The Glory of God

[Sean James]

What a miracle Jesus offers us in true conversion! What is sincerity? It is full-heart surrender to what God says motivated by the love of Christ!

The religion of Christ is sincerity itself. Zeal for God's glory is the motive implanted by the Holy Spirit; and only the effectual working of the Spirit can implant this motive. Only the power of God can banish self-seeking and hypocrisy. This change is the sign of His working.

May we look upon Jesus the perfect Savior and Example of consistent sincerity in His life to seek and save the lost. All we have and are is a gift from Him, and to be blessed in the way He chooses for us is a true gift from God! The heart renewed by the Holy Spirit will manifest all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing as we gladly obey the law of God from the heart living up to all the light of His character that He has revealed to us!

[Sean James]

Look to Jesus, and away from self and others as an unerring source of guidance. Realize that He has grace sufficient for you at this moment for God's will to be done in your life in giving you a true, thorough conversion whereby all of the fruits of the Spirit will be manifest in your life without one missing as you gladly obey the law of God from a heart renewed by the cleansing blood of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit!

All are exposed to temptation, and are liable to error. Upon no finite being can we depend for guidance. The Rock of faith is the living presence of Christ in the church. Upon this the weakest may depend, and those who think themselves the strongest will prove to be the weakest, unless they make Christ their efficiency.

As we trust to Christ continually, He will lead us constantly! May this be your experience in Christ today!

[Sean James]

You can bank on God's promises. They cannot fail. Let us come to Him acknowledging our helpless condition and truly believe fully even though we know all to well how inclined we are in our struggle to unbelief. God is honored when we are honest with Him and accept the help He provides so we may have saving faith and power to do His will as we are drawn by His saving grace revealed in the loveliness of Jesus' character to transform sinners into saints! The heart renewed by divine grace will not only believe fully but also manifest all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing in following God's plan of true obedience!

"If Thou canst do anything, have compassion on us, and help us." How many a sin-burdened soul has echoed that prayer. And to all, the pitying Saviour's answer is, "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth." It is faith that connects us with heaven, and brings us strength for coping with the powers of darkness. In Christ, God has provided means for subduing every sinful trait, and resisting every temptation, however strong. But many feel that they lack faith, and therefore they remain away from Christ. Let these souls, in their helpless unworthiness, cast themselves upon the mercy of their compassionate Saviour. Look not to self, but to Christ. He who healed the sick and cast out demons when He walked among men is the same mighty Redeemer today. Faith comes by the word of God. Then grasp His promise, "Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out." John 6:37. Cast yourself at His feet with the cry, "Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief." You can never perish while you do this--never. 

Let us not talk about unbelief and defeat, but magnify the power of Jesus to save all who come to Him--and that includes you today with all the struggles you are facing. As we trust God fully to save us completely and forget about self in seeking to others good, we find the joy of life in His plan to use us to be a blessing to others!

[Sean James]

We are loved and invited to be truly converted and walk in humble dependence upon Jesus at every step heavenward. As we surrender all to Him, He gives us a willingness to be anything or nothing as His providence shall indicate so we may be like Jesus in our sphere of ministry and witness, manifesting all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing and growing more like Jesus each day in obedience to His Ten Commandments that He writes upon our hearts by the Holy Spirit!

"And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:3).

The most childlike disciple is the most efficient in labor for God.

May the efficiency found in childlike humility be what helps us move forward in His will at each step today!

[Sean James]

What a joy to go to the source of happiness for true satisfaction in life. Only Christ can satisfy us. All things earthly are transient, but His grace in the soul is what converts the heart and mind to be filled with His self-sacrificing love as is manifested in all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing when we surrender all to Him! Let us not nourish any secret grief in our life but fully believe that God loves us, truly repent of our sins in true confession and forsaking of them, and allow Him to guide our lives on the path to heaven to invite others, too, to follow the Savior in the path to eternal life!

Jesus knew the wants of the soul. Pomp, riches, and honor cannot satisfy the heart. "If any man thirst, let him come unto Me." The rich, the poor, the high, the low, are alike welcome. He promises to relieve the burdened mind, to comfort the sorrowing, and to give hope to the despondent. Many of those who heard Jesus were mourners over disappointed hopes, many were nourishing a secret grief, many were seeking to satisfy their restless longing with the things of the world and the praise of men; but when all was gained, they found that they had toiled only to reach a broken cistern, from which they could not quench their thirst. Amid the glitter of the joyous scene they stood, dissatisfied and sad. That sudden cry, "If any man thirst," startled them from their sorrowful meditation, and as they listened to the words that followed, their minds kindled with a new hope. The Holy Spirit presented the symbol before them until they saw in it the offer of the priceless gift of salvation.

Since we were made by Jesus, it follows that He will guide us in the path that is for our greatest happiness and usefulness in His service, because serving Him becomes our highest delight when He reigns in our hearts! May you abide in Jesus all day long!

[Sean James]

Happy Sabbath to you all as we look to Jesus, the One who came not to condemn, but to restore and save! Notice how Jesus does not condemn the woman who was caught in adultery, and after she realizes the depth of His grace, she then confesses her sins. This is a great encouragement to all of us who have sinned. We can come to Christ just as we are, and He will not condemn, but restore. As we confess our sins to Him in true repentance, the act of confessing those sins releases us from those things being written upon our hearts and gives Jesus the permission to blot them out of the records in the heavenly sanctuary. When we better understand how we are saved by grace through faith, we will realize that as long as we choose Christ, He will never cast us away, even if we have grievously sinned. His grace is sufficient for the weakest soul to come to Him and be restored to His image of purity and love so that in true conversion (whole heart surrender renewed by the Holy Spirit) all of the fruits of the Spirit will be manifest in the life without one missing!

The woman had stood before Jesus, cowering with fear. His words, "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone," had come to her as a death sentence. She dared not lift her eyes to the Saviour's face, but silently awaited her doom. In astonishment she saw her accusers depart speechless and confounded; then those words of hope fell upon her ear, "Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more." Her heart was melted, and she cast herself at the feet of Jesus, sobbing out her grateful love, and with bitter tears confessing her sins.   

As we accept the promises of God, they are like anchors to us in times of our greatest trial! "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit" (Romans 8:1). "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). Praise the Lord for what happens to all who are in Christ! May you come to Christ and let Him give you a true conversion so that you may walk in newness of life and go forth to bless others with a living union and communion with Him!

[Sean James]

We need Jesus continually to experience freedom from sin-slavery. Christ offers us that freedom on a moment-by-moment basis as we yield the whole heart to Him and cooperate with Him so that all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing will be manifest through us! Then we may be happy, peaceful and obedient Christians!

Jesus revealed Himself to the blind man as the Messiah, but to the Pharisees who felt no need, He was more reserved. Jesus invites us all to look to Him and live, and admit how much we need Him to see spiritual things, which are spiritually discerned!

"Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? He answered and said, Who is He, Lord, that I might believe on Him? And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen Him, and it is He that talketh with thee. And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him. And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth" (John 9:35-41).

To all who realized their need, Christ came with infinite help.

May we never think we can do God's will apart from union and communion with Him. He will teach us as we look to Him as the light of life!

[Sean James]

What moves you? What drives you? Are you afraid to be lost or are you hoping for a heavenly reward? While it is true that following Christ means that we have a hell to shun and a heaven to win, we must realize the only LASTING motivation that will sustain a converted soul in all circumstances is the love of Christ. It was love that led Jesus to endure Gethsemane and Calvary, and it is His self-sacrificing love that will constrain us to be truly converted witnesses of His who allow Him to manifest through us all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing!

It is not the fear of punishment, or the hope of everlasting reward, that leads the disciples of Christ to follow Him. They behold the Saviour's matchless love, revealed throughout His pilgrimage on earth, from the manger of Bethlehem to Calvary's cross, and the sight of Him attracts, it softens and subdues the soul. Love awakens in the heart of the beholders. They hear His voice, and they follow Him.   

May we every hear the voice of Jesus today and follow where our gracious Shepherd leads!

[Sean James]

We need the Holy Spirit. When this lack is supplied, we shall serve Him with a thousandfold more earnestness than we do now. Let us pray continually for the Holy Spirit to fill us and keep our eyes fixed on Jesus whom the Holy Spirit exalts in His loveliness!

The omnipotent power of the Holy Spirit is the defense of every contrite soul. Not one that in penitence and faith has claimed His protection will Christ permit to pass under the enemy's power. The Saviour is by the side of His tempted and tried ones. With Him there can be no such thing as failure, loss, impossibility, or defeat; we can do all things through Him who strengthens us. When temptations and trials come, do not wait to adjust all the difficulties, but look to Jesus, your helper. 

As we look away from self and stop praying for self but for the Holy Spirit, a shift takes place in our lives. We find freedom in doing God's will and only desire His will. The height of self-abnegation is only possible through a true, thorough conversion made possible by the miraculous power of the Holy Spirit. When He comes into the heart that is renewed by divine grace, He manifests all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing and leads us to gladly obey God with deep, ardent affection for God's glory and not our own!

[Sean James]

Jesus set us a worthy example when the question arose as to "Who is my neighbor?" He did not get into a controversy, but revealed love in a real occurrence (the story of the good Samaritan) and revealed what matters to God! When our hearts are truly converted, we receive a new heart and mind from Jesus, manifest all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing, and will avoid being drawn into a controversy. We will seek to let Jesus use us to reach hearts!

Again Jesus refused to be drawn into controversy. He did not denounce the bigotry of those who were watching to condemn Him. But by a simple story He held up before His hearers such a picture of the outflowing of heaven-born love as touched all hearts, and drew from the lawyer a confession of the truth.

When we realize we are on earth not to get into debates but to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in reaching hearts, we will find many precious opportunities for sharing the truth in love in a way that those whose hearts are open may be favorably impressed to make decisions for Christ and be ready to meet Him when He returns. May you choose to follow His path of selfless love today as He leads you by the Holy Spirit as you submit to Him moment-by-moment!

[Sean James]

Choose to build up Christ's kingdom in Christ's way by letting Him persuade others through you to come to Christ just as they are, repent of sin in true confession, accepting the cleansing blood of Christ to make the soul a new creation whereby through constant union and communion of the soul with God, all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing will be manifest in the life as the Holy Spirit writes the law upon the mind and heart!

Now, as in Christ's day, the work of God's kingdom lies not with those who are clamoring for recognition and support by earthly rulers and human laws, but with those who are declaring to the people in His name those spiritual truths that will work in the receivers the experience of Paul: "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." Galatians 2:20. Then they will labor as did Paul for the benefit of men. He said, "Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." 2 Corinthians 5:20. 

Invite! Encourage! Call! Do all you can to bring others to Jesus who alone can save, and cooperate with Him as He leads you step by step on the narrow path to heaven!

[Sean James]

Let us be loving and lovable Christians. As we look to Jesus who saves us from our sins and fills us with the Holy Spirit so His consistent love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control flow through our lives, we can gladly go forth to bless others with kind words and acts as children of our Heavenly Father!

Encourage the expression of love toward God and toward one another. The reason why there are so many hardhearted men and women in the world is that true affection has been regarded as weakness, and has been discouraged and repressed. The better nature of these persons was stifled in childhood; and unless the light of divine love shall melt away their cold selfishness, their happiness will be forever ruined. If we wish our children to possess the tender spirit of Jesus, and the sympathy that angels manifest for us, we must encourage the generous, loving impulses of childhood. 

The most childlike disciple is most efficient in labor for God. As we realize the love God has for us manifested in Christ who came from heaven to die for us and rose from the grave to prepare a place for us in heaven, it will stir the soul like nothing else can and constrain us to go forth to bless others even as Jesus did, for He lives in every fully surrendered soul! "We love Him because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19).

[Sean James]

Happy Sabbath!!

Imagine these words being spoken to you directly:

"One thing thou lackest," Jesus said. "If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow Me." Christ read the ruler's heart. Only one thing he lacked, but that was a vital principle. He needed the love of God in the soul. This lack, unless supplied, would prove fatal to him; his whole nature would become corrupted. By indulgence, selfishness would strengthen. That he might receive the love of God, his supreme love of self must be surrendered. 

Put yourself in the rich young ruler's shoes. Are you completely surrendered to Jesus? If He asked you to sell all that you have and give to the poor, would you gladly do it, or would you turn away sorrowful? May we realize that WHATEVER Jesus calls us to do--no matter how out of our comfort zone or convenience (and He calls us all to do different things as we all have different talents and capacities for service), is His APPOINTED way of saving us from self so He can thoroughly convert us and make us like Him. Had the young man realized the loveliness of Jesus as His all-encompassing desire and need, He would gladly have surrendered all to Jesus and been one of His disciples! We may profit from the lesson the young ruler failed to apply, and surrounding all to Jesus today, we may experience true conversion whereby all of the fruits of the Spirit will be seen in our lives without one missing and we get to gladly obey His law of love to the extent that He has revealed its beautiful principles to us! God bless you in following the voice of Jesus moment-by-moment!

[Sean James]

Gratitude and praise to God are so needed now! Jesus has conquered death! The resurrection of Lazarus, as well as Christ's coming forth from the tomb, are clear evidence that death is but a sleep, that all who are fully surrendered to Jesus (truly converted) and abide in Him need not fear for the future, for Christ is stronger than death and His life is given us now to live in true holiness with all of the fruits of the Spirit manifest in and through our lives without one missing! Gladly we get to follow all the light of His law of love shining upon our path because Christ is all in all to us, and we would rather have Jesus than the world, the flesh and the devil as we realize the value of what Christ is giving us to receive to give to others! Rejoice in the Lord constantly!!

The beholders are at first speechless with amazement. Then there follows an inexpressible scene of rejoicing and thanksgiving. The sisters receive their brother back to life as the gift of God, and with joyful tears they brokenly express their thanks to the Saviour. But while brother, sisters, and friends are rejoicing in this reunion, Jesus withdraws from the scene. When they look for the Life-giver, He is not to be found.

The humble Savior left the scene of rejoicing, for His mission was not yet complete. Let us remember that no matter how much joy we have now, there is a great hereafter and we have a mission to point as many souls as possible to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world and persuade them to yield fully to the only One whose word is stronger than death! May you remember that sin is the power of the devil and death, and that living the power of Christ today means living in His blessed victory over sin! Abide in Him and let Him make your life an ongoing miracle of His grace!

[Sean James]

After Lazarus was resurrected, there was such clear evidence that Jesus was the Messiah that a decision was reached by many minds.

That mighty miracle was the crowning evidence offered by God to men that He had sent His Son into the world for their salvation. It was a demonstration of divine power sufficient to convince every mind that was under the control of reason and enlightened conscience.

Will we submit to reason and enlightened conscience? Jesus loves us and has the power to convert every heart that yields fully to Him. The same resurrection power by which the dead come forth from the grave is the same power by which we may live in harmony with God's law of love and have Him manifest through us all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing! May you submit fully to Jesus and let Him lead you, rather than fight against the clear evidence of His love!