The Christian's Privilege

For the kingdom of God is not food and drink; but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Romans 14:17.

It is the Christian's privilege to have righteousness, joy and peace.

A Righteousness which is of God by faith.....Romans 3:21-22
A Joy that rejoices evermore.....1 Thessalonians 5:16, Philippians 4:4
A Peace that passes understanding, which the world cannot take away.....Philippians 4:7

From Bible Readings for the Home, p 145, 1963 white leatherette edition

We have an Advocate!

If anyone be in Christ, they are a new creature: old things are passed away, all things have become new.  2 Corinthians 5:17 

And you will be made alive, who were dead in sin. Ephesians 2:1

For the Father has made Jesus to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.  2 Corinthians 5:21

For this is good and acceptable to God our Savior: Who wants all people to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of truth. 1 Timothy 2:3-4

Not by our works of righteousness, but according to His mercy He saved us….  Titus 3:5

 My little children, these things I write to you, that you sin not. And if any one sins, we have an Advocate with the Father – Jesus Christ the righteous.   And He is the sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world!  1 John 2:1-2 

I Love You...Says God

God says, "I love you with eternal love, pursuing after you with loving kindness. Whoever believes in Me and keeps My Commandments loves Me, and My Father will love them who love Me and I will love them and manifest Myself to them. For God so loved the human race that He gave His only Son, that anyone who believes in Him will not suffer eternal death but will have eternal life."

This is love: not that we love God, but that He loves us, and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. No one has a greater love than the One who lays down His life for His friends.

Dear Friend, since God loves us this much, we should love each other. We love because God first loved us. If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates another, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. Jesus said, "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for others."

Dear Friend, I close my letter with these last words. Be a mature Christian, pay attention to what I have written, be in unity, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you always. And to know the love of Christ, which surpasses all understanding….

 Now to God who is able to do all things super-abundantly beyond what we think or ask...to Him be the glory... throughout all generations, forever. Amen!


The above quotes come from these Bible texts (variety of versions): Jeremiah 31:3/ 1 John 14:21/ John 3:16/ 1 John 4:9-10/ John 15:13/ 1 John 4:11,19-20/ John 13:35/ 2 Corinthians 13:11/ Ephesians 3:19-21

Finances

"There is one who makes himself rich, yet has nothing; and one who makes himself poor, yet has great riches." Proverbs 13:7

"Better is a little with righteousness, than vast wealth without justice [God]." Proverbs 16:8

From a Bible view, God promises to provide for us when we put the principles of Heaven first in our lives.

 In a world where little is certain, in an age of tremendous financial insecurity, God promises that when we are faithful to Him, He will provide.

No one ever trusted God in vain. He never disappoints those who trust in Him.

Chapter by G Edward Reid, in the book God will Provide, pages 21, 27. by John Bradshaw of It Is Written

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

OLD TESTAMENT - THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

1. You will have no other gods before Me. Exodus 20:3

2. You will not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth, or that is in the water under the earth. You will not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me; and showing mercy unto thousands that love Me and keep My Commandments. Exodus 20:4-6

3. You will not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that takes His name in vain.
Exodus 20:7

4. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days you may work, and do all your work; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God. In it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, daughter, manservant, maidservant, thy animals, nor the stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. Exodus 20:8-11

5. Honor your father and mother, that your days be long upon the land which the Lord thy God gives to you. Exodus 20:12

6. You will not murder. Exodus 20:13

7. You will not commit adultery. Exodus 20:14

8. You will not steal. Exodus 20:15

9. You will not lie about a neighbor. Exodus 20:16

10. You will not covet your neighbor’s house, wife, servants, animals, or anything that is your neighbor’s. Exodus 20:17


NEW TESTAMENT - THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

1. You will worship the Lord your God. and Him only will you serve. Matthew 4:10

2. Little children, keep yourselves from idols 1 John 5:21
...abstain from idols... Acts 15:20
Do not be idolaters... 1 Cor. 10:7

3. That the Name of God and His doctrine be not blasphemed. 1 Timothy 6:1

4. For He spoke in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all His works. There remains a rest [‘keeping of a Sabbath’ margin] to the people of God. For he that is entered into His rest, he also hath ceased from his own works as God did from His. Hebrews 4:4, 9, 10

5. Honor thy father and thy mother. Matthew 19:19

6. Thou shalt not murder. Matthew 19:18

7. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Matthew 19:18

8. Thou shalt not steal. Romans 13:9

9. Thou shalt not bear false witness. Romans 13:9

10. Thou shalt not covet. Romans 7:7

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

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.

Destroy the Law...?

God's law and His character are inseparable. He did not and will not change either. Calvary is God's final and unanswerable argument in favor of His eternal law. Destroy the law and Calvary becomes a meaningless tragedy.

God Speaks to Modern Man, p 372, by Arthur E. Lickey

Purchased by the Blood of God

God is a judge. He is passionately concerned with justice. But He alone is our Intercessor. He presents His own perfect life and shed blood as our Substitute. He satisfies His own demand for justice - at great cost to Himself. That is the foundation of His righteous empire.

We are guilty. There is nothing we can do to cover our shameful acts. We deserve to die. But God looks through all that and sees Jesus' sacrifice. Mercy and justice come together in that great act of Love.

We have been purchased and saved by the shed blood of God Himself.


Selections from Empires in Collision, p 70, George E Vandeman

Faith & Works

What good is it, if a man claims to have faith but has no works? Can such faith save him?

Someone will say, "You have faith; and I have works.
Show me your faith without works, and I will show you my faith by what I do. "

You believe there is one God? Good! But even the demons believe that and shudder.

Foolish man! Do you want evidence that faith without works is useless? Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did! Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness; and he was called God's friend.

You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.

As the body without breath is dead, so faith without works is dead.

From the book of James 2:14, 18-24, 26.

Father of Mercy

“Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforts us in our trials.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (New Testament)


“Do not fear, for I am with you. Do not worry, for I am your God. I will strengthen you - yes! I will help you - yes! I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness.”
  Isaiah 41:10 (Old Testament)

Sanctification - Failing to See

When persons claim that they are sanctified, they give sufficient evidence that they are far from being holy. They fail to see their own weakness and destitution. They look upon themselves as reflecting the image of Christ, because they have no true knowledge of Him. The greater the distance between them and their Savior, the more righteous they appear in their own eyes.

...By holding Him we become changed into His divine likeness. And when this work is wrought in us, we shall claim no righteousness of our own, but shall exalt Jesus Christ, while we hand our helpless souls upon His merits.

The Sanctified Life, p 8, E G White

Christ's Followers

Christ's followers are to become like Him, (by God’s grace to form characters in harmony with the principles of God’s holy law.) This is Bible sanctification. This work can be accomplished only through faith in Christ, by the power of the indwelling Spirit of God.

Those who experience Bible sanctification, will manifest a spirit of humility. They see their own unworthiness in contrast with the purity and exalted perfection of God.

While the Christian’s life will be characterized by humility, it should not be marked with sadness and self-depreciation. It is the privilege of everyone to live so that God will approve and bless them. It is not the will of our heavenly Father that we should be under condemnation and darkness.

Our heavenly Father orders everything in wisdom and righteousness, and we are not to be dissatisfied and distrustful, but to bow in reverent submission. God will reveal to us as much of His purposes as it is for our good to know, and beyond that we must trust the Hand that is omnipotent, the Heart that is full of love.

these are a few thoughts from the book: The Great Controversy