NOTES: |
Sabbath, June 06, 2009
1 |
Galatians 6:10, "As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith." |
2 |
“God would have us realize that He has a right to
mind, soul, body, and spirit--to all that we possess. We are His by creation
and by redemption. As our Creator, He claims our entire service.
As our Redeemer, He has a claim of love as well as of right--of love without a
parallel. This claim we should realize every moment of our existence. Before
believers and unbelievers we must constantly recognize our dependence upon
God. Our bodies, our souls, our lives, are His, not only
because they are His free gift, but because He constantly supplies us with His
benefits, and gives us strength to use our faculties. By returning to Him
His own, by willingly laboring for Him, we show that we recognize our
dependence upon Him (RH Nov. 24, 1896).
{7BC 909.9} Jesus asks
us to consecrate ourselves to Him. He has placed signal honor upon the human
race; for He says, "As many as received him, to them gave he power to
become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." Shall
we not, then, give to Christ that which He has died to redeem? If you
will do this, He will quicken your conscience, renew your heart, sanctify
your affections, purify your thoughts, and set all your powers at work for Him.
Every motive and every thought will be brought into captivity to Jesus
Christ. {7BC 909.10} Those who
are sons of God will represent Christ in character. Their works will be
perfumed by the infinite tenderness, compassion, love, and purity of the Son of
God. And the more completely mind and body are yielded to the Holy
Spirit, the greater will be the fragrance of our offering to Him (RH
Nov. 24, 1896). {7BC 909.11} |
3 |
"Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Thessalonians 5:22-23 |
4 |
"Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils." -1 Corinthians 10:21 |
5 |
"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."(Matthew 7:21) |
6 |
|
7 |
“Sanctification--how many understand its full
meaning? The mind is befogged by sensual malaria. The thoughts need
purifying. What might not men and women have been had they realized that the
treatment of the body has everything to do with the vigor and purity of mind
and heart. {7BC 909.7} The true Christian obtains an experience which brings holiness. He is without a spot of guilt upon the conscience, or a taint of corruption upon the soul. The spirituality of the law of God, with its limiting principles, is brought into his life. The light of truth irradiates his understanding. A glow of perfect love for the Redeemer clears away the miasma which has interposed between his soul and God. The will of God has become his will, pure, elevated, refined, and sanctified. His countenance reveals the light of heaven. His body is a fit temple for the Holy Spirit. Holiness adorns his character. God can commune with him; for soul and body are in harmony with God (Letter 139, 1898). {7BC 909.8} |
8 |
1
Corinthians Philippians 2:12, "Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." |
9 |
Isaiah 27:2-3, "In that day sing ye unto her, A vineyard of red wine. I the LORD do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day." |
10 |
1 Peter 5:8, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:" |
11 |
"…Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord." - Matthew 25:21 |
12 |
“ The mind
of a man or a woman does not come down in a moment from purity and
holiness to depravity, corruption, and crime. It takes time to
transform the human to the divine, or to degrade those formed in the image of
God to the brutal or the satanic. By beholding we become changed. Though
formed in the image of his Maker, man can so educate his mind that sin which
he once loathed will become pleasant to him. As he ceases to watch and
pray, he ceases to guard the citadel, the heart.... Constant war
against the carnal mind must be maintained; and we must be aided by the
refining influence of the grace of God, which will attract the mind upward and
habituate it to meditate upon pure and holy things. {AG 224.2} Character
does not come by chance. It is not determined by one outburst of temper,
one step in the wrong direction. It is the repetition of the act
that causes it to become habit, and molds the character either for good or for
evil. Right characters can be formed only by persevering, untiring effort,
by improving every entrusted talent and capability to the glory of God. {AG 224.3}
God
expects us to build characters in accordance with the pattern set before us. We
are to lay brick by brick, adding grace to grace, finding our weak
points and correcting them in accordance with the directions given. {AG 224.4}
God gives
us strength, reasoning power, time, in order that we may build characters on
which He can place His stamp of approval. He desires each child of His to build
a noble character, by the doing of pure, noble deeds, that in the end he may
present a symmetrical structure, a fair temple, honored by man and God.... {AG 224.5}
He who
would grow into a beautiful building for the Lord must cultivate every
power of the being. It is only by the right use of the talents that the
character can be developed harmoniously. Thus we bring to the foundation
that which is represented in the Word as gold, silver, precious stones--material
that will stand the test of God's purifying fires. {AG 224.6}
“In secret places the Word of God was
thus brought forth and read, sometimes to a single soul,
sometimes to a little company who were longing for light and truth. Often the
entire night was spent in this manner. So great would be the wonder and
admiration of the listeners that the messenger of mercy was not infrequently
compelled to cease his reading until the understanding could grasp the tidings
of salvation. Often would words like these be uttered: “Will God indeed
accept my offering? Will he smile upon me? Will he pardon me?” The answer
was read, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I
will give you rest.” [Matthew 11:28.]
{GC88 74.3} Faith
grasped the promise, and the glad response was heard, “No more long
pilgrimages to make; no more painful journeys to holy shrines. I may come to
Jesus just as I am, sinful and unholy, and he will not spurn the penitential
prayer. ‘Thy sins be forgiven thee.’ Mine, even mine, may be
forgiven!” {GC88 75.1} |
13 |
Proverbs |
14 |
“The Lord says to every one of you, "My son,
give Me thine heart." He sees your disorders. He knows that your soul
is diseased with sin, and He desires to say to you, "Thy sins
are forgiven." The Great Physician has a remedy for every ill. He
understands your case. Whatever may have been your errors, He knows how to deal
with them. Will you not trust yourself to Him? {ML 7.2} The
blessing of God will rest upon every soul that makes a full consecration to
Him. When we seek for God with all the heart, we shall find Him. God
is in earnest with us, and He wants us to make thorough work for eternity. He
has poured out all heaven in one gift, and there is no reason why we
should doubt His love. Look to God asks
you to give Him your heart. Your powers, your talents, your affections, should all
be surrendered to Him, that He may work in you to will and to do of
His good pleasure, and fit you for eternal life. {ML 7.4}
When
Christ dwells in the heart, the soul will be so filled with His love, with the
joy of communion with Him, that it will cleave to Him; and in the contemplation
of Him, self will be forgotten. Love to Christ will be the spring of
action. Those who feel the constraining love of God, do not ask how little may
be given to meet the requirements of God; they do not ask for the lowest
standard, but aim at perfect conformity to the will of their Redeemer.
With earnest desire they yield all, and manifest an interest
proportionate to the value of the object which they seek. {ML 7.5}
It is the submissive, teachable spirit that God wants. That which gives to prayer its excellence is the fact that it is breathed from a loving, obedient heart. {ML 7.6} |
15 |
"In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people," - Isaiah 28:5 |
16 |
“Then, children, come to Jesus. Give to God the most precious offering that it is possible for you to make; give Him your heart. He speaks to you saying, "My son, my daughter, give me thine heart. Though your sins be as scarlet, I will make them white as snow; for I will cleanse you with my own blood. I will make you members of my family--children of the heavenly King. Take my forgiveness, my peace which I freely give you. I will clothe you with my own righteousness,--the wedding garment,--and make you fit for the marriage supper of the Lamb. When clothed in my righteousness, through prayer, through watchfulness, through diligent study of my Word, you will be able to reach a high standard. You will understand the truth, and your character will be molded by a divine influence; for this is the will of God, even your sanctification" (YI June 30, 1892). {3BC 1162.2} |