the Master Artist's design to woo us to Him so our hearts will gladly, fully surrender to the constraint of His infinite love. In the case of the nobleman in Capernaum, he may have only seen the immediate piece of the life puzzle as a situation in which his son with a fever desperately needed healing. In his mind, if Christ should heal his son, then he would believe in Him as the Messiah. Jesus, who read his heart as an open book, wanted to give him something even more--the gift of salvation and a surrendered heart in which all of the fruits of the Spirit are revealed without one missing as the life is brought into true obedience to God's law. God in His infinite wisdom and love saw this experience as an opportunity to convert the nobleman's heart AND convert his whole family! Praise God!! If we would but allow God to work out what He designs in each experience and really believe that He loves us, we could have a lot happier pilgrimage in our earthly life on our way to our heavenly home! Let's start singing glory to His name!!

The nobleman wanted to see the fulfillment of his prayer before he should believe; but he had to accept the word of Jesus that his request was heard and the blessing granted. This lesson we also have to learn. Not because we see or feel that God hears us are we to believe. We are to trust in His promises. When we come to Him in faith, every petition enters the heart of God. When we have asked for His blessing, we should believe that we receive it, and thank Him that we have received it. Then we are to go about our duties, assured that the blessing will be realized when we need it most. When we have learned to do this, we shall know that our prayers are answered. God will do for us “exceeding abundantly,” “according to the riches of His glory,” and “the working of His mighty power.” Ephesians 3:20, 16; 1:19.

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The Life of Our Savior / Re: The Glory of God

« Last post by Sean James on December 17, 2023, 03:36:55 AM »

Is Jesus thirsty?

Our Redeemer thirsts for recognition. He hungers for the sympathy and love of those whom He has purchased with His own blood. He longs with inexpressible desire that they should come to Him and have life. As the mother watches for the smile of recognition from her little child, which tells of the dawning of intelligence, so does Christ watch for the expression of grateful love, which shows that spiritual life is begun in the soul.

When we respond to the grace of God in full surrender, all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing are revealed in our lives as we come into obedience to all of the light of His truth that we have come to understand and know. We can be so grateful for the goodness of God that leads us to repentance and the strength given us in Him! He is the living water to satisfy our souls!

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The Life of Our Savior / Re: The Glory of God

« Last post by Sean James on December 16, 2023, 04:12:31 AM »

Happy Sabbath! Let Christ empty you of self and then fill you with all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing so you can gladly walk in the path of obedience and selfless service to glorify God!

So with the followers of Christ. We can receive of heaven's light only as we are willing to be emptied of self. We cannot discern the character of God, or accept Christ by faith, unless we consent to the bringing into captivity of every thought to the obedience of Christ. To all who do this the Holy Spirit is given without measure. In Christ “dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and in Him ye are made full.” Colossians 2:9, 10, R. V.

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The Life of Our Savior / Re: The Glory of God

« Last post by Sean James on December 15, 2023, 10:43:28 AM »

He's moving and wooing. Are you letting the Holy Spirit, like the wind, lead you to full surrender to Christ? If so, there will supernaturally come into your life all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing in harmony with God's law of love, leading you in His plan for your life.

While the wind is itself invisible, it produces effects that are seen and felt. So the work of the Spirit upon the soul will reveal itself in every act of him who has felt its saving power. When the Spirit of God takes possession of the heart, it transforms the life. Sinful thoughts are put away, evil deeds are renounced; love, humility, and peace take the place of anger, envy, and strife. Joy takes the place of sadness, and the countenance reflects the light of heaven. No one sees the hand that lifts the burden, or beholds the light descend from the courts above. The blessing comes when by faith the soul surrenders itself to God. Then that power which no human eye can see creates a new being in the image of God.

Let us experience this ever more deeply each day as we pray for the Holy Spirit to fill us and grow us more like Christ!

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The Life of Our Savior / Re: The Glory of God

« Last post by Sean James on December 14, 2023, 01:45:08 AM »

What an incredible, high purpose our lives have!

“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” 1 Corinthians 3:16, 17. No man can of himself cast out the evil throng that have taken possession of the heart. Only Christ can cleanse the soul temple. But He will not force an entrance. He comes not into the heart as to the temple of old; but He says, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him.” Revelation 3:20. He will come, not for one day merely; for He says, “I will dwell in them, and walk in them; ... and they shall be My people.” “He will subdue our iniquities; and Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.” 2 Corinthians 6:16; Micah 7:19. His presence will cleanse and sanctify the soul, so that it may be a holy temple unto the Lord, and “an habitation of God through the Spirit.” Ephesians 2:21, 22.

When Christ abides in us, all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing will be revealed in the life that is brought into true obedience to all of God's commandments! The heart that is fully surrendered to Christ is cleansed from sin so the joy of divine communion becomes the highest delight, and the subtle and deceptive "pleasures of sin for a season" (Hebrews 11:25) are cast away as worthless. Confessing and forsaking all sin in the true repentance that is the gift of God, the focus of the life is transformed for the glory of God and the saving of souls!