From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Tue Jun 29 14:15:45 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2004 17:15:45 -0400 Subject: Two Great Classes of Christians Message-ID: <3372F6BF2D889A488C241FDFD857316A31DC66@gcmail2.gc.sda.org> ----------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for June 28 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ----------------------------------------------- Two Great Classes of Christians I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. Rev. 13:3. In homage to the Papacy the United States will not be alone. The influence of Rome in the countries that once acknowledged her dominion, is still far from being destroyed. In the last conflict the Sabbath will be the special point of controversy throughout all Christendom. Secular rulers and religious leaders will unite to enforce the observance of the Sunday; and as milder measures fail, the most oppressive laws will be enacted. It will be urged that the few who stand in opposition to an institution of the church and a law of the land ought not to be tolerated. . . . Romanism in the Old World, and apostate Protestantism in the New, will pursue a similar course toward those who honor the divine precepts. The so-called Christian world is to be the theater of great and decisive actions. Men in authority will enact laws controlling the conscience, after the example of the Papacy. Babylon will make all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. Every nation will be involved. [Rev. 18:3-7 quoted.] The warning of the third angel [of Revelation 14] . . . is represented in the prophecy as being proclaimed with a loud voice, by an angel flying in the midst of heaven; and it will command the attention of the world. In the issue of the contest all Christendom will be divided into two great classes--those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, and those who worship the beast and his image and receive his mark. Although church and state will unite their power to compel "all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond" (Revelation 13:16), to receive "the mark of the beast," yet the people of God will not receive it. The prophet of Patmos beholds "them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God" and singing the song of Moses and the Lamb. Revelation 15:2, 3. >From Maranatha - Page 188 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Wed Jun 30 10:47:21 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Wed, 30 Jun 2004 13:47:21 -0400 Subject: Confusion of Many Voices Message-ID: <3372F6BF2D889A488C241FDFD857316A31DCDF@gcmail2.gc.sda.org> ----------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for June 30 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ----------------------------------------------- Confusion of Many Voices And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. Rev. 18:4. In the last work for the warning of the world, two distinct calls are made to the churches. The second angel's message is, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication." And in the loud cry of the third angel's message a voice is heard from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities." As God called the children of Israel out of Egypt, that they might keep His Sabbath, so He calls His people out of Babylon, that they may not worship the beast or his image. . . . After the truth has been proclaimed as a witness to all nations, every conceivable power of evil will be set in operation, and minds will be confused by many voices crying, "Lo, here is Christ, Lo, He is there. This is the truth, I have the message from God, He has sent me with great light." Then there will be a removing of the landmarks, and an attempt to tear down the pillars of our faith. A more decided effort will be made to exalt the false sabbath, and to cast contempt upon God Himself by supplanting the day He has blessed and sanctified. This false sabbath is to be enforced by an oppressive law. . . . But while Satan works with his lying wonders, the time will be fulfilled foretold in the Revelation, and the mighty angel that shall lighten the earth with his glory, will proclaim the fall of Babylon, and call upon God's people to forsake her. When do her sins reach unto heaven? When the law of God is finally made void by legislation. Then the extremity of God's people is His opportunity to show who is the governor of heaven and earth. As a Satanic power is stirring up the elements from beneath, God will send light and power to His people, that the message of truth may be proclaimed to all the world. >From Maranatha - Page 189 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Thu Jul 1 13:52:39 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Thu, 1 Jul 2004 16:52:39 -0400 Subject: The Threefold Union of Religion Message-ID: <3372F6BF2D889A488C241FDFD857316A31DDBE@gcmail2.gc.sda.org> ----------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for July 1 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ----------------------------------------------- The Threefold Union of Religion And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Rev. 16:13, 14. By the decree enforcing the institution of the papacy in violation of the law of God, our nation [the United States] will disconnect herself fully from righteousness. When Protestantism shall stretch her hand across the gulf to grasp the hand of the Roman power, when she shall reach over the abyss to clasp hands with spiritualism, when, under the influence of this threefold union, our country shall repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and republican government, and shall make provision for the propagation of papal falsehoods and delusions, then we may know that the time has come for the marvelous working of Satan and that the end is near. Through the two great errors, the immortality of the soul and Sunday sacredness, Satan will bring the people under his deceptions. While the former lays the foundation of spiritualism, the latter creates a bond of sympathy with Rome. The Protestants of the United States will be foremost in stretching their hands across the gulf to grasp the hand of spiritualism; they will reach over the abyss to clasp hands with the Roman power; and under the influence of this threefold union, this country will follow in the steps of Rome in trampling on the rights of conscience. .. Papists, Protestants, and worldling will alike accept the form of godliness without the power, and they will see in this union a grand movement for the conversion of the world and the ushering in of the long-expected millennium. When our nation [the United States] shall so abjure the principles of its government as to enact a Sunday law, Protestantism will in this act join hands with popery; it will be nothing else than giving life to the tyranny which has long been eagerly watching its opportunity to spring again into active despotism. >From Maranatha - Page 190 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Fri Jul 2 06:56:30 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Fri, 2 Jul 2004 09:56:30 -0400 Subject: Satan and the Threefold Union Message-ID: <3372F6BF2D889A488C241FDFD857316A31DDED@gcmail2.gc.sda.org> ----------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for July 2 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ----------------------------------------------- Satan and the Threefold Union And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast. Rev. 13:4. "He had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon." Though professing to be followers of the Lamb of God, men become imbued with the spirit of the dragon. They profess to be meek and humble but they speak and legislate with the spirit of Satan, showing by their actions that they are the opposite of what they profess to be. This lamb-like power unites with the dragon in making war upon those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. And Satan unites with Protestants and Papists, acting in consort with them as the god of this world, dictating to men as if they were the subjects of his kingdom, to be handled and governed and controlled as he pleases. If men will not agree to trample under foot the commandments of God, the spirit of the dragon is revealed. They are imprisoned, brought before councils, and fined. "He causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads." "He had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed." Thus Satan usurps the prerogatives of Jehovah. The man of sin sits in the seat of God, proclaiming himself to be God, and acting above God. There is a marked contrast between those who bear the seal of God and those who worship the beast and his image. The Lord's faithful servants will receive the bitterest persecution from false teachers, who will not hear the word of God, and who prepare stumbling blocks to put in the way of those who would hear. But God's people are not to fear. Satan cannot go beyond his limit. The Lord will be the defense of His people. He regards the injury done to His servants for the truth's sake as done to Himself. When the last decision has been made, when all have taken sides, either for Christ and the commandments or for the great apostate, God will arise in His power, and the mouths of those who have blasphemed against Him will be forever stopped. Every opposing power will receive its punishment. >From Maranatha - Page 191 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Sat Jul 3 06:03:43 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Sat, 3 Jul 2004 09:03:43 -0400 Subject: The Corruption of Truth Message-ID: <3372F6BF2D889A488C241FDFD857316A31DE27@gcmail2.gc.sda.org> ----------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for July 3 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ----------------------------------------------- The Corruption of Truth Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. Matt. 24:23. Before the last developments of the work of apostasy there will be a confusion of faith. There will not be clear and definite ideas concerning the mystery of God. One truth after another will be corrupted. After the truth has been proclaimed as a witness to all nations, every conceivable power of evil will be set in operation, and minds will be confused by many voices crying. "Lo, here is Christ; lo, He is there. This is the truth, I have the message from God, He has sent me with great light." Then there will be a removing of the landmarks, and an attempt to tear down the pillars of our faith. A more decided effort will be made to exalt the false sabbath, and to cast contempt upon God Himself by supplanting the day He has blessed and sanctified. This false sabbath is to be enforced by an oppressive law. In the future, deception of every kind is to arise, and we want solid ground for our feet. We want solid pillars for the building. Not one pin is to be removed from that which the Lord has established. The enemy will bring in false theories, such as the doctrine that there is no sanctuary. This is one of the points on which there will be a departing from the faith. There will be false dreams and false visions, which have some truth, but lead away from the original faith. The Lord has given men a rule by which to detect them: "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them" (Isa. 8:20). As we near the end of time, falsehood will be so mingled with truth, that only those who have the guidance of the Holy Spirit will be able to distinguish truth from error. We need to make every effort to keep the way of the Lord. We must in no case turn from His guidance to put our trust in man. The Lord's angels are appointed to keep strict watch over those who put their faith in the Lord, and these angels are to be our special help in every time of need. Every day we are to come to the Lord with full assurance of faith, and to look to Him for wisdom. . . . Those who are guided by the Word of the Lord will discern with certainty between falsehood and truth, between sin and righteousness. >From Maranatha - Page 192 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Sun Jul 4 06:21:59 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Sun, 4 Jul 2004 09:21:59 -0400 Subject: The United States in Prophecy Message-ID: <3372F6BF2D889A488C241FDFD857316A31DE36@gcmail2.gc.sda.org> ----------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for July 4 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ----------------------------------------------- The United States in Prophecy I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. Rev. 13:11. One nation, and only one, meets the specifications of this prophecy; it points unmistakably to the United States of America. Here is a striking figure of the rise and growth of our own nation. And the lamb-like horns, emblems or innocence and gentleness, well represent the character of our government, as expressed in its two fundamental principles, Republicanism and Protestantism. The Lord has done more for the United States than for any other country upon which the sun shines. Here He provided an asylum for His people, where they could worship Him according to the dictates of conscience. Here Christianity has progressed in its purity. The life-giving doctrine of the one Mediator between God and man has been freely taught. God designed that this country should ever remain free for all people to worship Him in accordance with the dictates of conscience. He designed that its civil institutions, in their expansive productions, should represent the freedom of gospel privileges. But the enemy of all righteousness has designs upon God's purpose for this country. He will bring in enterprises that will lead men to forget that there is a God. Worldliness and covetousness, which is idolatry, will prevail through the working of the archdeceiver, till the law of God, in all its bearings, shall be made void. I have been shown that Satan is stealing a march upon us. The law of God, through the agency of Satan, is to be made void. In our land of boasted freedom, religious liberty will come to an end. When our nation, in its legislative councils, shall enact laws to bind the consciences of men in regard to their religious privileges, enforcing Sunday observance, and bringing oppressive power to bear against those who keep the seventh-day Sabbath, the law of God will, to all intents and purposes, be made void in our land; and national apostasy will be followed by national ruin. >From Maranatha - Page 193 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Mon Jul 5 06:32:07 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Mon, 5 Jul 2004 09:32:07 -0400 Subject: Persecution by Protestants and Catholics Message-ID: <3372F6BF2D889A488C241FDFD857316A31DE44@gcmail2.gc.sda.org> ----------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for July 5 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ----------------------------------------------- Persecution by Protestants and Catholics Ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. Matt. 10:22. There is no necessity for thinking that we cannot endure persecution; we shall have to go through terrible times. The persecutions of Protestants by Romanism, by which the religion of Jesus Christ was almost annihilated, will be more than rivaled when Protestantism and popery are combined. The commandment-keeping people of God erelong will be placed in a most trying position; but all those who have walked in the light, and diffused the light, will realize that God interposes in their behalf. When everything looks most forbidding, then the Lord will reveal His power to His faithful ones. When the nation for which God has worked in such a marvelous manner, and over which He has spread the shield of Omnipotence, abandons Protestant principles, and through its legislature gives countenance and support to Romanism in limiting religious liberty, then God will work in His own power for His people that are true. The tyranny of Rome will be exercised, but Christ is our refuge. When the leading churches of the United States, uniting upon such points of doctrine as are held by them in common, shall influence the state to enforce their decrees and to sustain their institutions, then Protestant America will have formed an image of the Roman hierarchy, and the infliction of civil penalties upon dissenters will inevitably result. The Scriptures teach that popery is to regain its lost supremacy, and that the fires of persecution will be rekindled through the time-serving concessions of the so-called Protestant world. In this time of peril we can stand only as we have the truth and the power of God. . . . The prospect of being brought into personal danger and distress, need not cause despondency, but should quicken the vigor and hopes of God's people; for the time of their peril is the season for God to grant them clearer manifestations of his power. >From Maranatha - Page 194 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Tue Jul 6 06:16:34 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Tue, 6 Jul 2004 09:16:34 -0400 Subject: Persecuted for Christ's Sake Message-ID: <3372F6BF2D889A488C241FDFD857316A31DE8F@gcmail2.gc.sda.org> ----------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for July 6 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ----------------------------------------------- Persecuted for Christ's Sake All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 2 Tim. 3:12. As Christ was hated without cause, so will His people be hated because they are obedient to the commandments of God. If He who was pure, holy, and undefiled, who did good and only good in our world, was treated as a base criminal and condemned to death, His disciples must expect but similar treatment, however faultless may be their life and blameless their character. Human enactments, laws manufactured by satanic agencies under a plea of goodness and restriction of evil, will be exalted, while God's holy commandments are despised and trampled underfoot. And all who prove their loyalty by obedience to the law of Jehovah must be prepared to be arrested, to be brought before councils that have not for their standard the high and holy law of God. Those who live during the last days of this earth's history will know what it means to be persecuted for the truth's sake. In the courts injustice will prevail. The judges will refuse to listen to the reasons of those who are loyal to the commandments of God, because they know that arguments in favor of the fourth commandment are unanswerable. They will say, "We have a law, and by our law he ought to die." God's law is nothing to them. "Our law" with them is supreme. Those who respect this human law will be favored, but those who will not bow to the idol sabbath will have no favors shown them. In summer there is no noticeable difference between evergreens and other trees; but when the blasts of winter come, the evergreens remain unchanged, while other trees are stripped of their foliage. So the falsehearted professor may not now be distinguished from the real Christian, but the time is just upon us when the difference will be apparent. Let opposition arise, let bigotry and intolerance again bear sway, let persecution be kindled, and the halfhearted and hypocritical will waver and yield the faith; but the true Christian will stand firm as a rock, his faith stronger, his hope brighter, than in days of prosperity. >From Maranatha - Page 195 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Wed Jul 7 08:53:29 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Wed, 7 Jul 2004 11:53:29 -0400 Subject: Former Brethren Worst Persecutors Message-ID: <3372F6BF2D889A488C241FDFD857316A31DF6E@gcmail2.gc.sda.org> ----------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for July 7 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ----------------------------------------------- Former Brethren Worst Persecutors Then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. Matt. 24:10. As the storm approaches, a large class who have professed faith in the third angel's message, but have not been sanctified through obedience to the truth, abandon their position and join the ranks of the opposition. By uniting with the world and partaking of its spirit, they have come to view matters in nearly the same light; and when the test is brought, they are prepared to choose the easy, popular side. Men of talent and pleasing address, who once rejoiced in the truth, employ their powers to deceive and mislead souls. They become the most bitter enemies of their former brethren. When Sabbathkeepers are brought before the courts to answer for their faith, these apostates are the most efficient agents of Satan to misrepresent and accuse them, and by false reports and insinuations to stir up the rulers against them. The season of distress before God's people will call for a faith that will not falter. His children must make it manifest that He is the only object of their worship, and that no consideration, not even that of life itself, can induce them to make the least concession to false worship. At that time the gold will be separated from the dross. . . . Many a star that we have admired for its brilliance will then go out in darkness. Those who have assumed the ornaments of the sanctuary, but are not clothed with Christ's righteousness, will then appear in the shame of their own nakedness. Among earth's inhabitants, scattered in every land, there are those who have not bowed the knee to Baal. Like the stars of heaven, which appear only at night, these faithful ones will shine forth when darkness covers the earth and gross darkness the people. . . . In the hour of deepest apostasy, when Satan's supreme effort is made to cause "all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond," to receive, under penalty of death, the sign of allegiance to a false rest day, these faithful ones . . . will "shine as lights in the world." . . . Philippians 2:15. The darker the night, the more brilliantly will they shine. >From Maranatha - Page 196 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Thu Jul 8 09:38:15 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Thu, 8 Jul 2004 12:38:15 -0400 Subject: Betrayed by Friends and Relatives Message-ID: <3372F6BF2D889A488C241FDFD857316A31E044@gcmail2.gc.sda.org> ----------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for July 8 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ----------------------------------------------- Betrayed by Friends and Relatives A man's foes shall be they of his own household. Matt. 11:36. When the law of God is made void, and the church is sifted by the fiery trials that are to try all that live upon the earth, a great proportion of those who are supposed to be genuine will give heed to seducing spirits, and will turn traitors and betray sacred trusts. They will prove our very worst persecutors. "Of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them;" and many will give heed to seducing spirits. Those who apostatize in time of trial will bear false witness and betray their brethren, to secure their own safety. They will tell where their brethren are concealed, putting the wolves on their track. Christ has warned us of this, that we may not be surprised at the cruel, unnatural course pursued by friends and relatives. We shall find that we must let loose of all hands except the hand of Jesus Christ. Friends will prove treacherous, and will betray us. Relatives, deceived by the enemy, will think they do God service in opposing us and putting forth the utmost efforts to bring us into hard places, hoping we will deny our faith. But we may trust our hand in the hand of Christ amid darkness and peril. The followers of Christ must expect to encounter sneers. They will be reviled; their words and their faith will be misrepresented. Coldness and contempt may be harder to endure than martyrdom. . . . Parents will turn harshly against their children who accept unpopular truth. Those who conscientiously serve God will be accused of rebellion. Property that was willed to children or other relatives who believe the present truth will be given into other hands. Guardians will rob orphans and widows of their just dues. Those who depart from evil will make themselves a prey through laws enacted to compel the conscience. Men will take to themselves property to which they have no right. The words of the apostle will be verified in the near future: "All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." >From Maranatha - Page 197 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Fri Jul 9 09:54:32 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Fri, 9 Jul 2004 12:54:32 -0400 Subject: Under Threat of Death Message-ID: <3372F6BF2D889A488C241FDFD857316A31E0DE@gcmail2.gc.sda.org> ----------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for July 9 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ----------------------------------------------- Under Threat of Death For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this? Esther 4:14. Wonderful events are soon to open before the world. The end of all things is at hand. The time of trouble is about to come upon the people of God. Then it is that the decree will go forth forbidding those who keep the Sabbath of the Lord to buy or sell, threatening them with punishment, and even death, if they do not observe the first day of the week as the Sabbath. The decree which is to go forth against the people of God will be very similar to that issued by Ahasuerus against the Jews in the time of Esther. . . . Satan instigated the scheme in order to rid the earth of those who preserved the knowledge of the true God. But his plots were defeated by a counterpower that reigns among the children of men. . . . The Protestant world today see in the little company keeping the Sabbath a Mordecai in the gate. His character and conduct, expressing reverence for the law of God, are a constant rebuke to those who have cast off the fear of the Lord and are trampling upon His Sabbath; the unwelcome intruder must by some means be put out of the way. The same masterful mind that plotted against the faithful in ages past is still seeking to rid the earth of those who fear God and obey His law. Satan will excite indignation against the humble minority who conscientiously refuse to accept popular customs and traditions. Men of position and reputation will join with the lawless and the vile to take counsel against the people of God. . . . Not having a "Thus saith the Scriptures" to bring against the advocates of the Bible Sabbath, they will resort to oppressive enactments to supply the lack. . . . On this battlefield comes the last great conflict of the controversy between truth and error. And we are not left in doubt as to the issue. Now, as in the days of Mordecai, the Lord will vindicate His truth and His people. >From Maranatha - Page 198 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Sat Jul 10 12:03:05 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Sat, 10 Jul 2004 15:03:05 -0400 Subject: Martyrs in the Last Days Message-ID: <3372F6BF2D889A488C241FDFD857316A012C0B@gcmail2.gc.sda.org> ----------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for July 10 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ----------------------------------------------- Martyrs in the Last Days They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. John 16:2. Every individual in our world will be arrayed under one of two banners. The two armies will stand distinct and separate, and this distinction will be so marked that many who shall be convinced of truth will come on the side of God's commandment-keeping people. When this grand work is to take place in the battle, prior to the last closing conflict, many will be imprisoned, many will flee for their lives from cities and towns, and many will be martyrs for Christ's sake in standing in defense of the truth. By the decree enforcing the institution of the papacy in violation of the law of God, our nation [the United States] will disconnect herself fully from righteousness.... As the approach of the Roman armies was a sign to the disciples of the impending destruction of Jerusalem, so may this apostasy be a sign to us that the limit of God's forbearance is reached, that the measure of our nation's iniquity is full, and that the angel of mercy is about to take her flight, never to return. The people of God will then be plunged into those scenes of affliction and distress which prophets have described as the time of Jacob's trouble. The cries of the faithful, persecuted ones ascend to heaven. And as the blood of Abel cried from the ground, there are voices also crying to God from martyrs' graves, from the sepulchers of the sea, from mountain caverns, from convents vaults: "How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? When the fifth seal was opened, John the Revelator in vision saw beneath the altar the company that were slain for the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. After this came the scenes described in the eighteenth of Revelation, when those who are faithful and true are called out from Babylon. Christ will restore the life taken; for He is the Life-giver: He will beautify the righteous with immortal life. >From Maranatha - Page 199 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Sun Jul 11 20:26:20 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Sun, 11 Jul 2004 23:26:20 -0400 Subject: The Shaking Time Message-ID: <3372F6BF2D889A488C241FDFD857316A31E103@gcmail2.gc.sda.org> ----------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for July 11 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ----------------------------------------------- The Shaking Time And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. Matt. 24:12. Just as soon as the people of God are sealed in their foreheads--it is not any seal or mark that can be seen, but a settling into the truth, both intellectually and spiritually, so they cannot be moved--just as soon as God's people are sealed and prepared for the shaking, it will come. Indeed, it has begun already; the judgments of God are now upon the land, to give us warning, that we may know what is coming. The days are fast approaching when there will be great perplexity and confusion. Satan, clothed in angel robes, will deceive, if possible, the very elect. There will be gods many and lords many. Every wind of doctrine will be blowing. . . . The mark of the beast will be urged upon us. Those who have step by step yielded to worldly demands and conformed to worldly customs will not find it a hard matter to yield to the powers that be, rather than subject themselves to derision, insult, threatened imprisonment, and death. The contest is between the commandments of God and the commandments of men. In this time the gold will be separated from the dross in the church. True godliness will be clearly distinguished from the appearance and tinsel of it. Many a star that we have admired for its brilliancy will then go out in darkness. Chaff like a cloud will be borne away on the wind, even from places where we see only floors of rich wheat. All who assume the ornaments of the sanctuary, but are not clothed with Christ's righteousness, will appear in the shame of their own nakedness. But there are men who will receive the truth, and these will take the places made vacant by those who become offended and leave the truth.... Men of true Christian principle will take their place, and will become faithful, trustworthy householders, to advocate the word of God in its true bearings, and in its simplicity. The Lord will work so that the disaffected ones will be separated from the true and loyal ones.... The ranks will not be diminished. Those who are firm and true will close up the vacancies that are made by those who become offended and apostatize. >From Maranatha - Page 200 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Mon Jul 12 04:16:37 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Mon, 12 Jul 2004 07:16:37 -0400 Subject: A View of the Shaking Message-ID: <3372F6BF2D889A488C241FDFD857316A31E10A@gcmail2.gc.sda.org> ----------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for July 12 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org for Maranatha on Mobile and Pocket Devices. ----------------------------------------------- A View of the Shaking For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel. Ezekiel 38:19. I saw some, with strong faith and agonizing cries, pleading with God. Their countenances were pale and marked with deep anxiety, expressive of their internal struggle. Firmness and great earnestness was expressed in their countenances; large drops of perspiration fell from their foreheads.... Evil angels crowded around, pressing darkness upon them to shut out Jesus from their view, that their eyes might be drawn to the darkness that surrounded them, and thus they be led to distrust God and murmur against Him. Their only safety was in keeping their eyes directed upward. Angels of God had charge over His people, and as the poisonous atmosphere of evil angels was pressed around these anxious ones, the heavenly angels were continually wafting their wings over them to scatter the thick darkness. As the praying ones continued their earnest cries, at times a ray of light from Jesus came to them, to encourage their hearts and light up their countenances. Some, I saw, did not participate in this work of agonizing and pleading. They seemed indifferent and careless.... The angels of God... went to the aid of the earnest, praying ones. . . . But His angels left those who made no effort to help themselves, and I lost sight of them. I asked the meaning of the shaking I had seen and was shown that it would be caused by the straight testimony called forth by the counsel of the True Witness of the Laodiceans. . . . My attention was then turned to the company I had seen, who were mightily shaken. . . . The company of guardian angels around them had been doubled, and they were clothed with an armor from their head to their feet. . . . I heard those clothed with the armor speak forth the truth with great power. It had effect....I asked what had made this great change. An angel answered, "It is the latter rain, the refreshing from the presence of the Lord, the loud cry of the third angel." >From Maranatha - Page 201 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Tue Jul 13 09:09:38 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Tue, 13 Jul 2004 12:09:38 -0400 Subject: Unity and Separation Under the Loud Cry Message-ID: <3372F6BF2D889A488C241FDFD857316A31E1FC@gcmail2.gc.sda.org> ----------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for July 13 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ----------------------------------------------- Unity and Separation Under the Loud Cry Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. Isa. 60:1, 2. As trials thicken around us, both separation and unity will be seen in our ranks. Some who are now ready to take up weapons of warfare will in times of real peril make it manifest that they have not built upon the solid rock; they will yield to temptation. Those who have had great light and precious privileges, but have not improved them, will, under one pretext or another, go out from us. Not having received the love of the truth, they will be taken in the delusions of the enemy; they will give heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, and will depart from the faith. But, on the other hand, when the storm of persecution really breaks upon us, the true sheep will hear the true Shepherd's voice. Self-denying efforts will be put forth to save the lost, and many who have strayed from the fold will come back to follow the great Shepherd. The people of God will draw together and present to the enemy a united front. In view of the common peril, strife for supremacy will cease; there will be no disputing as to who shall be accounted greatest. No one of the true believers will say: "I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas." The testimony of one and all will be: "I cleave unto Christ; I rejoice in Him as my personal Savior." As the third angel's message swells into a loud cry, great power and glory will attend its proclamation. The faces of God's people will shine with the light of heaven. Many of the rulers are those whom Satan controls; but... God has His agents, even among the rulers. And some of them will yet be converted to the truth....A few of God's agents will have power to bear down a great mass of evil. Thus the work will go on until the third message has done its work, and at the loud cry of the third angel, these agents will have an opportunity to receive the truth, and some of them will be converted, and endure with the saints through the time of trouble. >From Maranatha - Page 202 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Wed Jul 14 05:36:31 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Wed, 14 Jul 2004 08:36:31 -0400 Subject: The Church Appears About to Fall Message-ID: <3372F6BF2D889A488C241FDFD857316A31E274@gcmail2.gc.sda.org> ----------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for July 14 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ----------------------------------------------- The Church Appears About to Fall But Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Isa. 49:14, 15. Satan will work his miracles to deceive; he will set up his power as supreme. The church may appear as about to fall, but it does not fall. It remains, while the sinners in Zion will be sifted out--the chaff separated from the precious wheat. This is a terrible ordeal, but nevertheless it must take place. None but those who have been overcoming by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony will be found with the loyal and true, without spot or stain of sin, without guile in their mouths.... The remnant that purify their souls by obeying the truth gather strength from the trying process, exhibiting the beauty of holiness amid the surrounding apostasy. I know that the Lord loves His church. It is not to be disorganized or broken up into independent atoms. There is not the least consistency in this; there is not the least evidence that such a thing will be. Those who shall heed this false message and try to leaven others will be deceived and prepared to receive advanced delusions, and they will come to naught. I am encouraged and blessed as I realize that the God of Israel is still guiding His people, and that He will continue to be with them, even to the end. We cannot now step off the foundation that God has established. We cannot now enter into any new organization; for this would mean apostasy from the truth. The church, soon to enter upon her most severe conflict, will be the object most dear to God upon earth. The confederacy of evil will be stirred with power from beneath, and Satan will cast all the reproach possible upon the chosen ones whom he cannot deceive and delude with his satanic inventions and falsehoods. But exalted "to be a Prince and a Savior, for to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins," will Christ, our representative and head, close His heart, or withdraw His hand, or falsify His promise? No; never, never. >From Maranatha - Page 203 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Thu Jul 15 10:21:05 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Thu, 15 Jul 2004 13:21:05 -0400 Subject: The Purification of the Church Message-ID: <3372F6BF2D889A488C241FDFD857316A31E379@gcmail2.gc.sda.org> ----------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for July 15 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ----------------------------------------------- The Purification of the Church And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. Mal. 3:3. The time is upon us when the miracle-working power of the arch deceiver will be more decidedly revealed. And his deceptions will increase in their delusive attraction, so that they will perplex, and if possible, deceive, the very elect. The prince of darkness with his evil angels is working upon the Christian world, inducing those who profess the name of Christ to stand under the banner of darkness, to make war with those who keep the commandments of God, and have the faith of Jesus. An apostate church will unite with the powers of earth and hell to place upon the forehead or in the hand, the mark of the beast, and prevail upon the children of God to worship the beast and his image. They will seek to compel them to renounce their allegiance to God's law, and yield homage to the papacy. Then will come the times which will try men's souls; for the confederacy of apostasy will demand that the loyal subjects of God shall renounce the law of Jehovah, and repudiate the truth of His word. Then will the gold be separated from the dross, and it will be made apparent who are the godly, who are the loyal and true, and who are the disloyal, the dross and the tinsel. What clouds of chaff will then be borne away by the fan of God! Where now our eyes can discover only rich floors of wheat, will be chaff blown away with the fan of God. Every one who is not centered in Christ will fail to stand the test and ordeal of that day. While those who are clothed with Christ's righteousness will stand firm to truth and duty, those who have trusted in their own righteousness will be ranged under the black banner of the prince of darkness. Then it will be seen whether the choice is for Christ or Belial. Those who have been self-distrustful, who have been so circumstanced that they have not dared to face stigma and reproach, will at last openly declare themselves for Christ and His law; while many who have appeared to be flourishing trees, but who have borne no fruit, will go with the multitude to do evil, and will receive the mark of apostasy in the forehead or in the hand. >From Maranatha - Page 204 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Fri Jul 16 04:13:14 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Fri, 16 Jul 2004 07:13:14 -0400 Subject: Satan Personates Christ--I Message-ID: <3372F6BF2D889A488C241FDFD857316A31E3BE@gcmail2.gc.sda.org> ----------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for July 16 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ----------------------------------------------- Satan Personates Christ--I Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them. Luke 21:8. "In this age antichrist will appear as the true Christ, and then the law of God will be fully made void in the nations of our world. Rebellion against God's holy law will be fully ripe. But the true leader of all this rebellion is Satan clothed as an angel of light. Men will be deceived and will exalt him to the place of God, and deify him. But Omnipotence will interpose, and to the apostate churches that unite in the exaltation of Satan, the sentence will go forth, `Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.'" Disguised as an angel of light, he [Satan] will walk the earth as a wonder-worker. In beautiful language he will present lofty sentiments. Good words will be spoken by him, and good deeds performed. Christ will be personified, but on one point there will be a marked distinction. Satan will turn the people from the law of God. He will declare that the Sabbath has been changed from the seventh to the first day of the week; and as lord of the first day of the week he will present this spurious Sabbath as a test of loyalty to him. It is impossible to give any idea of the experience of the people of God who shall be alive upon the earth when celestial glory and a repetition of the persecutions of the past are blended. They will walk in the light proceeding from the throne of God. By means of the angels there will be constant communication between heaven and earth. And Satan, surrounded by evil angels, and claiming to be God, will work miracles of all kinds, to deceive, if possible, the very elect. God's people will not find their safety in working miracles, for Satan will counterfeit the miracles that will be wrought. God's tried and tested people will find their power in the sign spoken of in Exodus 31:12-18. They are to take their stand on the living word: "It is written." This is the only foundation upon which they can stand securely. >From Maranatha - Page 205 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Sat Jul 17 05:09:40 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Sat, 17 Jul 2004 08:09:40 -0400 Subject: Satan Personates Christ--II Message-ID: <3372F6BF2D889A488C241FDFD857316A31E3F9@gcmail2.gc.sda.org> ----------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for July 17 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ----------------------------------------------- Satan Personates Christ--II And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 2 Cor. 11:14. Satan is preparing his deceptions that in his last campaign against the people of God, they may not understand that it is he. "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light." . . . Satan will go to the extent of his power to harass, tempt, and mislead God's people. He who dared to face, and tempt, and taunt our Lord, and who had power to take Him in his arms and carry Him to a pinnacle of the temple, and up into an exceeding high mountain, will exercise his power to a wonderful degree upon the present generation, who are far inferior in wisdom to their Lord, and who are almost wholly ignorant of his subtlety and strength. In a marvelous manner will he affect the bodies of those who are naturally inclined to do his bidding. He will come personating Jesus Christ, working mighty miracles; and men will fall down and worship him as Jesus Christ. We shall be commanded to worship this being, whom the world will glorify as Christ. What shall we do?--Tell them that Christ has warned us against just such a foe, who is man's worst enemy, yet who claims to be God; and that when Christ shall make His appearance, it will be with power and great glory, accompanied by ten thousand times ten thousand angels and thousands of thousands; and that when He shall come, we shall know His voice. The time is coming when Satan will work miracles right in your sight, claiming that he is Christ; and if your feet are not firmly established upon the truth of God, then you will be led away from your foundation. Satan is determined to keep up the warfare to the end. Coming as an angel of light, claiming to be the Christ, he will deceive the world. But his triumph will be short. No storm or tempest can move those whose feet are planted on the principles of eternal truth. They will be able to stand in this time of almost universal apostasy. >From Maranatha - Page 206 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Sun Jul 18 04:55:32 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Sun, 18 Jul 2004 07:55:32 -0400 Subject: Satanic Miracles--I Message-ID: <3372F6BF2D889A488C241FDFD857316A31E3FF@gcmail2.gc.sda.org> ----------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for July 18 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ----------------------------------------------- Satanic Miracles--I There shall be arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Matt. 24:24. The enemy is preparing to deceive the whole world by his miracle-working power. He will assume to personate the angels of light, to personate Jesus Christ. So far as his power extends, he will perform actual miracles. Says the Scripture: "He . . . deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do," not merely those which he pretends to do. Something more than mere impostures is brought to view in this scripture. But there is a limit beyond which Satan cannot go, and here he calls deception to his aid and counterfeits the work which he has not power actually to perform. In the last days he will appear in such a manner as to make men believe him to be Christ come the second time into the world. He will indeed transform himself into an angel of light. He will come personating Jesus Christ, working mighty miracles; and men will fall down and worship him as Jesus Christ. We shall be commanded to worship this being, whom the world will glorify as Christ. Just before us is "the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth." Revelation 3:10. All whose faith is not firmly established upon the word of God will be deceived and overcome. Satan works "with all deceivableness of unrighteousness" to gain control of the children of men, and his deceptions will continually increase. But he can gain his object only as men voluntarily yield to his temptations. Those who are earnestly seeking a knowledge of the truth and are striving to purify their souls through obedience, thus doing what they can to prepare for the conflict, will find, in the God of truth, a sure defense. "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee" (verse 10), is the Savior's promise. He would sooner send every angel out of heaven to protect His people than leave one soul that trusts in Him to be overcome by Satan. >From Maranatha - Page 207 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Mon Jul 19 04:21:43 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Mon, 19 Jul 2004 07:21:43 -0400 Subject: Satanic Miracles--II Message-ID: <3372F6BF2D889A488C241FDFD857316A31E418@gcmail2.gc.sda.org> ----------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for July 19 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ----------------------------------------------- Satanic Miracles--II And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. Rev. 13:13. As the people of God approach the perils of the last days, Satan holds earnest consultation with his angels as to the most successful plan of overthrowing their faith. He sees that the popular churches are already lulled to sleep by his deceptive power. By pleasing sophistry and lying wonders he can continue to hold them under his control. Therefore he directs his angels to lay their snares especially for those who are looking for the second advent of Christ and endeavoring to keep all the commandments of God. We are warned that in the last days he will work with signs and lying wonders. And he will continue these wonders until the close of probation, that he may point to them as evidence that he is an angel of light and not of darkness. Satan will come in to deceive if possible the very elect. He claims to be Christ, and he is coming in, pretending to be the great medical missionary. He will cause fire to come down from heaven in the sight of men to prove that he is God. It is the lying wonders of the devil that will take the world captive, and he will cause fire to come down from heaven in the sight of men. He is to work miracles; and this wonderful, miracle-working power is to sweep in the whole world. Some will be tempted to receive these wonders as from God. The sick will be healed before us. Miracles will be performed in our sight. Are we prepared for the trial which awaits us when the lying wonders of Satan shall be more fully exhibited? Will not many souls be ensnared and taken? By departing from the plain precepts and commandments of God, and giving heed to fables, the minds of many are preparing to receive these lying wonders. We must all now seek to arm ourselves for the contest in which we must soon engage. Faith in God's word, prayerfully studied and practically applied, will be our shield from Satan's power and will bring us off conquerors through the blood of Christ. >From Maranatha - Page 208 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Tue Jul 20 03:57:17 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Tue, 20 Jul 2004 06:57:17 -0400 Subject: God's People Brought to the Test Message-ID: <3372F6BF2D889A488C241FDFD857316A31E4C6@gcmail2.gc.sda.org> ----------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for July 20 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ----------------------------------------------- God's People Brought to the Test Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Matt. 7:22, 23. We need not be deceived. Wonderful scenes, with which Satan will be closely connected, will soon take place. God's Word declares that Satan will work miracles. He will make people sick, and then will suddenly remove from them his satanic power. They will then be regarded as healed. These works of apparent healing will bring Seventh-day Adventists to the test. Many who have had great light will fail to walk in the light, because they have not become one with Christ. I saw our people in great distress, weeping, and praying, pleading the sure promises of God, while the wicked were all around us, mocking us, and threatening to destroy us. They ridiculed our feebleness, they mocked at the smallness of our numbers, and taunted us with words calculated to cut deep. They charged us with taking an independent position from all the rest of the world. They had cut off our resources so that we could not buy nor sell, and referred to our abject poverty and stricken condition. They could not see how we could live without the world; we were dependent upon the world, and we must concede to the customs, practices, and laws of the world, or go out of it. If we were the only people in the world whom the Lord favored the appearances were awfully against us. They declared that they had the truth, that miracles were among them, that angels from heaven talked with them, and walked with them, that great power, and signs and wonders were performed among them, and this was the Temporal Millennium, which they had been expecting so long. The whole world was converted and in harmony with the Sunday law, and this little feeble people stood out in defiance of the laws of the land, and the laws of God, and claimed to be the only ones right on the earth. God's people will not find their safety in working miracles, for Satan would counterfeit any miracle that might be worked.... They are to take their stand on the living Word--"It is written." >From Maranatha - Page 209 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Wed Jul 21 04:12:46 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Wed, 21 Jul 2004 07:12:46 -0400 Subject: Sights of a Supernatural Character Message-ID: <3372F6BF2D889A488C241FDFD857316A31E585@gcmail2.gc.sda.org> ----------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for July 21 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ----------------------------------------------- Sights of a Supernatural Character Great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven. Luke 21:11. As we near the close of time, there will be greater and still greater external parade of heathen power; heathen deities will manifest their signal power, and will exhibit themselves before the cities of the world; and this delineation has already begun to be fulfilled. The Savior's prophecy concerning the visitation of judgments upon Jerusalem is to have another fulfillment, of which that terrible desolation was but a faint shadow. In the fate of the chosen city we may behold the doom of a world that has rejected God's mercy and trampled upon His law. Signs and wonders appeared, foreboding disaster and doom. In the midst of the night an unnatural light shone over the temple and the altar. Upon the clouds at sunset were pictured chariots and men of war gathering for battle. Last Friday morning [August 24, 1906], just before I awoke, a very impressive scene was presented before me. I seemed to awake from sleep but was not in my home. From the windows I could behold a terrible conflagration. Great balls of fire were falling upon houses, and from these balls fiery arrows were flying in every direction. It was impossible to check the fires that were kindled, and many places were being destroyed. The terror of the people was indescribable. Fearful sights of a supernatural character will soon be revealed in the heavens, in token of the power of miracle-working demons. The spirits of devils will go forth to the kings of the earth and to the whole world, to fasten them in deception, and urge them on to unite with Satan in his last struggle against the government of heaven. By these agencies, rulers and subjects will be alike deceived. Persons will arise pretending to be Christ Himself, and claiming the title and worship which belong to the world's Redeemer. They will perform wonderful miracles of healing and will profess to have revelations from heaven contradicting the testimony of the Scriptures. >From Maranatha - Page 210 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Thu Jul 22 04:08:06 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Thu, 22 Jul 2004 07:08:06 -0400 Subject: The Seal of God and the Mark of the Beast Message-ID: <3372F6BF2D889A488C241FDFD857316A31E62B@gcmail2.gc.sda.org> ----------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for July 22 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ----------------------------------------------- The Seal of God and the Mark of the Beast Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples. Isa. 8:16. The living righteous will receive the seal of God prior to the close of probation. The sign, or seal, of God is revealed in the observance of the seventh-day Sabbath, the Lord's memorial of creation. . . . The mark of the beast is the opposite of this--the observance of the first day of the week. Sunday keeping is not yet the mark of the beast, and will not be until the decree goes forth causing men to worship this idol Sabbath. The time will come when this day will be the test, but that time has not come yet. No one has yet received the mark of the beast. The testing time has not yet come. There are true Christians in every church, not excepting the Roman Catholic communion. None are condemned until they have had the light and have seen the obligation of the fourth commandment. But when the decree shall go forth enforcing the counterfeit Sabbath, and the loud cry of the third angel shall warn men against the worship of the beast and his image, the line will be clearly drawn between the false and the true. Then those who still continue in transgression will receive the mark of the beast. If the light of truth has been presented to you, revealing the Sabbath of the fourth commandment, and showing that there is no foundation in the Word of God for Sunday observance, and yet you still cling to the false Sabbath, refusing to keep holy the Sabbath which God calls "my holy day," you receive the mark of the beast. When does this take place? When you obey the decree that commands you to cease from labor on Sunday and worship God, while you know that there is not a word in the Bible showing Sunday to be other than a common working day, you consent to receive the mark of the beast, and refuse the seal of God. In a little while every one who is a child of God will have His seal placed upon him. O that it may be placed upon our foreheads! Who can endure the thought of being passed by when the angel goes forth to seal the servants of God in their foreheads? >From Maranatha - Page 211 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Fri Jul 23 05:15:32 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Fri, 23 Jul 2004 08:15:32 -0400 Subject: The Sealing and the Latter Rain Message-ID: <3372F6BF2D889A488C241FDFD857316A31E70C@gcmail2.gc.sda.org> ----------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for July 23 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ----------------------------------------------- The Sealing and the Latter Rain Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. 2 Tim. 2:19. Before the work is closed up and the sealing of God's people is finished, we shall receive the outpouring of the Spirit of God. Angels from heaven will be in our midst. Our heavenly Father claims not at our hands that which we cannot perform. He desires His people to labor earnestly to carry out His purpose for them. They are to pray for power, expect power, and receive power, that they may grow up into the full stature of men and women in Christ Jesus. Not all members of the church are cultivating personal piety; therefore they do not understand their personal responsibility. They do not realize that it is their privilege and duty to reach the high standard of Christian perfection. . . . Are we looking forward to the latter rain, confidently hoping for a better day, when the church shall be endued with power from on high and thus fitted for work? The latter rain will never refresh and invigorate the indolent, who do not use the powers God has given them. We are in great need of the pure, life-giving atmosphere that nurtures and invigorates the spiritual life. We need greater earnestness. The solemn message given us to give to the world is to be proclaimed with greater fervency, even with an intensity that will impress unbelievers, leading them to see that the Most High is working with us, that He is the source of our efficiency and strength. . . . Are you using all your powers in an effort to bring the lost sheep back to the fold? There are thousands upon thousands in ignorance who might be warned. Pray as you have never prayed before for the power of Christ. Pray for the inspiration of His Spirit, that you may be filled with a desire to save those who are perishing. Let the prayer ascend to heaven, "God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; that thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations" (Ps. 67:1, 2). >From Maranatha - Page 212 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Sat Jul 24 05:17:59 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Sat, 24 Jul 2004 08:17:59 -0400 Subject: The Remnant and the Sealing Message-ID: <3372F6BF2D889A488C241FDFD857316A31E755@gcmail2.gc.sda.org> ----------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for July 24 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ----------------------------------------------- The Remnant and the Sealing And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? Zech. 3:2. The remnant church will be brought into great trial and distress. Those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, will feel the ire of the dragon and his hosts. Satan numbers the world as his subjects; he has gained control of the apostate churches. But here is a little company that are resisting his supremacy. If he could blot them from the earth, his triumph would be complete. As he influenced the heathen nations to destroy Israel, so in the near future he will stir up the wicked powers of earth to destroy the people of God. All will be required to render obedience to human edicts in violation of the divine law. Those who will be true to God and to duty will be menaced, denounced, and proscribed. They will be betrayed "both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends." Their only hope is in the mercy of God; their only defense will be prayer. As Joshua was pleading before the Angel, so the remnant church, with brokenness of heart and earnest faith, will plead for pardon and deliverance through Jesus their Advocate. . . . Satan urges before God his accusations against them, declaring that they have by their sins forfeited the divine protection, and claiming the right to destroy them as transgressors. . . . But while the followers of Christ have sinned, they have not given themselves to the control of evil. They have put away their sins, and have sought the Lord in humility and contrition, and the divine Advocate pleads in their behalf. . . . The people of God are sighing and crying for the abominations done in the land. With tears they warn the wicked of their danger in trampling upon the divine law, and with unutterable sorrow they humble themselves before the Lord on account of their own transgressions. The wicked mock their sorrow, ridicule their solemn appeals, and sneer at what they term their weakness. But the anguish and humiliation of God's people is unmistakable evidence that they are regaining the strength and nobility of character lost in consequence of sin. . . . While Satan was urging his accusations, holy angels, unseen, were passing to and fro, placing upon them the seal of the living God. >From Maranatha - Page 213 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Sun Jul 25 05:14:01 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Sun, 25 Jul 2004 08:14:01 -0400 Subject: All Nations Follow America's Lead Message-ID: <3372F6BF2D889A488C241FDFD857316A31E760@gcmail2.gc.sda.org> ----------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for July 25 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ----------------------------------------------- All Nations Follow America's Lead When all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of music, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. Dan. 3:7. History will be repeated. False religion will be exalted. The first day of the week, a common working day, possessing no sanctity whatever, will be set up as was the image at Babylon. All nations and tongues and peoples will be commanded to worship this spurious Sabbath. This is Satan's plan to make of no account the day instituted by God, and given to the world as a memorial of creation. The decree enforcing the worship of this day is to go forth to all the world. As America, the land of religious liberty, shall unite with the papacy in forcing the conscience and compelling men to honor the false Sabbath, the people of every country on the globe will be led to follow her example. Foreign nations will follow the example of the United States. Though she leads out, yet the same crisis will come upon our people in all parts of the world. Nations will be stirred to their very center. Support will be withdrawn from those who proclaim God's only standard of righteousness, the only sure test of character. And all who will not bow to the decree of the national councils and obey the national laws to exalt the Sabbath instituted by the man of sin, to the disregard of God's holy day, will feel, not the oppressive power of popery alone, but of the Protestant world, the image of the beast. The season of distress before God's people will call for a faith that will not falter. His children must make it manifest that He is the only object of their worship, and that no consideration, not even that of life itself, can induce them to make the least concession to false worship. To the loyal heart the commands of sinful, finite men will sink into insignificance beside the word of the eternal God. Truth will be obeyed though the result be imprisonment or exile or death. >From Maranatha - Page 214 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Mon Jul 26 04:28:30 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Mon, 26 Jul 2004 07:28:30 -0400 Subject: The Beginning of the End Message-ID: <3372F6BF2D889A488C241FDFD857316A31E772@gcmail2.gc.sda.org> ----------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for July 27 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ----------------------------------------------- The Beginning of the End Evil on evil! says the Lord the Eternal--it is coming, the hour has come, the hour is striking, and striking at you, the hour and the end! Eze. 7:5, 6, Moffatt. Fearful is the issue to which the world is to be brought. The powers of earth, uniting to war against the commandments of God, will decree that all, "both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond," shall conform to the customs of the church by observance of the false sabbath. All who refuse compliance will be visited with civil penalties, and it will finally be declared that they are deserving of death. On the other hand, the law of God enjoining the Creator's rest day demands obedience, and threatens wrath against all who transgress its precepts. With the issue thus clearly brought before him, whosoever shall trample upon God's law to obey a human enactment, receives the mark of the beast; he accepts the sign of allegiance to the power which he chooses to obey instead of God. . . . The Sabbath will be the great test of loyalty; for it is the point of truth especially controverter. When the final test shall be brought to bear upon men, then the line of distinction will be drawn between those who serve God and those who serve Him not. While the observance of the false sabbath in compliance with the law of the state, contrary to the fourth commandment, will be an avowal of an allegiance to a power that is in opposition to God, the keeping of the true Sabbath, in obedience to God's law, is an evidence of loyalty to the Creator. While one class, by accepting the sign of submission to earthly powers, receive the mark of the beast, the other, choosing the token of allegiance to divine authority, receive the seal of God. Heretofore those who presented the truths of the third angel's message have been often regarded as mere alarmists. . . . But as the question of enforcing Sunday observance is widely agitated, the event so long doubted and disbelieved is seen to be approaching, and the third message will produce an effect which it could not have had before. >From Maranatha - Page 215 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Tue Jul 27 04:47:41 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Tue, 27 Jul 2004 07:47:41 -0400 Subject: National Ruin Follows National Apostasy Message-ID: <3372F6BF2D889A488C241FDFD857316A31E858@gcmail2.gc.sda.org> ----------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for July 27 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ----------------------------------------------- National Ruin Follows National Apostasy The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. Isa. 24:5. The people of the United States have been a favored people; but when they restrict religious liberty, surrender Protestantism, and give countenance to popery, the measure of their guilt will be full, and "national apostasy" will be registered in the books of heaven. The result of this apostasy will be national ruin. By the decree enforcing the institution of the papacy in violation of the law of God, our nation will disconnect herself fully from righteousness. When Protestantism shall stretch her hand across the gulf to grasp the hand of the Roman power, when she shall reach over the abyss to clasp hands with spiritualism, when, under the influence of this threefold union, our country shall repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and republican government, and shall make provision for the propagation of papal falsehoods and delusions, then we may know that the time has come for the marvelous working of Satan and that the end is near. Through spiritualism, Satan appears as a benefactor of the race, healing the diseases of the people, and professing to present a new and more exalted system of religious faith; but at the same time he works as a destroyer. . . . While appearing to the children of men as a great physician who can heal all their maladies, he will bring disease and disaster, until populous cities are reduced to ruin and desolation. . . . And then the great deceiver will persuade men that those who serve God are causing these evils. As men depart further and further from God, Satan is permitted to have power over the children of disobedience. He hurls destruction among men. There is calamity by land and sea. Property and life are destroyed by fire and flood. Satan resolves to charge this upon those who refuse to bow to the idol which he has set up. His agents point to Seventh-day Adventists as the cause of the trouble. "These people stand out in defiance of law," they say. "They desecrate Sunday. Were they compelled to obey the law for Sunday observance, there would be a cessation of these terrible judgments." >From Maranatha - Page 216 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Wed Jul 28 10:22:01 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Wed, 28 Jul 2004 13:22:01 -0400 Subject: The World Against God's People Message-ID: <3372F6BF2D889A488C241FDFD857316A31E98B@gcmail2.gc.sda.org> ----------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for July 28 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ----------------------------------------------- The World Against God's People The dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. Rev. 12:17. Our people have been regarded as too insignificant to be worthy of notice, but a change will come. The Christian world is now making movements which will necessarily bring commandment-keeping people into prominence. The whole world is to be stirred with enmity against Seventh-day Adventists, because they will not yield homage to the papacy, by honoring Sunday, the institution of this antichristian power. It is the purpose of Satan to cause them to be blotted from the earth, in order that his supremacy of the world may not be disputed. Every position of truth taken by our people will bear the criticism of the greatest minds; the highest of the world's great men will be brought in contact with truth, and therefore every position we take should be critically examined and tested by the Scriptures. Now we seem to be unnoticed, but this will not always be. Movements are at work to bring us to the front, and if our theories of truth can be picked to pieces by historians or the world's greatest men, it will be done. We must individually know for ourselves what is truth, and be prepared to give a reason of the hope that we have with meekness and fear, not in a proud, boasting, self-sufficiency, but with the spirit of Christ. We are nearing the time when we shall stand individually alone to answer for our belief. We shall be attacked on every point; we shall be tried to the utmost. We do not want to hold our faith simply because it was handed down to us by our fathers. Such a faith will not stand the terrible test that is before us. We want to know why we are Seventh-day Adventists, what real reason we have for coming out from the world as a separate and distinct people. . . . The powers of darkness will open their batteries upon us; and all who are indifferent and careless, who have set their affections on their earthly treasure, and who have not cared to understand God's dealings with His people, will be ready victims. No power but a knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus, will ever make us steadfast; but with this, one may chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight. >From Maranatha - Page 217 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Thu Jul 29 08:16:43 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Thu, 29 Jul 2004 11:16:43 -0400 Subject: The Angel of Revelation 18 In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <1091114203.410914dbdf704@webmail.southern.edu> ----------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for July 29 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ----------------------------------------------- The Angel of Revelation 18 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. Rev. 18:1. The prophecies in the eighteenth of Revelation will soon be fulfilled. During the proclamation of the third angel's message, "another angel" is to "come down from heaven, having great power," and the earth is to be "lightened with his glory." The Spirit of the Lord will so graciously bless consecrated human instrumentalities that men, women, and children will open their lips in praise and thanksgiving, filling the earth with the knowledge of God, and with His unsurpassed glory, as the waters cover the sea. Those who have held the beginning of their confidence firm unto the end will be wide-awake during the time that the third angel's message is proclaimed with great power. During the loud cry, the church, aided by the providential interpositions of her exalted Lord, will diffuse the knowledge of salvation so abundantly that light will be communicated to every city and town. The earth will be filled with the knowledge of salvation. So abundantly will the renewing Spirit of God have crowned with success the intensely active agencies, that the light of present truth will be seen flashing everywhere. There is to be, at this period, a series of events which will reveal that God is Master of the situation. The truth will be proclaimed in clear, unmistakable language. As a people, we must prepare the way of the Lord, under the overruling guidance of the Holy Spirit. The gospel is to be given in its purity. The stream of living water is to deepen and widen in its course. In all fields, nigh and afar off, men will be called from the plow and from the more common commercial business vocations that largely occupy the mind, and will be educated in connection with men of experience. As they learn to labor effectively, they will proclaim the truth with power. Through most wonderful workings of divine providence, mountains of difficulties will be removed, and cast into the sea. The message that means so much to the dwellers upon the earth will be heard and understood. Men will know what is truth. Onward, and still onward the work will advance, until the whole earth shall have been warned. And then shall the end come. >From Maranatha - Page 218 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Fri Jul 30 04:16:19 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Fri, 30 Jul 2004 07:16:19 -0400 Subject: The Angel of Revelation 18 In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <1091186179.410a2e0384f87@webmail.southern.edu> ----------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for July 30 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ----------------------------------------------- The Early and the Latter Rain Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. Joel 2:23. There is to be in the churches a wonderful manifestation of the power of God, but it will not move upon those who have not humbled themselves before the Lord, and opened the door of their heart by confession and repentance. In the manifestation of that power which lightens the earth with the glory of God, they will see only something which in their blindness they think dangerous, something which will arouse their fears, and they will brace themselves to resist it. Because the Lord does not work according to their expectations and ideal, they will oppose the work. "Why," they say, "should we not know the Spirit of God, when we have been in the work so many years?" Because they did not respond to the warnings, the entreaties, of the messages of God, but persistently said, "I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing." Talent, long experience, will not make men channels of light unless they place themselves under the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness, and are called, and chosen, and prepared by the endowment of the Holy Spirit. When men who handle sacred things will humble themselves under the mighty hand of God, the Lord will lift them up. He will make them men of discernment--men rich in the grace of His Spirit. Their strong, selfish traits of character and their stubbornness will be seen in the light shining from the Light of the world. "I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent." If you seek the Lord with all your heart, He will be found of you. There must be no neglect of the grace represented by the former rain. Only those who are living up to the light they have will receive greater light. Unless we are daily advancing in the exemplification of the active Christian virtues, we shall not recognize the manifestations of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain. It may be falling on hearts all around us, but we shall not discern or receive it. >From Maranatha - Page 219 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Sat Jul 31 10:44:05 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Sat, 31 Jul 2004 13:44:05 -0400 Subject: The World Against God's People In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <1091295845.410bda6578daf@webmail.southern.edu> ----------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for July 28 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ----------------------------------------------- High Time to Awake! And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Rom. 13:11, 12. The great controversy is nearing its end. Every report of calamity by sea or land is a testimony to the fact that the end of all things is at hand. Wars and rumors of wars declare it. Is there a Christian whose pulse does not beat with quickened action as he anticipates the great events opening before us? The Lord is coming. We hear the footsteps of an approaching God. This knowledge of the nearness of Christ's coming should not be allowed to lose its force, and we become careless and inattentive, and fall into slumber-- into an insensibility and indifference to realities. In slumber we are in an unreal world, and not sensible of the things which are taking place around us. . . . There are those who have the blazing light of truth shining all around them, and yet are insensible to it. They are enchanted by the enemy, held under a spell by his bewitching power. They are not preparing for that great day which is soon to come to our world. They seem utterly insensible to religious truth. Are there not some youth who are awake? Those who see that the night cometh, and also the morning, should work with untiring energy to arouse their sleeping associates. Can they not feel their peril, pray for them, and show them by their own life and character that they believe themselves that Christ is soon to come? . . . The rapidly diminishing space of time between us and eternity should more deeply impress us. Every day that passes makes one less left us to complete our work of perfecting character. . . . As long as there are many asleep, many sporting away the precious hours in careless indifference, as it were, upon the very brink of the eternal world, those who do believe must be sober, must be awake, must be earnest and diligent, and watch unto prayer. . . . Have you, dear youth, your lamps trimmed and burning? >From Maranatha - Page 220 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Sat Jul 31 10:48:47 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Sat, 31 Jul 2004 13:48:47 -0400 Subject: High Time to Awake! In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <1091296127.410bdb7fc6ff8@webmail.southern.edu> ----------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for July 28 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ----------------------------------------------- High Time to Awake! And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Rom. 13:11, 12. The great controversy is nearing its end. Every report of calamity by sea or land is a testimony to the fact that the end of all things is at hand. Wars and rumors of wars declare it. Is there a Christian whose pulse does not beat with quickened action as he anticipates the great events opening before us? The Lord is coming. We hear the footsteps of an approaching God. This knowledge of the nearness of Christ's coming should not be allowed to lose its force, and we become careless and inattentive, and fall into slumber-- into an insensibility and indifference to realities. In slumber we are in an unreal world, and not sensible of the things which are taking place around us. . . . There are those who have the blazing light of truth shining all around them, and yet are insensible to it. They are enchanted by the enemy, held under a spell by his bewitching power. They are not preparing for that great day which is soon to come to our world. They seem utterly insensible to religious truth. Are there not some youth who are awake? Those who see that the night cometh, and also the morning, should work with untiring energy to arouse their sleeping associates. Can they not feel their peril, pray for them, and show them by their own life and character that they believe themselves that Christ is soon to come? . . . The rapidly diminishing space of time between us and eternity should more deeply impress us. Every day that passes makes one less left us to complete our work of perfecting character. . . . As long as there are many asleep, many sporting away the precious hours in careless indifference, as it were, upon the very brink of the eternal world, those who do believe must be sober, must be awake, must be earnest and diligent, and watch unto prayer. . . . Have you, dear youth, your lamps trimmed and burning? From Maranatha - Page 220 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Sun Aug 1 14:06:31 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Sun, 1 Aug 2004 17:06:31 -0400 Subject: High Time to Awake! In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <1091394391.410d5b57ed541@webmail.southern.edu> ----------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for July 28 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ----------------------------------------------- High Time to Awake! And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Rom. 13:11, 12. The great controversy is nearing its end. Every report of calamity by sea or land is a testimony to the fact that the end of all things is at hand. Wars and rumors of wars declare it. Is there a Christian whose pulse does not beat with quickened action as he anticipates the great events opening before us? The Lord is coming. We hear the footsteps of an approaching God. This knowledge of the nearness of Christ's coming should not be allowed to lose its force, and we become careless and inattentive, and fall into slumber-- into an insensibility and indifference to realities. In slumber we are in an unreal world, and not sensible of the things which are taking place around us. . . . There are those who have the blazing light of truth shining all around them, and yet are insensible to it. They are enchanted by the enemy, held under a spell by his bewitching power. They are not preparing for that great day which is soon to come to our world. They seem utterly insensible to religious truth. Are there not some youth who are awake? Those who see that the night cometh, and also the morning, should work with untiring energy to arouse their sleeping associates. Can they not feel their peril, pray for them, and show them by their own life and character that they believe themselves that Christ is soon to come? . . . The rapidly diminishing space of time between us and eternity should more deeply impress us. Every day that passes makes one less left us to complete our work of perfecting character. . . . As long as there are many asleep, many sporting away the precious hours in careless indifference, as it were, upon the very brink of the eternal world, those who do believe must be sober, must be awake, must be earnest and diligent, and watch unto prayer. . . . Have you, dear youth, your lamps trimmed and burning? >From Maranatha - Page 221 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Mon Aug 2 06:03:35 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Mon, 2 Aug 2004 09:03:35 -0400 Subject: "In These Hours of Probation" In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <1091451815.410e3ba72af87@webmail.southern.edu> ----------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for July 28 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ---------------------------------------------- "In These Hours of Probation" I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 2 Cor. 6:2. We believe without a doubt that Christ is soon coming. This is not a fable to us; it is a reality. We have no doubt, neither have we had a doubt for years, that the doctrines we hold today are present truth, and that we are nearing the judgment. We are preparing to meet Him who, escorted by a retinue of holy angels, is to appear in the clouds of heaven to give the faithful and the just the finishing touch of immortality. When He comes He is not to cleanse us of our sins, to remove from us the defects in our characters, or to cure us of the infirmities of our tempers and dispositions. If wrought for us at all, this work will all be accomplished before that time. When the Lord comes, those who are holy will be holy still. Those who have preserved their bodies and spirits in holiness, in sanctification and honor, will then receive the finishing touch of immortality. But those who are unjust, unsanctified, and filthy will remain so forever. No work will then be done for them to remove their defects and give them holy characters. The Refiner does not then sit to pursue His refining process and remove their sins and their corruption. This is all to be done in these hours of probation. It is now that this work is to be accomplished for us. We embrace the truth of God with our different faculties, and as we come under the influence of that truth, it will accomplish the work for us which is necessary to give us a moral fitness for the kingdom of glory and for the society of the heavenly angels. We are now in God's workshop. Many of us are rough stones from the quarry. But as we lay hold upon the truth of God, its influence affects us. It elevates us and removes from us every imperfection and sin, of whatever nature. Thus we are prepared to see the King in His beauty and finally to unite with the pure and heavenly angels in the kingdom of glory. It is here that this work is to be accomplished for us, here that our bodies and spirits are to be fitted for immortality. >From Maranatha - Page 222 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Tue Aug 3 05:29:25 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Tue, 3 Aug 2004 08:29:25 -0400 Subject: The Substance of Moral Character In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <1091536165.410f8525af50f@webmail.southern.edu> ----------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for July 28 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ----------------------------------------------- The Substance of Moral Character Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men's labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you. 2 Cor. 10:15. You should keep off from Satan's enchanted ground and not allow your minds to be swayed from allegiance to God. Through Christ you may and should be happy and should acquire habits of self-control. Even your thoughts must be brought into subjection to the will of God and your feelings under the control of reason and religion. Your imagination was not given you to be allowed to run riot and have its own way without any effort at restraint or discipline. If the thoughts are wrong the feelings will be wrong, and the thoughts and feelings combined make up the moral character. . . . If you yield to your impressions and allow your thoughts to run in a channel of suspicion, doubt, and repining you will be among the most unhappy of mortals. . . . Dear Sister F, you have a diseased imagination; and you dishonor God by allowing your feelings to have complete control of your reason and judgment. You have a determined will, which causes the mind to react upon the body, unbalancing the circulation and producing congestion in certain organs; and you are sacrificing health to your feelings. You are making a mistake, which, if not corrected, will not end with wrecking your own happiness merely. You are doing positive injury, not only to yourself, but to the other members of your family. . . . You have . . . let your highly wrought imagination control reason. . . . Had you no power over your feelings, this would not be sin; but it will not answer thus to yield to the enemy. Your will needs to be sanctified and subdued instead of being arrayed in opposition to that of God. . . . Man has been placed in a world of sorrow, care, and perplexity. He is placed here to be tested and proved, as were Adam and Eve, that he may develop a right character and bring harmony out of discord and confusion. There is much for us to do that is essential. . . . And there is much for us to enjoy. Through Christ we are brought into connection with God. His mercies place us under continual obligation; feeling unworthy of His favors, we are to appreciate even the least of them. >From Maranatha - Page 223 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Wed Aug 4 05:20:07 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Wed, 4 Aug 2004 08:20:07 -0400 Subject: Character a Quality of the Soul In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <1091622007.4110d4779744d@webmail.southern.edu> ----------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for July 28 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ----------------------------------------------- Character a Quality of the Soul No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies. Job 28:18. A character formed according to the divine likeness is the only treasure that we can take from this world to the next. Those who are under the instruction of Christ in this world will take every divine attainment with them to the heavenly mansions. And in heaven we are continually to improve. . . . Mental ability and genius are not character, for these are often possessed by those who have the very opposite of a good character. Reputation is not character. True character is a quality of the soul, revealing itself in the conduct. A good character is a capital of more value than gold or silver. It is unaffected by panics or failures, and in that day when earthly possessions shall be swept away, it will bring rich returns. Integrity, firmness, and perseverance are qualities that all should seek earnestly to cultivate; for they clothe the possessor with a power which is irresistible--a power which makes him strong to do good, strong to resist evil, strong to bear adversity. Strength of character consists of two things--power of will and power of self- control. Many youth mistake strong, uncontrolled passion for strength of character; but the truth is that he who is mastered by his passions is a weak man. The real greatness and nobility of the man is measured by his powers to subdue his feelings, not by the power of his feelings to subdue him. The strongest man is he who, while sensitive to abuse, will yet restrain passion and forgive his enemies. If it were considered as important that the young possess a beautiful character and amiable disposition as it is that they imitate the fashions of the world in dress and deportment, we would see hundreds where there is one today coming upon the stage of active life prepared to exert an ennobling influence upon society. >From Maranatha - Page 224 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Thu Aug 5 05:17:46 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Thu, 5 Aug 2004 08:17:46 -0400 Subject: Christ Our Helper and Redeemer In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <1091708266.4112256ad5a5f@webmail.southern.edu> ----------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for July 28 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ----------------------------------------------- Christ Our Helper and Redeemer As by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Rom. 5:19. Because man fallen could not overcome Satan with his human strength, Christ came from the royal courts of heaven to help him with His human and divine strength combined. Christ knew that Adam in Eden, with his superior advantages, might have withstood the temptations of Satan, and conquered him. He also knew that it was not possible for man, out of Eden, separated from the light and love of God since the Fall, to resist the temptations of Satan in his own strength. In order to bring hope to man, and save him from complete ruin, He humbled Himself to take man's nature, that, with His divine power combined with the human, He might reach man where he is. He obtains for the fallen sons and daughters of Adam that strength which it is impossible for them to gain for themselves, that in His name they may overcome the temptations of Satan. . . . Adam and Eve in Eden were placed under most favorable circumstances. . . . They were without the condemnation of sin. . . . The Author of their existence was their teacher. But they fell beneath the power and temptations of the artful foe. Four thousand years had Satan been at work against the government of God, and he had obtained strength and experience from determined practice. Fallen men had not the advantages of Adam in Eden. They had been separating from God for four thousand years. The wisdom to understand, and power to resist, the temptations of Satan had become less and less, until Satan seemed to reign triumphant in the earth. Appetite and passion, the love of the world and presumptuous sins, were the great branches of evil out of which every species of . . . corruption grew. Our lives may seem a tangle; but as we commit ourselves to the wise Master Worker, He will bring out the pattern of life and character that will be to His own glory. And that character which expresses the glory--character--of Christ, will be received into the Paradise of God. Everyone who by faith obeys God's commandments, will reach the condition of sinlessness in which Adam lived before his transgression. >From Maranatha - Page 225 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Fri Aug 6 05:35:31 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Fri, 6 Aug 2004 08:35:31 -0400 Subject: High Spiritual State Attainable In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <1091795731.41137b1311aec@webmail.southern.edu> ----------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for July 28 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ----------------------------------------------- High Spiritual State Attainable Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. Jude 24. Christ was obedient to every requirement of the law. . . . By His perfect obedience He has made it possible for every human being to obey God's commandments. When we submit ourselves to Christ, the heart is united with His heart, the will is merged in His will, the mind becomes one with His mind, the thoughts are brought into captivity to Him; we live His life. This is what it means to be clothed with the garment of His righteousness. Then as the Lord looks upon us He sees, not the fig-leaf garment, not the nakedness and deformity of sin, but His own robe of righteousness, which is perfect obedience to the law of Jehovah. Through the plan of redemption, God has provided means for subduing every sinful trait, and resisting every temptation, however strong. The strongest temptation is no excuse for sin. However great the pressure brought to bear upon the soul, transgression is our own act. It is not in the power of earth or hell to compel any one to sin. The will must consent, the heart must yield, or passion cannot overbear reason, nor iniquity triumph over righteousness. If you will stand under the bloodstained banner of Prince Emmanuel, faithfully doing His service, you need never yield to temptation; for One stands by your side who is able to keep you from falling. We need not retain one sinful propensity. . . . [Eph. 2:1-6 quoted.] . . . As we partake of the divine nature, hereditary and cultivated tendencies to wrong are cut away from the character, and we are made a living power for good. Ever learning of the divine Teacher, daily partaking of His nature, we cooperate with God in overcoming Satan's temptations. God works, and man works, that man may be one with Christ as Christ is one with God. Then we sit together with Christ in heavenly places. The mind rests with peace and assurance in Jesus. >From Maranatha - Page 226 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Sun Aug 8 18:46:20 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Sun, 8 Aug 2004 21:46:20 -0400 Subject: Perfection in the Human Sphere In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <1092015980.4116d76ccf0e5@webmail.southern.edu> ----------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for July 28 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ----------------------------------------------- Perfection in the Human Sphere Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Matt. 5:48. Our Savior understood all about human nature, and He says to every human being. "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." As God is perfect in His sphere, so man is to be perfect in his sphere. Those who receive Christ are among the number to whom the words so full of hope are spoken. "As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." These words declare to us that we should be content with nothing less than the best and highest character, a character formed after the divine similitude. When such a character is possessed, the life, the faith, the purity of the religion, is an instructive example to others. But those who are waiting to behold a magical change in their characters without determined effort on their part to overcome sin, will be disappointed. We have no reason to fear while looking to Jesus, no reason to doubt but that He is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto Him; but we may constantly fear lest our old nature will again obtain the supremacy, that the enemy shall devise some snare whereby we shall again become his captives. We are to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God that worketh in you to will and to do of His good pleasure. With our limited powers we are to be as holy in our sphere as God is holy in His sphere. To the extent of our ability, we are to make manifest the truth and love and excellence of the divine character. As wax takes the impression of the seal, so the soul is to take the impression of the Spirit of God and retain the image of Christ. We are to grow daily in spiritual loveliness. We shall fail often in our efforts to copy the divine pattern. We shall often have to bow down to weep at the feet of Jesus, because of our shortcomings and mistakes; but we are not to be discouraged; we are to pray more fervently, believe more fully, and try again with more steadfastness to grow into the likeness of our Lord. As we distrust our own power, we shall trust the power of our Redeemer, and render praise to God, who is the health of our countenance, and our God. >From Maranatha - Page 228 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Sun Aug 8 18:49:20 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Sun, 8 Aug 2004 21:49:20 -0400 Subject: Reaching the Height of Christian Perfection In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <1092016160.4116d8207c094@webmail.southern.edu> --------------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for August 7 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org --------------------------------------------------- Reaching the Height of Christian Perfection Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. Eph. 3:20. If you make God your strength, you may, under the most discouraging circumstances, attain a height and breadth of Christian perfection which you hardly think it possible to reach Your thoughts may be elevated, you may have noble aspirations, clear perceptions of truth, and purposes of action which shall raise you above all sordid motives. Both thought and action will be necessary if you would attain to perfection of character. While brought in contact with the world, you should be on your guard that you do not seek too ardently for the applause of men and live for their opinion. . . . Cultivate the grace of humility, and hang your helpless souls upon Christ. . . . In the midst of confusion and temptation in the worldly crowd you may, with perfect sweetness, keep the independence of the soul. If you are in daily communion with God you will learn to place His estimate upon men, and the obligations resting upon you to bless suffering humanity will meet with a willing response. You are not your own; your Lord has sacred claims upon your supreme affections and the very highest services of your life. He has a right to use you, in your body and in your spirit, to the fullest extent of your capabilities, for His own honor and glory. Whatever crosses you may be required to bear, ... you are to accept without a murmur. . . . Many are without God and without hope in the world. They are guilty, corrupt, and degraded, enslaved by Satan's devices. Yet these are the ones whom Christ came from heaven to redeem. They are subjects for tenderest pity, sympathy, and tireless effort; for they are on the verge of ruin. They suffer from ungratified desires, disordered passions, and the condemnation of their own consciences; they are miserable in every sense of the word, for they are losing their hold on this life and have no prospect for the life to come. You have an important field of labor, and you should be active and vigilant, rendering cheerful and unqualified obedience to the Master's calls. From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Mon Aug 9 05:36:33 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Mon, 9 Aug 2004 08:36:33 -0400 Subject: Honorable in Motive and Action In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <1092054993.41176fd1d7f8f@webmail.southern.edu> ---------------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for August 9 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ---------------------------------------------------- Honorable in Motive and Action Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Eph. 4:32. Principle, right, honesty, should ever be cherished. Honesty will not tarry where policy is harbored. They will never agree; one is of Baal, the other of God. The Master requires His servants to be honorable in motive and action. . . . Those who choose honesty as their companion will embody it in all their acts. To a large class, these men are not pleasing, but to God they are beautiful. Satan is working to crowd himself in everywhere. He would put asunder very friends. There are men who are ever talking and gossiping and bearing false witness, who sow the seeds of discord and engender strife. Heaven looks upon this class as Satan's most efficient servants. But the man who is injured is in a far less dangerous position than when fawned upon and extolled for a few of his efforts which appear successful. The commendation of apparent friends is more dangerous than reproach. Every man who praises himself brushes the luster from his best efforts. A truly noble character will not stoop to resent the false accusations of enemies; every word spoken falls harmless, for it strengthens that which it cannot overthrow. The Lord would have His people closely united with Himself, the God of patience and love. All should manifest in their lives the love of Christ. Let none venture to belittle the reputation or the position of another; this is egotism. . . . Never speak disparagingly of any man, for he may be great in the sight of the Lord, while those who feel great may be lightly esteemed of God because of the perversity of their hearts. Our only safety is to lie low at the foot of the cross, be little in our own eyes, and trust in God; for He alone has power to make us great. . . . The judgment and ability of all are needed now. Every man's work is of sufficient importance to demand that it be performed with care and fidelity. One man cannot do the work of all. Each has his respective place and his special work, and each should realize that the manner in which his work is done must stand the test of the judgment. >From Maranatha - Page 229 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Tue Aug 10 05:29:00 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Tue, 10 Aug 2004 08:29:00 -0400 Subject: Keep thyself pure. 1 Tim. 5:22. In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <1092140940.4118bf8c21a06@webmail.southern.edu> ------------------------------------------------------ Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for August 10 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ------------------------------------------------------ Keep thyself pure. 1 Tim. 5:22. To know what constitutes purity of mind, soul, and body is an important part of education. When the character is lacking in purity, when sin has become a part of the character, it has a bewitching power that is equal to the intoxicating glass of liquor. The power of self-control and reason is overborne by practices that defile the whole being; and if these sinful practices are continued, the brain is enfeebled and diseased, and loses its balance. Such ones are a curse to themselves and to all who have any connection with them. . . . Bad habits are more easily formed than good habits, and the bad habits are given up with more difficulty. The natural depravity of the heart accounts for this well-known fact--that it takes far less labor to demoralize the youth, to corrupt their ideas of moral and religious character, than to engraft upon their character the enduring, pure, and uncorrupted habits of righteousness and truth. Self-indulgence, love of pleasure, enmity, pride, self-esteem, envy, jealousy, will grow spontaneously, without example and teaching. In our present fallen state all that is needed is to give up the mind and character to its natural tendencies. In the natural world, give up a field to itself and you will see it covered with briers and thorns; but if it yields precious grain or beautiful flowers, care and unremitting labor must be applied. Now we present before you the necessity of constant resistance to evil. All heaven is interested in men and women whom God has valued so much as to give His beloved Son to die to redeem them. No other creature that God has made is capable of such improvement, such refinement, such nobility as man. Then when men become blunted by their own debasing passions, sunken in vice, what a specimen for God to look upon! Man cannot conceive what he may be and what he may become. Through the grace of Christ he is capable of constant mental progress. Let the light of truth shine into his mind and the love of God be shed abroad in his heart and he may, through the grace Christ has died to impart to him, be a man of power--a child of earth but an heir of immortality. >From Maranatha - Page 230 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Wed Aug 11 05:26:18 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Wed, 11 Aug 2004 08:26:18 -0400 Subject: Sanctification of the Whole Man In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <1092227178.411a106ade9e7@webmail.southern.edu> ------------------------------------------------------ Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for August 11 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ------------------------------------------------------ Sanctification of the Whole Man Be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Eph. 4:23, 24. The truth must sanctify the whole man--his mind, his thoughts, his heart, his strength. His vital powers will not be consumed upon his own lustful practices. These must be overcome, or they will overcome him. . . . 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. 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. . . . 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. . . . 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. . . . 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.". . . 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. >From Maranatha - Page 231 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Thu Aug 12 05:37:39 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Thu, 12 Aug 2004 08:37:39 -0400 Subject: In Harmony with His Law In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <1092314259.411b64938c27b@webmail.southern.edu> ------------------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for August 12 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org ------------------------------------------------------- In Harmony with His Law Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart. Ps. 119:34. In the new birth the heart is brought into harmony with God, as it is brought into accord with His law. When this mighty change has taken place in the sinner, he has passed from death unto life, from sin unto holiness, from transgression and rebellion to obedience and loyalty. . . . Erroneous theories of sanctification, . . . springing from neglect or rejection of the divine law, have a prominent place in the religious movements of the day. These theories are both false in doctrine and dangerous in practical results; and the fact that they are so generally finding favor, renders it doubly essential that all have a clear understanding of what the Scriptures teach upon this point. True sanctification is a Bible doctrine. The apostle Paul, in his letter to the Thessalonian church, declares: "This is the will of God, even your sanctification." And he prays: "The very God of peace sanctify you wholly" (1 Thess. 4:3; 5:23). The Bible clearly teaches what sanctification is and how it is to be attained. The Savior prayed for His disciples: "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth" (John 17:17, 19). And Paul teaches that believers are to be "sanctified by the Holy Ghost" (Rom. 15: 16). What is the work of the Holy Spirit? Jesus told His disciples: "When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth" (John 16:13). And the psalmist says: "Thy law is the truth." By the Word and the Spirit of God are opened to men the great principles of righteousness embodied in His law. And since the law of God is "holy, and just, and good," a transcript of the divine perfection, it follows that a character formed by obedience to that law will be holy. Christ is a perfect example of such a character. He says: "I have kept my Father's commandments." "I do always those things that please him" (John 15:10; 8:29). The followers of Christ are to become like Him--by the grace of God to form characters in harmony with the principles of His 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. >From Maranatha - Page 232 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Fri Aug 13 05:38:39 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2004 08:38:39 -0400 Subject: Counterfeit Sanctification In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <1092400719.411cb64f5038d@webmail.southern.edu> --------------------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for August 13 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org --------------------------------------------------------- Counterfeit Sanctification He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. 1 John 2:4, 5. The sanctification now gaining prominence in the religious world carries with it a spirit of self-exaltation and a disregard for the law of God that mark it as foreign to the religion of the Bible. Its advocates teach that sanctification is an instantaneous work, by which, through faith alone, they attain to perfect holiness. "Only believe," say they, "and the blessing is yours." No further effort on the part of the receiver is supposed to be required. At the same time they deny the authority of the law of God, urging that they are released from obligation to keep the commandments. But is it possible for men to be holy, in accord with the will and character of God, without coming into harmony with the principles which are an expression of His nature and will . . . ? The desire for an easy religion that requires no striving, no self-denial, no divorce from the follies of the world, has made the doctrine of faith, and faith only, a popular doctrine; but what saith the word of God? Says the apostle James: "What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? . . . Wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? . . ." The testimony of the word of God is against this ensnaring doctrine of faith without works. It is not faith that claims the favor of Heaven without complying with the conditions upon which mercy is to be granted, it is presumption; for genuine faith has its foundation in the promises and provisions of the Scriptures. Let none deceive themselves with the belief that they can become holy while willfully violating one of God's requirements. The commission of a known sin silences the witnessing voice of the Spirit and separates the soul from God. . . . "He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected" (1 John 2:4, 5). >From Maranatha - Page 233 From devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org Sat Aug 14 19:53:59 2004 From: devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org (devotional at egwlists.whiteestate.org) Date: Sat, 14 Aug 2004 22:53:59 -0400 Subject: Impressions, Feelings, and Drugs In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <1092538439.411ed047c6172@webmail.southern.edu> --------------------------------------------------------- Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for August 14 Visit us at http://www.whiteestate.org --------------------------------------------------------- Impressions, Feelings, and Drugs Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way. Ps. 119:104. There are many restless spirits who will not submit to discipline, system, and order. They think that their liberties would be abridged were they to lay aside their own judgment and submit to the judgment of those of experience. The work of God will not progress unless there is a disposition to submit to order and expel the reckless, disorderly spirit of fanaticism from their meetings. Impressions and feelings are no sure evidence that a person is led by the Lord. Satan will, if he is unsuspected, give feelings and impressions. These are not safe guides. All should thoroughly acquaint themselves with the evidences of our faith, and the great study should be how they can adorn their profession and bear fruit to the glory of God. . . . For some time he [a patient at the Battle Creek Sanitarium] had thought he was obtaining new light. He was very ill, and must soon die. . . . Those to whom he presented his views listened to him eagerly, and some thought him inspired. . . . To many his reasoning seemed to be without a flaw. They told of his powerful exhortations in his sickroom. Most wonderful views passed before him. But what was the source of his inspiration? It was the morphine given him to relieve his pain. The poisons contained in many so-called remedies create habits and appetites that mean ruin to both soul and body. Many of the popular nostrums called patent medicines, and even some of the drugs dispensed by physicians, act a part in l