The Glory of God

[Sean James]

When we have the true conversion experience that we see Christ manifested His whole life, not only will all of the fruits of the Spirit be manifest in our lives without one missing as we affectionately obey God, but we will be empowered to do the right thing from the right motive. Such a character experience means it is impossible to remain silent while souls are being destroyed by the deceptive power of sin, yet all will be done by the Holy Spirit! We need to realize the spiritual warfare in which we are engaged, and do all by God's methods that secure the winning of souls from the power of Satan!

Christ's indignation was directed against the hypocrisy, the gross sins, by which men were destroying their own souls, deceiving the people and dishonoring God. In the specious deceptive reasoning of the priests and rulers He discerned the working of satanic agencies. Keen and searching had been His denunciation of sin; but He spoke no words of retaliation. He had a holy wrath against the prince of darkness; but He manifested no irritated temper. So the Christian who lives in harmony with God, possessing the sweet attributes of love and mercy, will feel a righteous indignation against sin; but he will not be roused by passion to revile those who revile him. Even in meeting those who are moved by a power from beneath to maintain falsehood, in Christ he will still preserve calmness and self-possession.

When we are patient, calm and self-possessed through an abiding union and communion experience with Jesus, God will give us wisdom and grace to lovingly and firmly warn souls not to choose the path of sin that leads to death. We are called to be ambassadors of Christ and to reflect His heavenly principles, for He "hath translated us" (Colossians 1:13) into His kingdom when are truly converted! May our lives reflect the kingdom into which our characters are translated, even as we prepare for the coming of Jesus at which time the living saints will be translated without seeing death and the righteous dead will be raised to immortal life!

[Sean James]

When we surrender fully to Christ by contemplation of His infinite sacrifice for us at Calvary, it is amazing how this is preparatory to what we will do for eternity! May we choose that full-heart surrender so Christ can reproduce His character in us! Such a character of experiential union and communion with Christ is reflected in all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing in affectionate obedience to God's law of love!

The seed buried in the ground produces fruit, and in turn this is planted. Thus the harvest is multiplied. So the death of Christ on the cross of Calvary will bear fruit unto eternal life. The contemplation of this sacrifice will be the glory of those who, as the fruit of it, will live through the eternal ages. 

May we even now begin the joy of what it means to "glory in the cross" by taking up the experiential life walk of denying self and doing God's will in blessing the Lord and others!

[Sean James]

Happy Sabbath! Jesus is coming soon! Let us live in readiness for His return by being wide awake to duty and to allow Christ to reflect through us His character--all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing as we abide in His love!

Solemnly there come to us down through the centuries the warning words of our Lord from the Mount of Olives: "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." 

May we be ever in a state of readiness to do God's will so that when opportunities to share Christ with others unfold, we may do His will cheerfully! Only by constant union and communion with Christ are we able to walk victoriously over sin because Christ will dwell in our hearts by faith!

[Sean James]

What does it mean for self to be forgotten? Does it mean that we neglect our health and forget to be responsible? No, for those things are evidences of selfishness and being "slothful in business" (Romans 12:11); while we are ever to be thoughtful of opportunities to bless others and to act appropriately to the time and the circumstances, we are called to be industrious and to do our work with exactness and thoroughness as we see in the life of Jesus!

It is because this work is neglected that so many young disciples never advance beyond the mere alphabet of Christian experience. The light which was glowing in their own hearts when Jesus spoke to them, "Thy sins be forgiven thee," they might have kept alive by helping those in need. The restless energy that is so often a source of danger to the young might be directed into channels through which it would flow out in streams of blessing. Self would be forgotten in earnest work to do others good.

Let us recognize that God is gracious to help us to overcome and to advance beyond the beginning point of our experience with Christ. At the point of conversion in which the WHOLE heart is yielded to Christ, all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing will be manifest, but it is also true that these very fruits are to grow as we mature in Christ! True simplicity and godly sincerity is to be coupled with maturing Christian principles in seeking and saving the lost!

[Sean James]

What a great way to live!

In His life and lessons, Christ has given a perfect exemplification of the unselfish ministry which has its origin in God. God does not live for Himself. By creating the world, and by upholding all things, He is constantly ministering for others. "He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." Matthew 5:45. This ideal of ministry God has committed to His Son. Jesus was given to stand at the head of humanity, that by His example He might teach what it means to minister. His whole life was under a law of service. He served all, ministered to all. Thus He lived the law of God, and by His example showed how we are to obey it.   

When we live the way God invites us to live, not by might nor by power but by His Spirit, in true conversion we not only experience all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing, but we are also enabled to do God's will, obey His law, and be used by Him to reach others from the new heart He offers us by His divine nature!

[Sean]

In the universe, both now and for eternity, what is our only protection against yielding to selfishness?

Looking upon the crucified Redeemer, we more fully comprehend the magnitude and meaning of the sacrifice made by the Majesty of heaven. The plan of salvation is glorified before us, and the thought of Calvary awakens living and sacred emotions in our hearts. Praise to God and the Lamb will be in our hearts and on our lips; for pride and self-worship cannot flourish in the soul that keeps fresh in memory the scenes of Calvary.   

As we contemplate the matchless charms of Jesus, not only are we transformed, but God uses us as missionaries so others can experience that divine nature transformation! When we live by faith on Christ as a personal Savior and abide in Him in complete surrender, all of the fruits of the Spirit will be manifest in our lives without one missing as we gladly obey the law of God from the new heart He offers us!

[Sean James]

But the Saviour's words to them were full of hope. He knew that they were to be assailed by the enemy, and that Satan's craft is most successful against those who are depressed by difficulties. Therefore He pointed them away from "the things which are seen," to "the things which are not seen." 2 Corinthians 4:18. From earthly exile He turned their thoughts to the heavenly home.

When we look above our difficulties and earthly trials to the great hereafter, we can praise God for His goodness and grace that even now has power to convert us from being rebellious sinners into repentant saints who love to do God's will in obeying Him fully with all of the fruits of the Spirit manifest in our lives without one missing!

[Sean James]

If Jesus was not alone in His suffering, neither are you! While we may not feel God's presence near us, we can know He is with us because He has promised! When Jesus was in agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, bearing the sins of the whole world, the Father suffered with Him in seeing His Son's agony, similar to how Abraham suffered when he was willing to offer up Isaac (see Genesis 22). While in the case of Isaac a way of escape was found in the ram divinely provided, there was no way of escape for Jesus, who must bear the sin of the whole world and die to atone for our sins if we could have salvation. May we more fully appreciate the value of Christ's sacrifice and what God has given us in Jesus!

But God suffered with His Son. Angels beheld the Saviour's agony. They saw their Lord enclosed by legions of satanic forces, His nature weighed down with a shuddering, mysterious dread. There was silence in heaven. No harp was touched. Could mortals have viewed the amazement of the angelic host as in silent grief they watched the Father separating His beams of light, love, and glory from His beloved Son, they would better understand how offensive in His sight is sin.

While sin is the transgression of the law, we can see that the Lawgiver, Jesus, was willing to become sin for us and offer us the hope of eternal salvation! What a privilege to abide in Christ by a full-heart surrender and have all of the fruits of the Spirit in our hearts without one missing as we overcome even as Christ overcame so we can be with Him in loving fellowship and ministry forever! 

[Sean]

By looking constantly to Jesus with the eye of faith, we shall be strengthened and encouraged to be clearly known as disciples of Jesus like John during Jesus' trial that led to His death. May we see and hear all we can about our lovely Jesus and let others know how much we love Him who first loved us!

The disciple John, upon entering the judgment hall, did not try to conceal the fact that he was a follower of Jesus. He did not mingle with the rough company who were reviling his Master. He was not questioned, for he did not assume a false character, and thus lay himself liable to suspicion. He sought a retired corner secure from the notice of the mob, but as near Jesus as it was possible for him to be. Here he could see and hear all that took place at the trial of his Lord.

All of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing will be manifest in our lives when we accept a complete heart-transformation from Christ and abide in His love! May you today grow in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus by being with Him in constant union and communion!

[Sean James]

Do we agree with all that Jesus has said? If we do not, we are on the track of the character experience of Judas, who betrayed Christ. May we realize that the Bible is the insirpred word of God and that the counsel God has given in the spirit of prophecy is "the testimony of Jesus" (Revelation 12:17)! As we accept the lessons Christ has for us, we can be prevented from the path of destruction Judas chose for himself. Let us be zealous and repent by keeping our eyes on Jesus and following all the light He has for us!

 In all that Christ said to His disciples, there was something with which, in heart, Judas disagreed. Under his influence the leaven of disaffection was fast doing its work. The disciples did not see the real agency in all this; but Jesus saw that Satan was communicating his attributes to Judas, and thus opening up a channel through which to influence the other disciples. This, a year before the betrayal, Christ declared. "Have not I chosen you twelve," He said, "and one of you is a devil?" John 6:70. 

Christ offers us union and communion with Himself in true conversion whereby all of the fruits of the Spirit will be manifest in our lives without one missing as we affectionately obey God's Ten Commandments--the definition of life's reality and freedom in healthy relationships! May you walk in God's ways and not go in the path that Judas chose, but rather, the path like John the beloved chose in coming into likeness to Christ!

[Sean James]

At the eleventh hour--the latest possible time--Jesus can still save to the uttermost! Look to Him and live! Be converted in Him and grow in His supernatural grace so He can produce in your surrendered life all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing as you gladly are empowered to obey God's law of love!

For long hours of agony, reviling and mockery have fallen upon the ears of Jesus. As He hangs upon the cross, there floats up to Him still the sound of jeers and curses. With longing heart He has listened for some expression of faith from His disciples. He has heard only the mournful words, "We trusted that it had been He which should have redeemed Israel." How grateful then to the Saviour was the utterance of faith and love from the dying thief! While the leading Jews deny Him, and even the disciples doubt His divinity, the poor thief, upon the brink of eternity, calls Jesus Lord. Many were ready to call Him Lord when He wrought miracles, and after He had risen from the grave; but none acknowledged Him as He hung dying upon the cross save the penitent thief who was saved at the eleventh hour.

No matter how sinful we are, we can come to Christ. Look away from the weakness of yourself and choose Christ, cooperating with Him so there can be a renewal of your attitudes, thoughts, habits and character in harmony with His unselfish love!

[Sean James]

Jesus loves us and invites us to look up in faith to Him, so all of the fruits of the Spirit will be manifest in our lives without one missing as we abide in Him in true conversion!

Oh that the bowed head might be lifted, that the eyes might be opened to behold Him, that the ears might listen to His voice! "Go quickly, and tell His disciples that He is risen." Bid them look not to Joseph's new tomb, that was closed with a great stone, and sealed with the Roman seal. Christ is not there. Look not to the empty sepulcher. Mourn not as those who are hopeless and helpless. Jesus lives, and because He lives, we shall live also. From grateful hearts, from lips touched with holy fire, let the glad song ring out, Christ is risen! He lives to make intercession for us. Grasp this hope, and it will hold the soul like a sure, tried anchor. Believe, and thou shalt see the glory of God.

As we behold and surrender to the infinite loveliness of Jesus and think only of others like He did, we will better realize that He has plans for us that exceedingly abundantly above all that we can ask or think! Christ empowers us to walk in affectionate obedience to God's law of love!

[Sean James]

What a wonderful Savior we have in Jesus, who is preparing a place for us in heaven and has gone to the sanctuary above to blot out our sins as we cooperate with Him now in true repentance to overcome! As we live by faith on the Son of God in complete surrender of our will to Him, He fills us with all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing as we go forth to bless others in glad obedience to God's law of love, the Ten Commandments!

The night is dark, but the Sun of Righteousness is shining upon them. Their hearts leap for joy. They seem to be in a new world. Christ is a living Saviour. They no longer mourn over Him as dead. Christ is risen--over and over again they repeat it. This is the message they are carrying to the sorrowing ones. They must tell them the wonderful story of the walk to Emmaus. They must tell who joined them by the way. They carry the greatest message ever given to the world, a message of glad tidings upon which the hopes of the human family for time and for eternity depend.

We can rejoice in the Lord always, because He is able to do more than we can ask or think! Let us talk and think of Jesus!

[Sean James]

Let us allow God to plan our lives for us and trust His leading.

To Peter the words "Follow Me" were full of instruction. Not only for his death, but for every step of his life, was the lesson given. Hitherto Peter had been inclined to act independently. He had tried to plan for the work of God, instead of waiting to follow out God's plan. But he could gain nothing by rushing on before the Lord. Jesus bids him, "Follow Me." Do not run ahead of Me. Then you will not have the hosts of Satan to meet alone. Let Me go before you, and you will not be overcome by the enemy.

When we live by faith on the Son of God, all of the fruits of the Spirit will be seen in our lives, and not one will be missing as we allow God to direct our paths in the way of obedience.

[Sean James]

God has way more for us than we can ask or think! Let us allow Jesus to fully transform us into His image!!

The gospel is to be presented, not as a lifeless theory, but as a living force to change the life. God desires that the receivers of His grace shall be witnesses to its power. Those whose course has been most offensive to Him He freely accepts; when they repent, He imparts to them His divine Spirit, places them in the highest positions of trust, and sends them forth into the camp of the disloyal to proclaim His boundless mercy. He would have His servants bear testimony to the fact that through His grace men may possess Christlikeness of character, and may rejoice in the assurance of His great love. He would have us bear testimony to the fact that He cannot be satisfied until the human race are reclaimed and reinstated in their holy privileges as His sons and daughters.