The greatest want of the world is the want of men - men (women) who will be bought or sold, men who in their utmost souls are true and honest, men who do not fear to call sin by its right name, men whose conscience is as true to duty as the needle to the pole, men (women) who will stand for the right though the heavens fall.
Education, 57, Ellen G White
Showing posts with label Conscience. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Conscience. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 6, 2018
Saturday, February 6, 2016
Unpardonable Sin
No one need to look upon the unpardonable sin against the Holy Spirit as mysterious. The unpardonable sin is the persistent refusal to repent.
Felix slighted his last offer of mercy; never was he to receive another call from God.
If we are honest with ourselves, we can count many calls from God to repent and be saved.
How many calls will God give us? Felix had only two!
Based on writing of G Edward Reid
In the Bible book of Acts, the apostle Paul pleaded with Governor Felix twice to repent, but Felix told Paul to go away and that he might call for Paul at a more convenient time. But Felix never called for Paul again.
Felix slighted his last offer of mercy; never was he to receive another call from God.
If we are honest with ourselves, we can count many calls from God to repent and be saved.
How many calls will God give us? Felix had only two!
Based on writing of G Edward Reid
Sunday, January 24, 2016
How to Study Holy Scripture
We should only study the Holy Scriptures with a prayer dependence on God, and a sincere desire to learn His will.
We must come with a humble and teachable attitude to obtain knowledge from the great I AM. Otherwise, evil angels will blind our minds and harden our hearts so that we will not be impressed with the truth.
Scripture should never be studied without prayer. Only the Holy Spirit can cause us to feel the importance of those things easy to be understood, or prevent us from twisting truths difficult of comprehension.
It is the office of holy angels to prepare the heart to comprehend God's Word that we shall be charmed with its beauty, admonished by its warnings, or animated and strengthened by its promises.
Based on The Great Controversy, 1888 edition, p 599, E G White
We must come with a humble and teachable attitude to obtain knowledge from the great I AM. Otherwise, evil angels will blind our minds and harden our hearts so that we will not be impressed with the truth.
Scripture should never be studied without prayer. Only the Holy Spirit can cause us to feel the importance of those things easy to be understood, or prevent us from twisting truths difficult of comprehension.
It is the office of holy angels to prepare the heart to comprehend God's Word that we shall be charmed with its beauty, admonished by its warnings, or animated and strengthened by its promises.
Based on The Great Controversy, 1888 edition, p 599, E G White
Thursday, July 30, 2015
Confirmation
Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me." John 6:39 [KJV]
In seventh and eighth grade (1967-1969) church catechism class was conducted by Pastor Keith. This class prepared us for the "Rite of Confirmation" when we renewed our baptismal vows spoken for us by our parents and godparents when we were infants.
Catechism was not as expected. A Catechism book was used in our study. We memorized printed answers to printed questions and the Bible seemed to take second place. Being in the last row, where I could not see, did not help my concentration, but "we must sit alphabetically."
Thumbing through the Bible I read a text that was so impressive that I wrote it in large letters in my catechism book, "We ought to obey God rather than man," Acts 5:29.
We were required to memorize the catechism's version of the Ten Commandments.
One day in Catechism we were studying the Sabbath commandment, third in the Catechism, fourth in the Bible, when Kurt asked, "Why are the catechism's Ten Commandments different from the Bible's?"
Pastor Keith asked if anyone had mentioned this to him. Kurt said his grandmother had.
The pastor said the Bible and Catechism agree on everything, then changed the subject.
Kurt persisted and the class urged him on. As he read the Sabbath commandment from the Bible and then from the Catechism we were amazed they did not agree. Kurt pointed out that the Bible specified the seventh day of the week as the Sabbath, not Sunday the first day as the pastor taught.
Pastor Keith angrily snapped, "Do not mention this subject again! You are too young to understand, you do not know anything! You have not even been confirmed! You are to take my word for what the Bible says and accept it!"
He dismissed us early under a veil of fear and confusion.
. Questions were raised such as, “Why does the Bible say one thing and the catechism another? Why does the pastor get upset if we ask Bible questions?”
On Confirmation Sunday the pastor gave each confirmand a personal Bible text. Mine was, "lo, I am with you always even unto the end of the world," Matthew 28:20. I had never heard this text before, and it filled me with questions and awe; "the end of the world?"
In seventh and eighth grade (1967-1969) church catechism class was conducted by Pastor Keith. This class prepared us for the "Rite of Confirmation" when we renewed our baptismal vows spoken for us by our parents and godparents when we were infants.
Catechism was not as expected. A Catechism book was used in our study. We memorized printed answers to printed questions and the Bible seemed to take second place. Being in the last row, where I could not see, did not help my concentration, but "we must sit alphabetically."
Thumbing through the Bible I read a text that was so impressive that I wrote it in large letters in my catechism book, "We ought to obey God rather than man," Acts 5:29.
We were required to memorize the catechism's version of the Ten Commandments.
One day in Catechism we were studying the Sabbath commandment, third in the Catechism, fourth in the Bible, when Kurt asked, "Why are the catechism's Ten Commandments different from the Bible's?"
Pastor Keith asked if anyone had mentioned this to him. Kurt said his grandmother had.
The pastor said the Bible and Catechism agree on everything, then changed the subject.
Kurt persisted and the class urged him on. As he read the Sabbath commandment from the Bible and then from the Catechism we were amazed they did not agree. Kurt pointed out that the Bible specified the seventh day of the week as the Sabbath, not Sunday the first day as the pastor taught.
Pastor Keith angrily snapped, "Do not mention this subject again! You are too young to understand, you do not know anything! You have not even been confirmed! You are to take my word for what the Bible says and accept it!"
He dismissed us early under a veil of fear and confusion.
. Questions were raised such as, “Why does the Bible say one thing and the catechism another? Why does the pastor get upset if we ask Bible questions?”
On Confirmation Sunday the pastor gave each confirmand a personal Bible text. Mine was, "lo, I am with you always even unto the end of the world," Matthew 28:20. I had never heard this text before, and it filled me with questions and awe; "the end of the world?"
Saturday, June 20, 2015
Feel the pain - Cry if you want
Go ahead, feel the pain - Cry if you want. Acknowledge something has died even if it is just a dream of how your life was supposed to go. Tears have a way of cleansing the soul and refreshing the spirit. As you release all that is bottled up inside, God collects those precious tears in a bottle, and does not disregard them. See Psalm 56:8.
Unveiling the Diva Mystique p 82, Michelle McKinney Hammond, Harvest House Publishers, 2005
Unveiling the Diva Mystique p 82, Michelle McKinney Hammond, Harvest House Publishers, 2005
Monday, June 15, 2015
Not by Feeling, but by Faith
Whether we feel God’s love towards us or not – God does love us – God loves you. Believe that He does.
Go not by feeling but by faith!
When something is wrong in your life you must make the change to line up with what God says in Holy Scripture. God cannot truly bless unless our lives are right with Him.
God bless you.
Go not by feeling but by faith!
When something is wrong in your life you must make the change to line up with what God says in Holy Scripture. God cannot truly bless unless our lives are right with Him.
God bless you.
Friday, April 3, 2015
Religious Liberty in Public School
Public elementary school, District 66 in Omaha, Nebraska, had many memorable, spiritual moments!
In sixth grade we discussed the Biblical Flood, the long lives of pre-Flood people, why Pilgrim women did not wear make-up, and how our weekdays received their names from paganism.
In grades 1 through 12 our class sang songs based on the Old Testament and this in Public School!
However, when I checked out a Bible from the school library the principal promptly reprimanded me, saying Bible reading was for the home!
In sixth grade all the students explained different aspects of their religion (Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, Atheist). From these discussions the varied backgrounds understood each other better. We were taught everyone has the right to believe as they wish despite anyone's opinion to the contrary.
We were taught to believe in religious freedom, freedom of the press, freedom to assemble peacefully, and liberty of conscience.
In sixth grade we discussed the Biblical Flood, the long lives of pre-Flood people, why Pilgrim women did not wear make-up, and how our weekdays received their names from paganism.
In grades 1 through 12 our class sang songs based on the Old Testament and this in Public School!
However, when I checked out a Bible from the school library the principal promptly reprimanded me, saying Bible reading was for the home!
In sixth grade all the students explained different aspects of their religion (Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, Atheist). From these discussions the varied backgrounds understood each other better. We were taught everyone has the right to believe as they wish despite anyone's opinion to the contrary.
We were taught to believe in religious freedom, freedom of the press, freedom to assemble peacefully, and liberty of conscience.
Friday, March 20, 2015
Your Greatest Desire...
Have you determined to be rich? Then let these words in Matthew chapter six impress your heart and direct your life. They will teach you to be content, and to yield your will to the control of the Holy Spirit. You will not then be elbowing (back-stabbing)your fellow-worker that you may make room for your plans.
But your greatest desire will be to work in just the place that God has assigned you, and where He can look upon you with approval.
An Appeal for Unity and Confidence, pamphlet 14, p 13, Ellen G White
But your greatest desire will be to work in just the place that God has assigned you, and where He can look upon you with approval.
An Appeal for Unity and Confidence, pamphlet 14, p 13, Ellen G White
Hasty Temper...Spirit of Strife
Great is our need of the saving grace of Christ. Everywhere we turn we see more or less clearly revealed the spirit of strife for place and position, a reaching out for honor and recognition.
My brethren and sisters, if you desire honor, seek it in the right way. How shall you seek it, do you ask? In obedience to the word of truth. Our ambition in this life should be to honor Christ at every step.
The hasty temper, the cruel speech, the unkind thought, are not to be indulged. It is not for us to exalt this one, and condemn that one. In right words, words that bless and encourage, we are to reveal the fruits of righteousness.
An Appeal for Unity and Confidence, pamphlet 14, page 13, Ellen G White
This entry is just as much for me as anyone. In the past week, I too, had a hasty temper.
My brethren and sisters, if you desire honor, seek it in the right way. How shall you seek it, do you ask? In obedience to the word of truth. Our ambition in this life should be to honor Christ at every step.
The hasty temper, the cruel speech, the unkind thought, are not to be indulged. It is not for us to exalt this one, and condemn that one. In right words, words that bless and encourage, we are to reveal the fruits of righteousness.
An Appeal for Unity and Confidence, pamphlet 14, page 13, Ellen G White
This entry is just as much for me as anyone. In the past week, I too, had a hasty temper.
Saturday, February 14, 2015
Valentine's Day
In high school and college I was very particular as to who I dated. The guy had to show respect for himself; if he had no respect for himself how could he have respect for me?
Respect was very important, as was morality, which included no smoking, drinking, drugs or lewd behavior. (I did not date much, but married a gem of a husband!)
I did not start dating until I was almost seventeen.
And am proud to say I kept my promise made at a young age and was a chaste virgin for my future husband.
We have been married over 40 (forty) consecutive years!
Respect was very important, as was morality, which included no smoking, drinking, drugs or lewd behavior. (I did not date much, but married a gem of a husband!)
I did not start dating until I was almost seventeen.
And am proud to say I kept my promise made at a young age and was a chaste virgin for my future husband.
Saturday, December 27, 2014
The Christian Life
While the Christian's life will be characterized by humility, it should not be marked with sadness and self-depreciation.
...It is not the will of our heavenly Father that we should be ever under condemnation and darkness.
There is no evidence in true humility in going with the head bowed down and the heart filled with thoughts of self.
We may go to Jesus and be cleansed, and stand before the law without shame and remorse.
"There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit." Romans 8:1
From The Great Controversy p 477, E G White
...It is not the will of our heavenly Father that we should be ever under condemnation and darkness.
There is no evidence in true humility in going with the head bowed down and the heart filled with thoughts of self.
We may go to Jesus and be cleansed, and stand before the law without shame and remorse.
"There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit." Romans 8:1
From The Great Controversy p 477, E G White
Friday, December 12, 2014
When Guilt Oppresses
...When guilt oppresses the soul and burdens the conscience...remember that Christ’s grace is sufficient to subdue sin and banish the darkness.
Ministry of Healing page 250, E G White
Ministry of Healing page 250, E G White
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