Devotional Archive

I have been writing five years now from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

Every now and then someone will ask for a collection of my devotionals. So here are some of the archives posted below in random order in case someone may want to browse through them. You can find more studies at http://www.inlightofthecross.com

In Memory of Juan Carlos

Tue, August 8, 2006

 

 

 

It was the first few days of April when I got the news I was going to Peru

on a mission trip! A little sudden to find out you are leaving the

continent, especially when you have not been out of the country in the

last 25 years or so.  It was tricky getting my passport expedited along

with changing flights that I already had reserved for a domestic trip to

coincide with my International flight. Somehow allmy last second plans

and arrangements had come together smoothly, and I was on my way to Peru!

 

Our meetings were to begin Sabbath, so the Friday night before, we were

visiting some of the small group Bible studies where people would be

invited to attend the meetings. The local elder for the church had just

hired a taxi driver for us at “random”. Random to him but not random to

Jesus. Jesus had already picked this taxi driver before he went to the

Cross. The taxi driver took us from group to group. After our last group

visit the taxi driver told the local elder, that his nephew was dying of

cancer and could we stop by his house and pray for him. Of course we

could. We stopped by the home and met him and his family.

 

We found his name was Juan Carlos. He was eighteen years old, and you

could not tell his was sick by the huge smile on his face. He wore a

baseball cap with a Major League Baseball logo, but I never could make out

what team it was for. He looked and dressed like a normal kid. We prayed

with him and his family. We then invited them to church the next day and

told them about our meetings. They had not heard about the meetings much

less the Adventist church. However they showed up the next day and for the

rest of the week never missed a meeting. According to Juan Carlos’ sister

whom I instant message often, they have still never missed a church

service.

 

Yulli (pronounced Julie) Juan Carlos’ sister  shared with me one night her

concerns for her brother. (Well every night actually) She asked me why God

would allow her brother to suffer and die when he was so innocent. I

shared with her, that Jesus was suffering with him and felt his pain. She

had never heard that before. I tactfully let her know too that like the

rest of us, her brother was not innocent but we all have sinned and all

earned death. I shared with her the gift that Jesus has in store for us

instead of the eternal death we have earned.  She told me she promised to

give her life to Jesus if He healed her brother. I convinced her give her

life to  Jesus because He died for her instead, regardless of the outcome

with her brother.

 

The next night Juan Carlos and his family came to church and Yulli told me

she had a peace she had not had before. Juan Carlos’ mother told us how

the doctors had sent Juan Carlos home to die, nothing more they could do.

She said she had prayed that God would send someone to give them hope. She

thanked us for being an answer to her prayer, she now had hope that if

Juan Carlos was not healed he would at least have eternal life when Jesus

returns.

 

Juan Carlos did have that hope himself. He responded three times to alter

calls we had all week. He would come forward with his crutches on one leg

and a huge smile on his face. Several times before each meeting we would

look out and see his family walking a few blocks down the road towards the

church, including Juan Carlos with his crutches and one leg, and a huge

smile on his face. He thought nothing of it. I wonder if I would walk a

few blocks to church every day with one leg and crutches. Maybe, if Jesus

was all I had to live for and my whole life centered around Him.

 

Sabbath saw Juan Carlos and his entire family baptized, just eight days

after they heard about the church and the meetings. They were all excited.

Earlier that week we had a special anointing service for Juan Carlos and

while we shared with them how God could heal him we also shared with them

that Jesus chose to heal Lazarus after he died. Of course they were

praying for the healing before he died, but had a peace either way.

 

The end of the week it was so hard to leave them. That one week seamed

like a year and the amigos we had met earlier that week seamed like amigos

we had known all our lives.  Like the others, Juan Carlos and his sister

Yulli thanked us profusely for coming to Peru. They begged us never to

forget them. Yulli had my e-mail and Yahoo IM ID and started sending me

e-mails before I even left. After we got home the e-mails and instant

messages kept coming. Juan Carlos was getting worse and needing oxygen

that they could not afford. Some from our church sent him money for

oxygen. Every e-mail Yulli would tell me how worried she was but that she

would not give up the hope she had in Jesus. She was having a hard time

keeping up her studies at the university when her whole world revolved

around her brother and his illness. We all kept praying for Juan Carlos

and his family. I was praying he would be totally healed. After all,

that’s how all the mission stories end, right?

 

Last night I received an instant message. Juan Carlos had died. Yulli and

her family were having a real hard time. I felt so bad for them and wanted

to be with them. God had really worked a miracle to get me there the first

time, but this time no miracle so I just figure God did not need my help

this time or He would have had me there. I asked God why he did not heal

Juan Carlos. The answer came to me that God did not need to heal him. Juan

Carlos did not need to live here anymore, he had run his race and could

now rest until Jesus returns with his prize. But mission stories are

suppose to end with a miracle healing right?

 

I found the miracle. In just three weeks God prepared for me to go to

Peru, meet a young man and his family who had been praying for God to send

them hope. This hope is the difference between Juan Carlos dying, or just

falling asleep in Jesus. It’s the difference between Yulli losing her

brother forever or just saying “goodnight”. It was no accident that we

were in Peru. It was no accident that we just happened to have a taxi

driver who wanted us to pray for his nephew. It was all part of a plan

that was conceived at the foundation of the world, began in Gethsemane and

was sealed at the Cross. The death of Lazarus was not the last chapter of

Lazarus’ life. The death of Jesus was not the last chapter in Jesus’ life.

The death of Juan Carlos is not the last chapter in his life either!

 

Funny Juan Carlos told me to be sure and never forget him. As he sleeps in

Jesus he has now forgotten all about me, but I will never forget him. I

will always remember him walking up the road to the church, on crutches

with one leg, a cancer ridden body, and a huge smile on his face. I will

never see the crutches or cancer ridden body again. The huge smile on his

face? I haven’t seen the last of that smile yet! If he could smile while

walking with one leg and crutches down a dirt road filled with pot holes,

I can’t wait to see his smile when he walks with both legs and no crutches

down golden streets! And I wont have to ask him where he is going or Who

he is going to see.

 

Your Christian Servant,  william

Seventy Times Seven

Sun, August 6, 2006

 

 

“Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin

against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I

say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.”

Matthew 18:21-22

 

As we study this week’s lesson

http://ssnet.org/qrtrly/eng/06c/less07kjv.html on the seventy weeks, I

wanted to point out that Daniel 9 is not the only place where we see

seventy sevens. In Matthew 18 we also see seventy sevens. Peter has asked

how many times he must forgive his brother. Jesus answers until seventy

times seven. Of course Jesus means as many times as he repents. As a

matter of fact, in Luke 17:4 Jesus says, “And if he trespass against thee

seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying,

I repent; thou shalt forgive him.”

 

So if Jesus wants us to forgive as many times as it takes, why did He pick

the equation seventy times seven? I do not believe He was just picking

numbers our of the air, but specifically chose that equation to show us

the light at the end of tunnel and the solution to our sin problem, when

“reconciliation” and the provision for an “end of sins” would come.

“Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to

finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make

reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness,

and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.”

Daniel 9:24

 

In the seventy times seven and seventy weeks in Daniel 9 Jesus tells us

the Cross is more than just reconciliation and forgiveness but also the

cure for the sin problem here on this earth and the earth to come! The

difference between a sinful world and the perfect world will not be our

natures, but our appreciation of the Cross prophesied about in Daniel

9:24. Sin began in a perfect world with perfect natures. So it is our love

for the Cross that restrains us from sin both in this world and the world

to come. “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge,

that if one died for all, then were all dead:

And [that] he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth

live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.” 2

Corinthians 5:14,15

 

This is brought out clearly by inspiration in the below passage from

“Signs of the Times”.

 

“That which alone can effectually restrain from sin in this world of

darkness, will prevent sin in heaven. The significance of the death of

Christ will be seen by saints and angels. Fallen men could not have a home

in the paradise of God without the Lamb slain from the foundation of the

world. Shall we not then exalt the cross of Christ? The angels ascribe

honor and glory to Christ, for even they are not secure except by looking

to the sufferings of the Son of God. It is through the efficacy of the

cross that the angels of heaven are guarded from apostasy. Without the

cross they would be no more secure against evil than were the angels

before the fall of Satan. Angelic perfection failed in heaven. Human

perfection failed in Eden, the paradise of bliss. All who wish for

security in earth or heaven must look to the Lamb of God.

     The plan of salvation, making manifest the justice and love of God,

provides an eternal safeguard against defection in unfallen worlds,

as well as among those who shall be redeemed by the blood of the

Lamb. Our only hope is perfect trust in the blood of Him who can save

to the uttermost all that come unto God by Him. The death of Christ

on the cross of Calvary is our only hope in this world, and it will

be our theme in the world to come. Oh, we do not comprehend the value

of the atonement! If we did, we would talk more about it. The gift of

God in His beloved Son was the expression of an incomprehensible

love. It was the utmost that God could do to preserve the honor of

His law, and still save the transgressor. Why should man not study

the theme of redemption? It is the greatest subject that can engage

the human mind. If men would contemplate the love of Christ,

displayed in the cross, their faith would be strengthened to

appropriate the merits of His shed blood, and they would be cleansed

and saved from sin” (ST Dec. 30, 1889).  {5BC 1132.9}

 

Your Christian servant,

 

William

 

The Scapegoat

Thu, June 29, 2006

 

                                     

But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be

presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, [and] to

let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.  Leviticus 16:10

 

The SS Lesson this week http://ssnet.org/qrtrly/eng/06c/less01.html

introduces the idea that God is being judged by the universe. This is very

true and leads us to an explanation of the scapegoat. The scapegoat is

cast into the wilderness to atone for sin. The scapegoat represents Satan

who after the cleansing of the sanctuary and investigative judgment has

now been blamed for the sin problem. The guilt and responsibility for sin

is placed upon the scapegoat who goes off to the wilderness. This

represents Satan, after the literal investigative judgment, spending a

thousand years after the second coming here on earth, as it lies wasted

and barren. After a thousand years of considering his great idea to rebel

against God’s government and start his own, he will then realize it was

not such a great idea after all.

 

Still many have trouble with the scapegoat representing Satan. How can

Satan bare our sin? Actually he does not bare our sin, he bares his own

sin. He shares our guilt when he tempts us to sin. While Jesus died for

our guilt He did not die for Satan’s guilt, so it is still placed upon

Satan. Others point out that the word atonement is used. How can Satan

atone for our sins? Again, he does not atone for our sins, he atones for

his own sin by dying an eternal death. You see, often it is said Jesus

died for our sins because we could not atone for our own sins, but this is

not true, we can atone for our own sins by dying an eternal death. The

wages of sin is death and we can pay those wages in full if we so choose.

We can atone for our own sin if we want. Satan atones for his own sin and

shared guilt in our sins by being the scapegoat sent off to die an eternal

death (Revelation 20). The universe will no longer blame God for the sin

problem. Ironically when the sin problem has been done away with, the only

trace of sin will be the nail scars in Jesus’ hands. Thus, the only Person

who will bare eternally the result of sin will be the only Person who was

totally innocent.

 

 

Your Christian servant, William

 

The Trinity

Mon, January 16, 2006

 

 

Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave

unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.  Genesis 2:24

 

The above verse, found in Sunday’s section of this week’s SS Lesson

http://ssnet.org/qrtrly/eng/06a/less03nkjv.html gives us a glimpse of the

Trinity as well as marriage. Many have struggled to understand how there

can be one God but still three different beings, the Father, Son and Holy

Ghost. It really is not complicated or complex at all. It is very simple.

A husband and wife become “one flesh” as in one family and one purpose but

are still two people. Likewise there is one God, or one Family. But like

any other family there are different members such as a Father, Son and the

Holy Ghost.

 

Furthermore by looking at the Trinity we see the unselfish love that God

has purposed to be a part of all families. Why is it important to

understand the Godhead being three different people? The reason is found

in 1 John 4:8; “For God is love.” Love is being other people centered. Now

there was a time when nothing else existed in this universe except God. At

that time it would have been impossible for God to have been love if God

had been just one person. At that point God would have had to of been

self- centered. But God has never been self-centered as God has always

been love even before any created beings existed. God has always been

three different beings centered upon the Other, thus always being love. So

there has never been a moment in the history of this universe that any

member of the Godhead was ever self-centered. This is God’s purpose for

marriage and our families. Both the fifth and seventh commandments tell us

self sacrificing love is not just for the husband and wife, but the

children as well. A complete family without a shred of self-centeredness

is God’s purpose.

 

 

 

Your Christian servant,

 

William

Your Greatest Days are Still Ahead Part 2

Mon, January 9, 2006

 

 

Don’t always be asking, “Where are the good old days?” Wise folks don’t

ask questions like that. Ecclesiastes 7:10 (The Message)

 

As I was reading Monday’s section of this week’s SS Lesson

http://ssnet.org/qrtrly/eng/06a/less02nkjv.html I ran across another

situation in the story of Ruth

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ruth%201-4;&version=9;html

where some one did not know their greatest days were still ahead. When

Ruth and Naomi return to Naomi’s people, Naomi tells them, “Call me not

Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. I

went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty: Ruth 1:20,21

This clearly sounds like someone in their later years who truly believes

their best days are all behind them. Naomi, like many today, had no idea

her best days were still ahead. For it is when she returned “empty” to her

own people that she brought Ruth to meet and marry Boaz and together they

would have a child who would be the grandfather of the great king David

and also a forefather of the King of kings and Lord of lords-Jesus Christ!

So Naomi’s greatest contribution to this world came in introducing Ruth to

Boaz even after she considered herself “empty” and her best days all

behind her.

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap,

if we faint not.” Galatians 6:9 So long as we belong to God we can be

sure that just like Naomi, our greatest days and accomplishments are

always ahead!

 

 

 

Your Christian servant,

 

William

 

 The Immaculate Conception

Sun, December 11, 2005

 

 

For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus

Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.  2 John

1:7

 

The Greek word for flesh in this verse is “sarx.” sarx means “fallen human

flesh.”  As we celebrate the birth of Christ this verse helps us

understand where the idea of the immaculate conception comes from. Many

protestants  understand the antichrist in this verse to mean the papacy.

It is the papacy that teaches the immaculate conception, not about Christ

but about Mary. You see the papacy , being the antichrist does not believe

Jesus came with sarx (fallen flesh) so they teach that Mary was born

without sarx or fallen flesh. This way they have Jesus being born from

Mary who was un fallen as well as the Holy Spirit. Now you see why the

papacy would want to institute human priests, as their doctrine has just

destroyed  Jesus being  our high priest who “was in all points tempted

like as we are” Hebrews 4:15.

 

The sad thing is that today many protestants  reject the idea of an

immaculate conception but  accept the idea of Jesus being born without a

fallen nature. At least the papacy is smart enough to realize that if you

accept Jesus without a fallen nature you must make up a doctrine such as

the immaculate conception to prove your point.

 

Accepting that Jesus had a fallen nature (Romans 8:3, Hebrews 2:16, Romans

1:3) is NOT saying that He ever sinned! Just as the mystery of iniquity

(2 Thessalonians 2:7) is how Lucifer sinned with an un fallen nature, the

mystery of godliness  is how Jesus lived a perfect life with a fallen

nature. ( 1 Timothy 3:16) Thus Jesus took our nature and totally  undid

all that  Satan had done. Thus on the Cross Jesus does more than only

justifying us and saving us from the penalty of sin, but He also

sanctifies us and saves us from the power of sin.

 

“He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the

beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might

destroy the works of the devil.”  1 John 3:8

 

“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live

soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that

blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour

Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all

iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good

works.” Titus 2:11-14

 

“It would have been an almost infinite humiliation for the Son of God to

take man’s nature, even when Adam stood in his innocence in Eden. But

Jesus accepted humanity when the race had been weakened by four thousand

years of sin. Like every child of Adam He accepted the results of the

working of the great law of heredity. What these results were is shown in

the history of His earthly ancestors. He came with such a heredity to

share our sorrows and temptations, and to give us the example of a sinless

life.”  {Desire of Ages 48}

 

Your Christian servant,

 

William

 Lord of Our Worship

Sun, September 4, 2005

 

 

A few years ago a friend in New York asked me to write an essay on woship.

In light of this week’s adult SS Lesson

http://ssnet.org/qrtrly/eng/05c/less11nkjv.html here it is.

 

 

Worship: is it all About God?

 

I recently purchased a cassette tape with worship music. In one of the

songs the lyrics say, “Lord I’m sorry for the thing that I made it to be,

when it’s all about you it’s all about you.” For centuries, mankind has

tried to worship God their own way, forgetting that it is all about God

and not about us. When David worshipped the Lord he cried out “Bless the

LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, [bless] his holy name.“  PS

103:1  But how often do we worship God with the intention of blessing Him

rather than being blessed by Him? How often do we worship God seeking His

glory and not our own?

 

For centuries man has made self the center of his worship experience, and

in the process the worship experience has been designed to feed the ego of

the worshiper instead of the One being worshipped. Instead of offering a

lamb as God instructed, Cain offered the fruits of his own works. In so

doing, Cain put trust in his own ego instead of the Lamb of God. He also

changed the system of worship that God had commanded to make it more

convenient and pleasing for himself. Around the first century AD certain

people in the church started worshipping on Sunday in order to entice the

Eastern religions. They disregarded God’s command to keep the Sabbath Day

Holy in order to make their worship more convenient for themselves and to

feed their own egos by increasing the number of believers to their

religion. Thus, we can be certain that when we disregard one of God’s

commands or lower His standard of worship to increase membership, our

motive is not God’s glory but rather our own egos! “The LORD did not set

his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any

people; for ye [were] the fewest of all people” Deut. 7:7 Let’s take a

little inventory of our worship service, to see if our worship is truly

all about God, or like Cain’s worship service, all about self.

 

Speaking: is it all About God?

 

“Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to

hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they

do evil. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to

utter [any] thing before God: for God [is] in heaven, and thou upon earth:

therefore let thy words be few.” Eccl. 5:1,2 It has been said that a

preacher will cross the ocean to give a sermon but will not cross the

street to hear one. Before sharing an opinion in Sabbath School or a

testimony during the Sacred Service or even giving a sermon it would be

well for us to ponder our motive for speaking in God’s House. Is it to

give glory to God, or frankly is it to hear ourselves talk? I have

witnessed “Testimony and Prayer” times that were nothing more than gossip

sessions! Just because we begin talking about some one by saying “pray for

John…..“ does not keep it from being gossip.

 

True worship does not call for much speaking. “The LORD [is] in his holy

temple: let all the earth keep silence before him”. Hab. 2:20

 

Music: is it all About God?

 

“I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with

thanksgiving.” PS 69:30 No doubt God calls upon us to rejoice and praise

Him with our songs and music. At the same time there is a type of “feel

good” music that makes us not only feel good about God but also about

ourselves. So what’s the problem with that? First of all our worship is to

be all about God and not about us. Secondly scripture tells us to examine

ourselves when we come to worship God. “Examine yourselves, whether ye be

in the faith; prove your own selves….” 2 Cor. 13:5 “ But let a man

examine himself, and so let him eat of [that] bread, and drink of [that]

cup.” 1 Cor. 11:28

 

There is a type of music that plays upon our emotions and keeps us from

taking an honest look at ourselves. Not only do we need to be careful of

the music but even the words we sing. Jesus in the sermon on the mound

warns against vain repetitions. Vain repetitions can be more than just

meaningless words in our prayers but also our songs. Just because we can

belt out the chorus “When we all Get to Heaven” does not mean we are all

getting to heaven, even though the emotions may be there. Just because we

respond to an alter call as the congregation sobs through “ I Surrender

All” does not mean we surrender all, unless we do so during the week when

the music is no longer heard.

 

Music must be a response to our emotions, Not our emotions a response to

music!

 

There is much more I could say about this, but I will let inspiration be

the final word. “The things you have described . . . the Lord has shown me

would take place just before the close of probation. Every uncouth thing

will be demonstrated. There will be shouting, with drums, music, and

dancing. The senses of rational beings will become so confused that they

cannot be trusted to make right decisions. And this is called the moving

of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit never reveals itself in such methods,

in such a bedlam of noise. This is an invention of Satan to cover up his

ingenious methods for making of none effect the pure, sincere, elevating,

ennobling, sanctifying truth for this time. . . . A bedlam of noise shocks

the senses and perverts that which if conducted aright might be a

blessing. The powers of Satanic agencies blend with the din and noise, to

have a carnival, and this is termed the Holy Spirit’s working. . . . Those

participating in the supposed revival receive impressions which lead them

adrift. They cannot tell what they formerly knew regarding Bible

principles. No encouragement should be given to this kind of worship. The

same kind of influence came in after the passing of the time in 1844. The

same kind of representations were made. Men became excited, and were

worked by a power thought to be the power of God. . . . I bore my

testimony, declaring that these fanatical movements, this din and noise,

were inspired by the spirit of Satan, who was working miracles to deceive

if possible the very elect. {Mar 234.5} We need to be on our guard, to

maintain a close connection with Christ, that we be not deceived by

Satan’s devices. The Lord desires to have in His service order and

discipline, not excitement and confusion.” {Mar 234}

 

Dress: is it all About God?

 

“For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly

apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have

respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou

here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here

under my footstool: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become

judges of evil thoughts?”  James 2:2-4 A friend of mine once complimented

her boss on her nice watch. Her boss then explained that since she was

not allowed to wear jewelry growing up she always wore the nicest watch

she could find. Here is the problem; the sin of jewelry is pride.

However, if we get rid of the jewelry but do not get rid of the pride it

will just show up somewhere else as it did in the case of my friend’s

boss in her watch. Do we dress for God when we prepare for church or is

it an ego thing? Do we worship to glorify God or make a fashion

statement? I am reminded of a story I heard about a man who went to a

church where he was shunned for his long hair, sandals and plain clothes.

He noticed a picture of Jesus with long hair, sandals and a plain robe

and began to pray asking Jesus why the people at the fancy church shunned

him that day. Jesus answered him, “I don’t know about that church, I

never go there.”

 

“Now wait a minute” you say. We are suppose to wear the nicest clothes

possible for God when we go to worship him. You are correct. We are to

wear the nicest clothes possible FOR GOD, not for MAN. Is our dress all

about God when we worship? What is on our mind when we shop for our

worship clothes, God or what is vogue? Do we ask ourselves what God will

think and say or about what our friends may think and say? There is a

verse that many Christians use to condemn jewelry when actually it

condemns more than jewelry but all pride in dress. Let’s take a look,:

“Whose adorning let it not be that outward [adorning] of plaiting the

hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But [let it be]

the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, [even the

ornament] of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of

great price.” 1 Peter 3:3,4

 

It’s All about God when it comes to worship, God is more interested in the

heart than the “outward adorning”. He is also more interested in the heart

than the words we say and music we play. He is also more interested in the

conversion of the hearts of those worshipping than the number of those in

the congregation. If our numbers fall we are tempted to change our format

of worship to attract more people. If our worship is all about God would

it not make more sense to have a format of worship that would attract God

rather than man? If we did thus, would God not draw people to our worship

services who are seeking Him with all their hearts? Would He not draw

people who realize, true worship is all about God?

 

 

Your Christian servant,

 

William

Missed you!

Sun, August 21, 2005

 

 

Hi Barbara,

 

Missed you all Sabbath! Thanks for having us over last Friday. Below is a

copy of the study I was talking about the other evening.

 

Your Christian Servant,

 

William

Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God…..2 Peter 3:12

 

And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a

witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. Matthew 24:14

 

 

Ellen G. White statements indicating  that had the Lord’s purproses been

fulfilled by and in His people Jesus would of returned around the turn of

the 20th century or before and they would have been in the Kingdom.

 

 

If every soldier of Christ had done his duty, if every watchman on the

walls of Zion had given the trumpet a certain sound, the world might ere

this have heard the message of warning. But the work is years behind.

While men have slept, Satan has stolen a march upon us.–Testimonies, vol.

9, p. 29.  {ChS 86.2}

     Let us now take up the work appointed us, and proclaim the message

that is to arouse men and women to a sense of their danger. If every

Seventh-day Adventist had done the work laid upon him, the number of

believers would now be much larger than it is. In all the cities of

America there would be those who had been led to heed the message to

obey the law of God.–Testimonies, vol. 9, p. 25.  {ChS 86.3}

     Had the purpose of God been carried out by His people in giving to

the world the message of mercy, Christ would, ere this, have come to

the earth, and the saints would have received their welcome into the

city of God.–Testimonies, vol. 6, p. 450.  {ChS 86.4}

 

The lord designed that the messages of warning and instruction given

through the Spirit to His people go everywhere. But the influence that

grew out of the resistance to light and truth at Minneapolis, tended to

make of no effect the light God had given to His people through the

Testimonies.

General Conference Bulletin 1893 Page 419

 

If those who claimed to have a living experience in the things of God had

done their appointed work as the Lord ordained, the whole world would have

been warned ere this, and the Lord Jesus would have come in power and

great glory.

Review and Herald October 6 1896

 

Had the purpose of God been carried out by His people in giving to the

world the message of mercy, Christ would, ere this, have come to the

earth, and the saints would have received their welcome into the city of

God.  {6T 449.4}

 

Had  the church of Christ done her appointed work as the Lord ordained,

the whole world would before this have been warned, and the Lord Jesus

would have come to our earth in power and great glory.  {DA 633.3}

 

Brethren and sisters, from the light given me, I know that if the people

of God had preserved a living connection with Him, if they had obeyed His

Word, they could today be in the heavenly  Canaan.

General Conference Bulletin March 30 1903

 

Had Adventists, after the great disappointment in 1844, held fast their

faith and followed on unitedly in the opening providence of God, receiving

the message of the third angel and in the power of the Holy Spirit

proclaiming it to the world, they would have seen the salvation of God,

the Lord would have wrought mightily with their efforts, the work would

have been completed, and Christ would have come ere this to receive His

people to their reward. But in the period of doubt and uncertainty that

followed the disappointment, many of the advent believers yielded their

faith. . . . Thus the work was hindered, and the world was left in

darkness. Had the whole Adventist body united upon the commandments of

God and the faith of Jesus, how widely different would have been our

history!  {Ev 695.3}

 

If all who had labored unitedly in the work of 1844 had received the third

angel’s message and proclaimed it in the power of the Holy Spirit, the

Lord would have wrought mightily with their efforts. A flood of light

would have been shed upon the world. Years ago the inhabitants of the

earth would have been warned, the closing work would have been completed,

and Christ would have come for the redemption of His people.  {8T 115.4}

 

 

 Isador Straus

Mon, June 13, 2005

 

 

Sanctification is not the work of a moment, an hour, a day, but of a

lifetime. It is not gained by a happy flight of feeling, but is the result

of constantly dying to sin, and constantly living for Christ. Wrongs

cannot be righted nor reformations wrought in the character by feeble,

intermittent efforts. (Acts of the Apostles 560)

 

Last night I was reading up on the Titanic when I ran across the below

story http://www.lostliners.com/Liners/White_Star/Titanic/travellers.html

of Isador Strauss. In this one paragraph I see the above Acts of the

Apostles quote exemplified. He makes a heroic sacrifice, but you can tell

by his story that his character was already well established by a lifetime

spent “doing the right thing”.

 

Isador Straus was a German Jew who had emigrated to America before the

start of the Civil War. At the close of the war, he astonished his

creditors by paying them back. This came as a shock because of the defeat

and poverty suffered throughout the South following the war. He moved to

New York City with no money but an extremely good reputation for paying

his debts. As a result, he was able to buy enough money to start a

glassware business with his brother. They arranged with Macy’s to use a

corner of the store to sell their merchandise in exchange for 10% of the

profits. Their business boomed and after only ten years, they bought

Macy’s outright! Known as a kind and generous man, Isador refused to leave

Titanic before the other men. His wife Ida refused to leave him, stating

“We have been together for many years; where you go, I go.” They both

perished. Over 40,000 people attended their memorial service in New York.

Monuments to the Strauses in New York City include a park at Broadway and

107th Street and a plaque above the entrance to Macy’s at 135 West 34th

Street.

 

If disaster were to strike today, would you be confident in giving your

life to save others or would you be too worried about my own salvation? Do

you follow the WWJD principle well enough in everyday life that you would

easily follow it if you were ever in Straus’ shoes?  If sudden tragedy

fell upon you today, what would your legend and legacy would you leave

behind?

 

 

Your Christian servant, william

 

Devotional Life

Mon, April 18, 2005

 

 

As many people study this weeks SS Lesson

http://ssnet.org/qrtrly/eng/05b/less04kjv.html concerning the demoniac one

thing comes to mind. The possessed man is a faithful worshiper. In Mark 5

verse 6 he runs to worship Jesus. In reading this poor man’s story we

find, sad as his life was, He did indeed worship even in a skewed twisted

way, and he did have a devotional life. This leads me to the conclussion

that everyone has a devotional life. As a Bible instructor giving Bible

Studies I run into people all the time telling me they simply have no time

for family worship or a devotional life. But fact of the matter is we are

worshipers by nature and all of us has a devotional life. Our devotional

life may be money, sports, lust and the pride of life, friends or even

self, or it may be God. But regardless of time and schedules everyone

worships and everyone has a devotional life. Time does not prevent us from

worshipping and having a devotional life. Time just reveals who it is we

are worshipping.

 

 

 

Your Christian servant,

 

William

Another Form of Abuse at the Cross

Tue, March 1, 2005

 

 

 

This week’s SS Lesson http://ssnet.org/qrtrly/eng/05a/less10.html asks,

“What happened at the cross?” Let’s take a deeper look.

 

And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul,

why persecutest thou me? Acts 9:4

 

In the above verse we see how real and literal Jesus takes the idea of

being one with us and corporately becoming a part of mankind.  As far as

Jesus was concerned, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of

these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” By taking on our human nature

(Romans 8:3,4) He identifies Himself with us.  Whatever we endure He

endures with us, as He is one with us. “In all their affliction he was

afflicted.” Isaiah 63:9

 

Two, European sisters had been sexually molested repeatedly by their

father.  They grew up wondering “Where was God?” As far as they were

concerned God obviously did not know or care what they were going through.

Many years later the sisters were together visiting an art museum in

Europe. One piece of art caught one of the sister’s eyes. It was a picture

of Jesus hanging on the cross. This picture was different in that it

portrayed Christ the way He was truly crucified, naked (Psalm 22:18,

Matthew 27:35) without the towel most artists out of respect portray Him

wearing. In Corrie Ten Boom’s book, “The Hiding Place,” she describes her

humiliation in the guards seeing her naked. Now, these two sisters

silently study the story of the cross in a way that had never been painted

for them before.  They saw Jesus, sexually abused on the cross. The one

sister, turns to the other, and whispers, “He DID know, He did know what

we were going through.”

 

In 1977 a heinous crime shocked Northeast Oklahoma where I lived. Three

girl scouts raped and murdered in their tents. At the time my eleven- year

old mind wondered, “Where was God?” Now after years of studying the gospel

and the humanity of Christ I know exactly where God was. He was in the

Girl Scout tent getting raped and murdered.

 

Forgiveness is a vital part of the healing process. Many who have

experienced such abuse can not cry out “Forgive them.” But that is okay. I

truly believe that everything Jesus did on the cross He did AS US as well

as for us. So I believe during His abuse, as he cried out “Father forgive

them” He was crying out not only for Himself, but as mankind’s

representative, forgiving AS us as well as for us, and thus placing us on

the path to complete healing and recovery. “And with his stripes we are

healed.” Isaiah 53:5

 

Rest assured, Jesus does not ignore or overlook any form of abuse. He

clearly warns, “It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about

his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of

these little ones.” Luke 17:2

 

 

Your Christian servant,

 

William

Lesson 10: “In Adam” and “In Christ”

Sun, February 27, 2005

 

 

Legalism says “ God Offered His Son.” The Gospel says God “GAVE His Son.”

 

And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in

Abraham. Hebrews 7:9

 

The Eastern mindset thinks more corporately while the Western mind thinks

more individually. For example, when God speaks concerning Jacob and Esau

in Genesis 25, “The elder shall serve the younger” He was speaking

corporately, as Esau never served Jacob but his descendants did. So when

Paul says Levi paid “tithes in Abraham”, he means Levi, who was in the

“Loins of Abraham” corporately as a part of Abraham paid tithes while he

was in Abraham.  Likewise when Paul says we all “sinned in Adam” He means

we (all mankind) have all sinned corporately when we were in the “loins of

Adam.”  It is only as we begin to understand the corporate concept of the

eastern mind that we can truly begin to grasp the power and reality of the

gospel and what it means to be “in Christ.”

 

“Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to

condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon

all men unto justification of life.” Romans 5:18

 

Here we see that at the cross Jesus totally undid all the damage caused by

Adam! Inasmuch as we all sinned in Adam death passed upon all men.

Likewise Jesus became one with us, took our sinful flesh (Romans 8:3) and

nailed it to the cross. Therefore just as we all sinned corporately (as

with Abraham and Levi) in Adam, we all died corporately, in Christ, in

that He restored all that was lost in Adam. This is why Paul never refers

to Jesus dying for us, but rather dying AS US. In Galatians 2:20 Paul

says, “I am crucified WITH CHRIST”. In 2 Corinthians 5:14 Paul says, “that

if one died for all, then were ALL DEAD:” In Romans 6:6 Paul says, “our

old man is crucified WITH HIM.”  Jesus took my flesh (Romans 8:3, 2

Corinthians. 5:21) to the cross and not only died for me but AS me!

 

Now, just as I was in Adam when he sinned, I am in Christ as he lives a

perfect life. As such I am now saved “By His life.” Romans 5:10, I may

have sinned in Adam, but by the grace of God I have died in Christ and am

now able to live a perfect life in Christ.

 

This biblical understanding of the cross zaps all the legalism out of the

gospel. It reveals in blazing clarity that none are justified by anything

they have ever done or ever can do, but rather by the “blood of Jesus

Christ.” alone Romans5:9  Furthermore, it zaps all the legalism  when one

realizes Jesus accomplished all this for me while I was still a sinner and

enemy to God. Romans 5:8-10 This concept enables one to no longer see only

a thief who was saved at the eleventh hour, but rather another thief who

became lost at the eleventh hour. Both thieves were brought to the cross

and beheld the Lamb of God. Both thieves were freely offered the same

salvation. One thief did not resist while the other one refused to be

saved.

 

 

In the chapter entitled ”Repentance”, in “Steps to Christ,” it says: “The

sinner may resist this love, may refuse to be drawn to Christ; but if he

does not resist he will be drawn to Jesus; a knowledge of the plan of

salvation will lead him to the foot of the cross in repentance for his

sins, which have caused the sufferings of God’s dear Son.”  So here we see

the power of Jesus’ own words when He says, “if I be lifted up from the

earth, will draw ALL men unto me.”

 

So therefor my justification and title to heaven is being “in Christ.” I

was in Christ when He died and I was in Christ when he lived a perfect

life. Now it is for me to chose to remain in Christ and allow Him to

continually abide in me (John 15:4-7; 17:16-23). Thus, my sanctification,

and fitness for heaven, is Christ in me. This, too, is His work, and not

mine (Philippians 2:13). The part of man in both justification and

sanctification is simply to allow God’s love and power to touch their

lives and not “neglect so great salvation” (Hebrews 2:2) so freely given.

 

God did not offer His son. He GAVE His Son. John 3:16

 

 

Your Christian servant,

 

William

What Happened at the Cross?

Sun, February 27, 2005

 

 

……The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Revelation 13:8

 

The question is asked in this week’s SS Lesson

http://ssnet.org/qrtrly/eng/05a/less10.html “What happened at the Cross?”

The answer is of course more than we will ever know in this lifetime.

Throughout all eternity it will be our joy and privilege to study what

Jesus accomplished on the Cross!

 

The power of the Cross saved us not only in the life to come but also in

this life as well! In Desire of Ages  page 660 it reads,  “The cross of

Calvary is stamped on every loaf. It is reflected in every water spring.

All this Christ has taught in appointing the emblems of His great

sacrifice. The light shining from that Communion service in the upper

chamber makes sacred the provisions for our daily life.” So we owe not

only our eternal life but also our daily life here on earth to the Cross

of Christ. How so?

 

In Genesis 2:17 the Lord told Adam and Eve, “But of the tree of the

knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that

thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” We all know Adam and Eve did

not die the day they ate of the fruit. We try to explain it away by

saying, “well they began to die.” Or “They died spiritually.” But God

plainly stated “The day you eat of it you will surely die.” So why didn’t

they drop dead the day they ate of it? Instead of trying to “explain it

away” why not let the Bible defend itself? Because Jesus is “the Lamb

slain from the foundation of the world!” And his death immediately took

effect and saved them not only in the life to come but in this life as

well.

 

So today not only does the believer benefit from the Cross, but the

unbeliever as well! In 1 John 2:2 John writes “And he is the propitiation

for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for [the sins of] the whole

world.” Notice John says not only for “our sins” (the believer) but the

sins of the “whole world” (the unbeliever)! So the reason we do not drop

dead today when we sin is the same reason Adam and Eve did not drop dead

when they ate the fruit. The Cross of Christ!

 

Every breath we breathe is a gift from the Cross! Sinners will curse God

and take His name in vain with the very breath he died to give them! The

cross grants them time on this earth to either accept or reject eternal

life. Never again look upon a bad day as a wasted day. There must be some

reason you lived that day, for even that one day, as rotten as it may have

seamed was a gift to you from God, purchased at Calvary’s Cross.

 

 

 

Your Christian servant,

 

William

More Thoughts on SS Lesson 9

Wed, February 23, 2005

 

 

 

On Friday’s Lesson http://ssnet.org/qrtrly/eng/05a/less09.html the

question is asked, ” Why didn’t Jesus reveal Himself immediately to

Cleopas and his friend as they walked mournfully to their home in Emmaus?

Why did He first give them such a detailed study from the Scriptures

concerning His death, burial, and resurrection?”

 

 

 

And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all

the scriptures the things concerning himself.  Luke 24:27

 

The two men were very disappointed that the Messiah had died. Instead of

telling them He was the Messiah brought back to life, Jesus instead showed

them from the scriptures that He was the messiah brought back to life! He

did not start by showing them His hands and feet and the scar in His side.

Jesus did not want them to go by sight; instead he wanted them to go by

the scriptures.

 

If Jesus had wanted us to go by sight he would have showed His scars to

the men on the road to Emmaus instead of using the scriptures.

 

We often hear, “seeing is believing”, but it’s not. The Jewish leaders not

only had the scriptures to tell them about the Messiah, they also saw His

miracles. But when your heart is closed to God’s word not even seeing will

help you believe. We must put God’s Word above all that we hear, see and

feel.

 

 

Your Christian servant,

 

William

 Trust No One

Mon, January 24, 2005

 

 

These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received

the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily,

whether those things were so.  Acts 17:11

 

Several years ago, when I was living in Tulsa I had a friend who was a

flight instructor at Spartan. One Saturday night we decided to rent a

small plane and take an aerial tour of the city. We got into the plane and

watched as the men pumped fuel into the fuel tank. Then my friend checked

all the gages naming them as she checked them off. I was amused as she

checked the fuel gage to make sure we had fuel. I asked her why she was

checking to see if we had fuel right after we watched them fuel the plane.

Her answer has always stuck with me. “trust no one” she said. She was

right. She had a personal responsibility as the pilot to check for herself

and not rely upon anyone else. We have the same responsibility when it

comes to Bible Study and our personal salvation. Trust no one. Study God’s

word for yourself.

 

The below passage is taken from Maranaths Page 156

 

 

“The people of God are directed to the Scriptures as their safeguard

against the influence of false teachers and the delusive power of spirits

of darkness. Satan employs every possible device to prevent men from

obtaining a knowledge of the Bible; for its plain utterances reveal his

deceptions. At every revival of God’s work the prince of evil is aroused

to more intense activity; he is now putting forth his utmost efforts for a

final struggle against Christ and His followers. The last great delusion

is soon to open before us. Antichrist is to perform his marvelous works in

our sight. So closely will the counterfeit resemble the true that it will

be impossible to distinguish between them except by the Holy Scriptures.

By their testimony every statement and every miracle must be tested. . . .

 

     The man who makes the working of miracles the test of his faith will

find that Satan can, through a species of deceptions, perform wonders

that will appears to be genuine miracles.

     Satan is a cunning worker, and he will bring in subtle fallacies to

darken and confuse the mind and root out the doctrines of salvation.

Those who do not accept the Word of God just as it reads, will be

snared in his trap.

     Evil angels are upon our track every moment. . . . They assume new

ground and work marvels and miracles in our sight. . . .

     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.” Maranatha Page 156

 

Your Christian servant,

 

William

New Years resolutions

Fri, December 31, 2004

 

 

Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by

these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the

corruption that is in the world through lust. 2 peter 1:4

 

It’s time now, to welcome the New Year! This is also the time of year we

evaluate our lives and think about changes we want to make. Then we make

promises and resolutions to change right? Yet the Prophet, Jeremiah tells

us, “Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? [then]

may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.” And an inspiring

writer from more recent times tells us,  “Your promises and resolutions

are like ropes of sand.” Could this be why so many of our New Year’s

resolutions are forgotten long before Valentines Day?

 

I have an idea. This year, instead of making our own resolutions and

promises, why don’t we just resolve to trust Jesus’ promises instead!

While Jeremiah is right in that we can’t change ourselves we do not need

to despair, for Jesus can change and re-create us Himself! While Jeremiah

declares the futility of man to change himself, he also shares a faithful

promise from God, “I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it

in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

While our promises are like ropes of sand, God’s promises are “exceeding

great and precious”! So my only resolution this year is to stop making my

own promises and resolve to trust in Jesus to “perform the work He has

begun in me” and trust “ God which worketh in me both to will and to do of

[his] good pleasure.”

 

My personal emphasis for the New Year is to have “have no confidence in

the flesh.”  We can be partakers of  the divine nature and escape the lust

and corruption of  the world, not by making our own promises, but by

trusting His “exceeding great and precious promises”.

 

Happy NEw Year!

 

 

Your Christian servant,

 

William

“It’s not a Salvation Issue”

Fri, December 10, 2004

 

 

If ye love me, keep my commandments. John 14:15

 

Today, in the church we hear people refer to certain church standards as

not being a “salvation issue”, and they may be right, certain standards

may not directly affect our salvation. However, wouldn’t it make us a

rather selfish lot of people if the only issues and standards we concern

ourselves with are the ones that affect our personal salvation? Instead of

limiting our concern with “salvation issues” shouldn’t we be more

concerned with “glorifying God issues”?

 

When the Children of Israel worshiped the golden calf, God told Moses He

would destroy them right there in the wilderness and create a new people

after Moses’ name. That would have been a great deal for Moses as these

people had caused him nothing but trouble. But Moses was more concerned

about God’s reputation. He told the Lord, “Wherefore should the Egyptians

speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the

mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth.” Ex. 32:12

Moses was so concerned about what the other nations thought of his God

that it became much more than a salvation issue. As a matter of fact Moses

said in vs. 32 “Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin–; and if not,

blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.” To Moses,

God’s honor and reputation was more important than his own salvation!

Moses was not worried about “salvation issues” but rather “glorifying God

issues.”

 

Revelation 15 speaks of an entire multitude on the Sea of Glass, singing

the song of “Moses and the Lamb.” What song or experience, do Moses and

the Lamb have that this multitude shares as well? In Gethsemane, Jesus,

the Lamb was willing to die forever if that’s what it took to do His

Father’s will. “. The Saviour could not see through the portals of the

tomb.” DA 753  For Jesus, just like Moses, His concern was glorifying God

over His own salvation. Now, John speaks of an entire multitude of people

who see beyond their own “salvation issues” and focus on “glorifying God

issues” when it comes to standards and commandment keeping. Our obedience

and standards are not so much about our salvation, as they are about

honoring and loving Jesus.

 

 

Your Christian servant,  william

Authority and Power

Mon, November 8, 2004

 

 

Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and

authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.  Luke 9:1

 

A Traffic Officer holds up his hand in the middle of an intersection and a

huge 18- wheeler comes to a stop. Is the officer’s hand more powerful than

the 18- wheeler? No way! The 18- wheeler is thousands of times more

powerful. But while the truck is more powerful, the officer has been given

authority over the 18- wheeler, and the government who has issued that

authority has thousands of tanks and ammunitions thousands of times more

powerful than the 18- wheeler.  So when the officer’s hand goes up, the

entire government is empowering the officer. Likewise Satan is thousands

of times more powerful than us. Yet we have all the power of God on our

side!  God has given His people power and authority over “all devils.”

Speaking of the weakest member of God’s family, Inspiration tells us, “God

would send every angel in heaven to the aid of such a one, rather than

allow him to be overcome”. –Testimonies, vol. 7, p. 17.

 

 

Your Christian servant,

 

William

And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain

apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

Matthew 14:23

 

In Matthew 14 we read of Jesus spending time in prayer before He met the

disciples on the sea. He was walking on the water, and Peter called out to

Him for an invitation to walk on the water too. His request was granted

and Peter walked on the water. After all, Jesus never did anything that we

can’t do as well. (John 14:12) However after just a step or two, Peter

took his eyes off Jesus and looking to the storm began to sink. (vs. 30)

Jesus reached out His hand and saved Him. (vs.31) There is much to learn

from this story, but I just wonder, if Peter had spent the same amount of

time in Prayer Jesus did right before they both walked on water, would he

of been able to keep his eyes off the waves and on Jesus? Did Jesus need

that time alone with God in prayer before walking on the water? I believe

we need to imitate Jesus alone in prayer before we try to imitate Him with

the multitudes.

 

Your Christian servant,

 

William

 

 

 

But in vain they do worship me, teaching [for] doctrines the commandments

of men.  Matthew 15:9

 

If ye love me, keep my commandments.  John 14:15

 

Notes on the Eight New Testament Sunday Texts. Do any of these inform us

of a transfer of the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday?

 

  In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first [day] of

the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.

Matthew 28:1

Note: Mary waited until the first day of the week when the Sabbath would

be over.

 

And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the [mother] of

James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and

anoint him. And very early in the morning the first [day] of the week,

they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.  Note: They were

not coming to worship but to work.

 

Now when [Jesus] was risen early the first [day] of the week, he appeared

first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.  Mark 16:9

Note: Another verse mentioning the first day of the week but no command to

keep it holy.

 

And] she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and

wept. And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen

of her, believed not.

After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked,

and went into the country. And they went and told [it] unto the residue:

neither believed they them.

Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided

them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not

them which had seen him after he was risen.  Mark 16:10-14

Note: Here it says they believed not. So this obviously was not a meeting

of believers on the first day of the week.

 

Now upon the first [day] of the week, very early in the morning, they came

unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and

certain [others] with them.  Luke 24:1

Note: No indication of a change in God’s law.

 

The first [day] of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet

dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the

sepulchre.  John 20:1

Note: No mention of the Sabbath being changed from Saturday to Sunday.

 

Then the same day at evening, being the first [day] of the week, when the

doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews,

came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace [be] unto

you.  John 20:19

Note: This is not an assembly for worship but for “fear of the Jews.”

 

And upon the first [day] of the week, when the disciples came together to

break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and

continued his speech until midnight.  And there were many lights in the

upper chamber, where they were gathered together. And there sat in a

window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep:

and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down

from the third loft, and was taken up dead And Paul went down, and fell on

him, and embracing [him] said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in

him. When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten,

and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed. And they

brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted. And we went

before to ship, and sailed unto Assos, there intending to take in Paul:

for so had he appointed, minding himself to go afoot. And when he met with

us at Assos, we took him in, and came to Mitylene.  Acts 20:7-14

Note: There many lights, because this is a Saturday night meeting.

Remember the day begins at evening. See Genesis 1:5 and Leviticus 23:32.

Paul preached till Dawn Sunday morning and then walked 20 miles to Assos,

something he would never have done on the Holy Sabbath.

 

Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the

churches of Galatia, even so do ye.  Upon the first [day] of the week let

every one of you lay by him in store, as [God] hath prospered him, that

there be no gatherings when I come.  1 Corinthians 16:1,2

Note: Taking up an offering does not make a day holy. No reference here is

even made of a worship service. Paul informed all the churches, including

Corinth to lay aside money at home for the poor so that when he passed

through he could easily pick it up to take to them. See Acts 11:29,30 and

Romans 15:25,26.

 

 

As many people study this weeks SS Lesson

http://ssnet.org/qrtrly/eng/05b/less04kjv.html concerning the demoniac one

thing comes to mind. The possessed man is a faithful worshiper. In Mark 5

verse 6 he runs to worship Jesus. In reading this poor man’s story we

find, sad as his life was, He did indeed worship even in a skewed twisted

way, and he did have a devotional life. This leads me to the conclussion

that everyone has a devotional life. As a Bible instructor giving Bible

Studies I run into people all the time telling me they simply have no time

for family worship or a devotional life. But fact of the matter is we are

worshipers by nature and all of us has a devotional life. Our devotional

life may be money, sports, lust and the pride of life, friends or even

self, or it may be God. But regardless of time and schedules everyone

worships and everyone has a devotional life. Time does not prevent us from

worshipping and having a devotional life. Time just reveals who it is we

are worshipping.

Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. Psalm 27:14

 

While studying this week’s SS lesson http://ssnet.org/qrtrly/eng/07d/less11kjv.html I could not help but think of the contrast between David and Jacob. Sabbath’s lesson mentioned a group of four year olds, some of them willing to wait for two marshmallows and the others willing to take one less marshmallow if they could have it right away. The ones who waited turned out to be better adapted and adjusted to what came their way in life while the others had to learn patience.

 

I thought of David and how patient he was when promised the throne. He never tried to take it by force but just patiently took care of whatever tasks came his way no matter how big or small. On the contrast, we have Jacob who was promised the birthright, but instead of patiently waiting for it, tried to take it by force and deceit. He did not wait upon the Lord. Did he not think God would stand behind His promise? After deceiving his father Jacob runs to his Uncle Laban’s house. Laban then deceives Jacob into working seven extra years for Rachel’s hand in marriage.

 

Jacob who was a deceiver got a taste of his own medicine when he was deceived by Laban. He also got a lesson he needed in patience as for once in his life he did not get what he wanted right away but had to wait seven more years for it. Truly life’s lessons keep repeating themselves until we get it right. Jacob finally learned to wait upon the Lord. He also learned that God will indeed stand behind His promises even though men may deceive us and let us down. It is interesting in Genesis 31:7, Jacob mentions that Laban deceived him, but God did not allow Laban to hurt him. Could it be that Jacob saw this trial as a gift from God instead of a curse from Laban? Is there a lesson for us here also?

 

I imagine David would have waited on the second marshmallow mentioned in Sabbath’s lesson. I think Jacob would have taken the one marshmallow he could have had right away. I see myself as more of a Jacob than a David. Thank God He never gives up on us, but keeps repeating life’s lessons in trust and patience until we get it right.

 

Even now I am forcing myself to be patient in carefully editing and correcting this devotional before sending it, unlike all the times in the past where I quickly write and send them still with the grammar and spelling errors. I think I got it right this time, but then again that’s what I always think.

 

 

 

 

Love The Truth

 

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. John 14:6

 

As Monday’s section of this week’s SS lesson http://ssnet.org/qrtrly/eng/07c/less02kjv.html talks about telling lies here are some things to keep in mind. In order to have no other God’s before us we must love the God we serve. That way we will not need any other Gods. In the New Testament Jesus went farther than just telling us to not murder our enemies but to actually love them. If we love them we will not want to kill them. Likewise to keep from committing adultery we must love our spouse. Truly loving our spouse will keep us from lusting after someone else’s spouse.

 

The same is true when it comes to lies. Just like it is not enough to just not murder our enemies but we must also love them, likewise it is not enough to just not tell lies. In order to keep from telling lies we must love the truth. If we love the truth we will not need a lie. If I love the me Jesus made me I will not need to pretend to be someone else. If I truly believe the Lord is my Shepherd and I shall not be in want, then I will not need to cheat to get a better grade. I don’t need to be any smarter than God made me. I love the truth about who God made me to be. When I go on a date with a new lady I don’t need to put on a front or be any more or less than what I am. I love the me God made me to be. I love the truth so much that the lie does not appeal to me. We feel the need for the lie when we feel the truth is not good enough. Jesus is the truth, He is always good enough. To lie is to try to create a reality better than the reality God has created for you. When we love the truth we are saying that there is no better reality than the reality God made. When we get into a situation where we feel the need to lie we are saying God can’t save me, but if I can get people to buy my lie I can save myself from this situation. Abraham lied in Egypt because he thought the lie was a better savior from pharaoh than God. But a lie can’t save and give life. Only the Truth can give life. Only the truth can set you free. Jesus is the Truth. The only way we can find victory over lying is to fall in love with the Truth.

 

Rock or Sand

 

“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.” Matthew 7:24-27   

 

The key thought in this week’s SS lesson http://ssnet.org/qrtrly/eng/07b/less07kjv.html reminds us that, “The Bible must change how we live our lives.” Too often though we let the way we live our lives change how we interpret the Bible.

 

I usually take Thursdays as my day off, and go somewhere where I can spend some time alone with God. Last week I went to Siesta Beach in Sarasota . I waded into the water and as a wave rushed to shore it moved the sand right out from under my feet. The sand quickly shifted to conform to its surroundings. I realized that was what Jesus was talking about when He said to not build your house on the sand. Our theology and Christian walk should not be like the sand that conforms to our surroundings.

 

Jesus wants our experience to be like the rock. Instead of the rock conforming to its environment, the environment conforms to the rock. Chitons are rock-clinging marine mollusks that are found on rocky coasts all over the world. These shells cling to the rock and conform themselves to the rock. Otherwise they get washed out to sea. In order to survive we must conform to the rock which is God’s Word.  In order to survive we must let the Bible change us and not our surroundings and environment.  We must let the Bible change how we look at the world and not let the world change how we look at the Bible.

 

 

 

Never Give Up!

And you, being dead in your sins ….. hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses. Colossians 2:13

 

Friday’s section of this week’s SS lesson http://ssnet.org/qrtrly/eng/07b/less01kjv.html asks the question, “How can we have the never-give-up spirit in reaching out to others?”

 

I must share an experience I had several years ago, early in my ministry that taught me to never give up. I was a Bible Worker in a small church in Oklahoma . For the sake of anonymity, I will name the following couple Joe and Jane. Joe had gone back to drinking and soon he and Jane both stopped coming to church. One night at prayer meeting someone reported that not only had they left the church for the world, but they even told us to stop praying for them. Of course we kept praying any way. After several weeks I finally found them at home. I thought I had talked them into at least letting me come back to study the Bible with them even if they would not come to church. We set a time for me to come back. When I returned, I was met at the door by Joe. He told me he could not study the Bible with me, because just the thought of reading the Bible made him so sick and depressed, that he could not stand it. So he sent me away. I walked back to my car fully convinced this man must have grieved the Holy Spirit away, since he had asked us not to pray for him, and even the thought of the Bible made him so sick. I decided if he had grieved the Spirit away, there was obviously no reason to contact him again, so I never did. I never saw Joe in church or anywhere else for that matter.

 

Three years later I was working in North Texas as a Bible Worker when I got a phone call from my mother. She wanted to know what set of Bible study guides I like to use. I told her the “Good News Study Guides” by Don Grey.  She told me she needed to get some study guides because my father and she had just begun some Bible Studies with Joe and Jane. I could not believe it! First of all my parents don’t normally give Bible studies, and I thought Joe had grieved away the Holy Spirit with his drinking and constant rebellion. While studying with my parents, Joe left his drinking and rebellion and a few weeks later both he and his wife were re-baptized! I called my parents before writing this story. They tell me Joe and Jane continue to be faithful members ten years later.

 

I believe God used my parents to study with them so that I would be aware of this happy ending for two reasons. 1. To show me I should never give up on anyone. 2. To show me what He was able to accomplish with absolutely no help from me. God is able to work His greatest miracles when I am nowhere in the picture. 

 

I was a young Bible Worker back then with a lot to learn. I have since learned to follow Jesus’ example in all I do. The reason I never give up on anyone now is simply this-Jesus left me with no example on how to give up. He never taught us to give up, never talked about giving up, never thought of giving up.

Even if someone seams spiritually dead we do not need to stop praying and give up. Jesus raises the dead! “Even when we were DEAD in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by grace ye are saved.  Ephesians 2:5

 

 

Satan is A Liar

 

Here are some thoughts as we study Ecclesiastes 8 in this week’s SS lesson. http://ssnet.org/qrtrly/eng/07a/less09kjv.html

 

“ Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him: But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.” Ecclesiastes 8:12,13  

 

Satan is such a liar! He tells us things will go better if we do it his way, but he is full of lies. He told Eve in the garden she had to be someone else to be happy, so she ate the forbidden fruit, hoping to pull off the first case of identity theft, and steal God’s identity. Instead of experiencing the “being like God” euphoria Satan promised, Eve lost the dignity and self respect she had.

 

The lies don’t end there. Satan not only tells us we need to be someone else in order to be happy, he also tells us we need what others have in order to be happy. Ever wonder why the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence? Well it’s not, that’s one of Satan’s lies, and no matter which side of the fence God has you on, Satan will always tell you that “you need to be on the other side in order to be happy. You need what someone else has in order to be happy.” According to Satan, God just has you on the wrong side of the fence no matter which side that is . When you appreciate the cross, you are content in any state you are in, because you have Jesus and His love. You no longer want what the world has, but you want the world to have what you have.

 

Please don’t fall for Satan’s lies that you need to be someone else or have what they have to be happy. If you do, you will never be happy because no matter who’s identity you steal or what you have, Satan will always be telling you that you still need to be someone else and have whatever it is you don’t have. It’s a never ending pack of lies.

 

Of course once you figure out that life is actually better doing it God’s way, Satan will lie and tell you that you have messed up too much to turn around now-that you can’t be forgiven. That’s a lie too. “If we confess our sins He is just and faithful to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9.   Satan will also tell us there is no way we can overcome. That is a lie too. “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

 

The Truth will set you free. When Satan tells you that you need a drink in order to be happy, or you need someone else’s spouse or car or even identity, don’t fall for it. It’s all a huge fat lie. If you have fallen for his lie and Satan tells you that you can never go back to God, remember he is a liar! Satan’s chains are his lies. This is why God hates lies, because all lying brings us under Satan’s dominion. The only way to overcome lying, is to love the Truth, and Jesus, the Truth will set you free. When Satan’s lies are unmasked, he is totally powerless! Satan had absolutely no power over Eve, so he had to tell her a lie to get her to fall. It is the same with us. Love the Truth, and Satan’s chains and lies turn to ropes of sand, as the Truth frees us to enjoy the life God intends for us to live.

 

Right Here, Right Now

 

 

 In thy presence [is] fulness of joy….. Psalms 16:11

 

As each New Year begins inevitably we hear someone say, “This could be the year we will be in heaven!” One year someone will say that and that someone will be right! However, another thought crossed my mind as we welcomed 2007, instead of wondering if this could be the year I will be in heaven I asked myself, “What if this is the year heaven will be in me?”

The verse above tells us heaven is being in the presence of God and Jesus said, “The kingdom of God is within you.”  Luke 17:21

 

So my personal goal for this year is not so much being in heaven this year, but rather heaven being in me. 

 

As I drove home from Tennessee yesterday, I asked God how I can tell heaven is in me, and these are some thoughts I received.

 

I know heaven is in me when I love as liberally and unconditionally as heaven loves. When I forgive as freely as heaven does, then I know heaven is within me. When I no longer treat my brother and sister the way I think they deserve to be treated or how they treated me, but rather treat them the way I would treat Jesus, and love them the way I love Jesus and the way Jesus loves me, I know heaven is near.

 

I know heaven is in me, when my desires mature beyond just desiring to be saved into the kingdom and I start desiring and choosing to properly represent the King and kingdom I belong to.  I know heaven is in me when I love God more than I love eternal life and I hate the sin which breaks His heart more than I hate death.    

 

I know heaven is in me when I long for people to love Jesus more than I long for them to love me.

 

Another thought crossed my mind. Here in Florida we are blessed with people from all different cultures and nations. While these friends love being in Florida they still love to eat what they ate back in their native lands. If heaven is in me and I am really a part of the kingdom of God, would I not then naturally eat and drink what I would be eating and drinking in my native land, God’s kingdom?

 

Lord Jesus, please set up your kingdom here in our hearts, right here, right now.

 

I hope 2007 proves to be your best year yet! I pray to that God’s kingdom will be within you this year, please pray the same for me. 

 

Vanity!

 

 

“Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what [is] man the better?”  Ecclesiastes 6:11

 

It seams like ever since Eve met the serpent in the garden, mankind has been chasing after vanity. Eve eats the fruit, falling for Satan’s lie that she needed the forbidden fruit, in order to have the quality of life that God enjoys. And as the verse above asks, was she the better? No. It was all a lie. She was just fine being who God had made her, but she fell for the lie that in order to really be happy, she had to become someone else. Satan was giving Eve a lie in telling her she needed to live a lie, in order to be happy. Too many people today are living a lie, thinking it will make them better when all it brings is vanity and too often, sorrow, heartache and death.

 

·         The homosexual world calls itself “gay”, when in reality homosexuals are more depressed and have a higher suicidal rate than the rest of society. Labeling themselves “gay” they are living a lie as they are not gay but depressed.

·                                 In Dr. Meg Meeker’s book, Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters , she points out that the majority of depressed teenage girls in her care are sexually active. Not content to be teenagers, they chase after happiness in being something they are not and it only causes depression.

·                                 At webmd.com you can read about how the drug called “ecstasy” leads to, guess what? Depression! Being on ecstasy is living the lie that the chemistry that makes you who you are needs to be changed in order for you to be happy.

 

Vanity, heartache, sorrow and depression are the end results for us as well as for Eve, when we buy into Satan’s lie that we need to chase after the wind, becoming something we are not, in order to be happy. Hopelessness is added to sorrow when we buy into Satan’s lie that we can’t overcome his snares and bondage. However, Satan’s only power is in his lies. Once you recognize his lies, he has no more power! The truth will set you free! Free from Satan’s lie that you can’t overcome his bondage and depression. The truth of God’s love makes us realize, happiness does not come from living a lie, but true happiness can only be found in realizing, God made us who we are for a reason; being who He created us to be is the only way we can happy. We don’t need to pursue vanity and chase after the wind, being what we are not in order to be happy. We need only to “do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with our God.”

 

Solomon and Paul

 “What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.” Philippians 3:9 NIV

 

As Paul writes the verse above we see that he did not have the same weakness Solomon had in this week’s SS lesson http://ssnet.org/qrtrly/eng/07a/less03kjv.html . All of the worldly riches and splendor Solomon wanted to gain, Paul called “rubbish”. Solomon was into materialism while Paul was into Jesus. Our lesson quotes Matthew 6:33 as a remedy for materialism. It reads, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God , and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” However if we seek the kingdom but not His righteousness then we are still being materialistic. If our obedience is motivated by our hope of a heavenly mansion then we are just as materialistic as those who are motivated to get an earthly mansion.

 

Paul was motivated by the love of Christ (2 Cor. 5:14) and not materialism heavenly or earthly. When he stood before King Agrippa in all of the king’s splendor and earthly glory, Paul wished that Agrippa had what he had instead of wanting what the king had (Acts 26:9). If we are truly in love with Jesus we will not want anything the world has, but we want the world to have what we have.

 

In the aged song, ‘The Old Rugged Cross”, we are invited to lay our trophies down and cling to the old rugged Cross. Will you lay your trophies down today and cling to Jesus?

 

 “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” Galatians 6:14 

 

 

They Would Die For You

 

Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.  Exodus 20:12

 

Why should we honor our parents? The same reason we love, respect and honor God. Not because He is bigger and stronger than us but because He loved us enough to die for us. This is the same reason we honor our parents. If you were taken to the hospital today and the doctors told your parents you needed a kidney or liver transplant in order to live, you parents only question would be “how soon can you take mine?” Your parents would gladly give their life for you! Even though we may or may not always agree with their decisions they deserve our respect and honor just because they love us.

 

It breaks my heart to see children talk back and sass their parents, not just because it is rude and disrespectful though that would be reason enough to break my heart, but even more so because I know those parents love their children enough they would die for them. So please, always remember when talking to your parents always be respectful if for no other reason than they love you enough to die for you. And really, that is reason enough.

 

Never let it be said that you mistreated someone who would give their life for you.

 

Why It’s Hard To Be Lost

 

“Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:” Matthew 25:41

 

Have you ever worried about your salvation? Does it sometimes seam hard to get to heaven? I have good news for you! Jesus is planning on you being saved and going to heaven with Him! In the verse above Jesus says hell is prepared for the devil and his angels and that does not include you! While hell is being prepared for the devil and his angels look what Jesus has prepared for you, “Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:” Matthew 25:34

 

That is good news that Jesus is preparing a place for us in heaven and not in hell! He is planning and expecting us to be in heaven with Him! Still some Bible verses at first glance make salvation seam hard to obtain. For example Matthew 7:14 says, “strait [is] the gate, and narrow [is] the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” 

 

Don’t get discouraged! Here is some good news from the Mount of Blessing  pages 139 & 140: “Yet do not therefore conclude that the upward path is the hard and the downward road the easy way. All along the road that leads to death there are pains and penalties, there are sorrows and disappointments, there are warnings not to go on. God’s love has made it hard for the heedless and headstrong to destroy themselves.….. If we take Christ for our guide, He will lead us safely. The veriest sinner need not miss his way. Not one trembling seeker need fail of walking in pure and holy light. Though the path is so narrow, so holy that sin cannot be tolerated therein, yet access has been secured for all, and not one doubting, trembling soul need say, “God cares nought for me.”….. with Christ as our guide we shall not fail of reaching the desired haven at last. Christ Himself has trodden the rough way before us and has smoothed the path for our feet.”

 

So is it hard to be saved or is it hard to be lost? The God who wants us saved is much stronger than the devil who wants us lost! Go ahead and plan on being saved in heaven with Jesus, He is expecting you to be there!

 

“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.  
 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if [it were] not [so], I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, [there] ye may be also.” John 14:1-3  

 

God Loves Jewelry

 

And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put [it] on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on [his] feet: Luke 15:20-22

 

In this touching story of the prodigal son many people point out that jewelry can not be wrong to wear since the father in the story gives his son a ring. Others wonder why jewelry is not appropriate for Christian adornment, when Jesus Himself will give us a crown of jewels. The fact of the matter is that God Loves jewelry! Much of the confusion as to why it is inappropriate for us to wear now is because we look at jewelry as a “Jezebel issue” instead of the sanctuary issue that it really is.

 

In the sanctuary service the priests wore jewels on their uniforms “ for glory and for beauty“ Exodus 28:2. In the Bible we read again and again that all glory belongs to God for glory is His character. So the priests officiating in the sanctuary wore jewelry because they had attained by God’s grace a position where they were to represent God’s character to the people. The jewelry represented God’s glory and character which is perfection. We have not reached perfection of character, (or at least I haven’t!) therefore we are not worthy to wear the jewels. However, just like the prodigal son, when we go home with Jesus, He will give us the jewels to wear, (James 1:12, Revelation 2:10) Just as the prodigal son did not place the jewelry on himself but let his father do it, likewise we are not to place the jewels on ourselves, but when we get home and our characters have been perfected our Father will give us the jewelry to wear. And even then we will cast our crowns of jewels at His feet because we will feel unworthy to wear them! If we will feel unworthy to wear jewelry in heaven after our characters have been perfected, how dare we wear it now in our sinful condition!

 

God does love Jewelry and He wants us to wear it when He gives it to us. The Bible does portray jewelry in a positive light and other times in a negative light. Here is the key, jewelry is portrayed in a positive light when God is giving the jewelry and it is portrayed in a negative light when we are putting it on ourselves instead of letting God give it to us.

 

Until our Heavenly Father gives us the jewels to wear as He did the priests and as he did represented by the father in the parable of the prodigal son, let us carefully consider these words of inspiration. “All who assume the ornaments [Jewels] of the sanctuary, but are not clothed with Christ’s righteousness, will appear in the shame of their own nakedness.” {5T 81.1}

 

God Is Not A Vending machine

 

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”  Revelation 3:20

 

Contrary to popular belief, God is not a vending machine. Too many people use God the same way they use a vending machine. The only time you use a snack or soda vending machine is when you want something. You place your coins in the slot take what you want and your on your way. You don’t really hang around afterwords just to bond with the machine and form a relationship. Nope, you have what you want and your gone.

 

Too many times people use God the same way. They pray and tell Him what they want, take His blessings and then they split. Just like with the vending machine they do not hang around to bond or form a relationship, and they only go to God just like they go to the vending machine, when they want something.

 

But God is NOT a vending machine! He is our loving heavenly Father and he wants a relationship with us. he knocks on our hearts door and wants to come inside and sup with us. When He says He wants to sup with us, He is not talking about taking a spin through the drive-thru at Taco Bell, no He wants to come inside, sit down and spend some quality time together. Unlike the Coke and snack machine, He wants a relationship with us.

 

” Keep your wants, your joys, your sorrows, your cares, and your fears before God. You cannot burden Him; you cannot weary Him. He who numbers the hairs of your head is not indifferent to the wants of His children. “The Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.” James 5:11. His heart of love is touched by our sorrows and even by our utterances of them. Take to Him everything that perplexes the mind. Nothing is too great for Him to bear, for He holds up worlds, He rules over all the affairs of the universe. Nothing that in any way concerns our peace is too small for Him to notice. There is no chapter in our experience too dark for Him to read; there is no perplexity too difficult for Him to unravel. No calamity can befall the least of His children, no anxiety harass the soul, no joy cheer, no sincere prayer escape the lips, of which our heavenly Father is unobservant, or in which He takes no immediate interest. “He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3. The relations between God and each soul are as distinct and full as though there were not another soul upon the earth to share His watchcare, not another soul for whom He gave His beloved Son.”  {Steps to Christ 100}

 

Oh and by they way, your parents are not vending machines either. Not that you thought they were.

 

 

Marian Fisher

“Satan reared his ugly head where no one expected him. He once again demonstrated before the entire universe his true colors in a tiny
Amish school. But where Satan was showing his true colors God’s grace abounded even greater in the person of 13 year old Marian Fisher. Satan used a grown man to represent him before the world and the universe, but God chose a 13 year old Amish girl to represent Him before the universe. Jesus said, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” Marian Fisher woke up Monday morning like any other 13 year old girl with a full day ahead of her – totally clueless that she was moments
away from being placed in a situation where she would choose to make the ultimate sacrifice – pleading with a gunman to shoot her first, to buy time so others could survive.
My first thought was, “where did she get the presence of mind to think of that?” Second question “where did she get the courage to ask?” Obviously while we may think our religion superior, and may think the Amish a little backwards, today we stand in awe of the Amish parents and teachers who are obviously doing something right! Probably a hundred things right! They taught and prepared a young girl to do way more than just stand up for the letter of the law but to represent the very spirit of the law and the Cross of Christ when she was trying to die first so others could live!  
Obviously this girl had more than just fantastic parents and teachers. She herself was “filled with all the fullness of God.” What was demonstrated during those few minutes of terror in the Amish school was not just a 13 year old girl, but God Himself. Satan used the Cross to show his true colors thus providing opportunity for Jesus to show His true colors. At the Cross 2,000 years ago Marian Fisher was crucified with Christ. In the Amish school the everlasting gospel, which is the Cross of Christ, was again spread all
over the world via Internet and Satellite as, this time, Christ was in that school being crucified with Marian Fisher. Once again, where sin abounded God’s grace has much more abounded. God has shown that He still exists and is very much alive, not by using the wonders of the heavens, not by using the cunning philosophy and theology of religious scholars, but by using an everyday 13 year old girl.
These are the things I am considering as I ponder this story:
1. While the wicked are becoming more wicked, the righteous are becoming more righteous.
2. God is sealing His people not just with a superficial knowledge of His law but with His very self sacrificing character.
3. While we are tempted to think evil is prevailing, God’s grace is prevailing. There are many other stories in the news today of everyday people sacrificing their lives for others. On 9-11 we saw Satan rearing his ugly head again with a people who were willing to die in order to destroy others. God showed us on that same day even more people who were willing to die to save others. We see an entire Amish community demonstrating love and genuine forgiveness. It makes me believe the 144,000 will actually be a multitude in which no man can number.
4. Humility! If we older people think the youth of today are the problem and we are the solution think again! It was a young girl at Columbine who stood up for Jesus in the face of death, and again in Pennsylvania.
5. If we think our denomination is superior think again! The everlasting gospel is being taken to the world by people from all walks of life and religious backgrounds. Like the Good Samaritan, God is not glorified in people who know it all but by people who lay down their lives at any cost.
6. What would I have done if I had been in that young girl’s shoes? When I left my house this morning and headed to work, was I prepared to lay down my life? As I admire her courage I have to doubt not only my credentials to be a lay pastor or Bible Worker, but can I even call myself a Christian? Today if you were listing those who are Christians, I would shrink from having my name mentioned in the same sentence as Marian Fisher or any other forgiving Amish in that community.
7. Don’t think for a moment that all the Daniels, Shadrachs, Meshachs and Abednegos are just way back in Bible times. They are all around us today. They are everyday fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, and yes, sons and daughters!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dienby and Cecelia’s Baptism

Please let me share some pictures and videos of our baptism tonight! http://www.Inlightofthecross.com/baptismpics.html

Solo Con Dios

I am writing today from the beautiful Tampa Bay area. 

Last Friday I bought a new bicycle. It is a Specailized Hardrock mountain bike. With the economy the way it is and car dealers supposedly making great deals these days I had my eye out for a new car if I could find a great deal. Still with the economy the way it is I was wondering if a new car was really good stewardship. I need to drive relatively new cars as I am no auto mechanic. I dropped out of the new car market though when I found this new bike.

 

I took my old walmart bike to the bike shop to have a tire fixed. While there I was looking around at new bikes. I have been trying to save gas money and get more exercise by riding my bike for work when I don’t absolutely need my car. I remembered a while back, a friend telling me that if I was serious about riding my bicycle instead of car all around town then I really needed to get a serious bike. So I made a compromise with myself. Instead of buying a new car I bought a nice new bicycle! Boy am I glad I did! With this new bike I glide across town! My old bike wore me out but this one is amazingly comfortable and easy to ride.

 

I was so excited with my new bike I rode it to church Sabbath. I left early and stopped at Lowry Park on the way where I had my personal devotions on a park bench by the river. I then rode on up to church. Sunday I had already been invited to join the Adventurers on their bike ride. I actually rode my bicycle about five miles to where the ride began. It was when I was half way there that I realized I had left me cell phone at home. I was not going to turn around on a bicycle and ride all that way back to get it. I had left early as I was not familiar with our meeting place. I left way too early! I had no trouble finding it and showed up an hour early! There I was an hour early with no cell phone, no books to read, nothing to do! That is when I heard God speak to me… “Now I have you all to myself, no distractions! You and I can just hang out and talk for a while, there is nothing to distract you.”  There are often people I wish I could spend time alone with without any distractions. I realized God wanted to spend time alone with me too. I am special to Him!

 

Don’t get me wrong I spend time with God but this is often how it goes. I get up in the morning and start praying. While I am praying I pray for all the people I am studying with, those in the hospital or needing encouragement. Then when I start reading my Bible my mind will wander to all the people I need to see and things I need to do and as weird as it may sound I actually feel guilty sitting there reading my Bible because there is so much I need to do! As I talked with God that morning waiting for everyone else to show up, God told me I did not need to feel guilty for spending time with Him. He reminded me He was an important Being to spend time with just as much as all my Bible study interests. He also reminded me that our conversations are real. I am not just thinking to myself and or daydreaming, but I am actually having a real conversation with another Being. God told me that while I think e-mail, cell phones and Facebook have greatly improved communications that they are actually light years behind prayer. God has something that has kept people linked together long before Facebook, it’s called “being in the Spirit.” While we have neighbors we still don’t even know and people on Facebook we still never hear from those who are in the Spirit have always been closely knitted together.

 

After panicking because I had no cell phone with me I realized again how awesome it was to have God’s undivided attention and for Him to have mine.

 

Everyone showed up and we had a great bike ride together. Afterwards I rode my bicycle home where I met my friend Adam. We rode our bikes to Davis Island and back. By the end of the day I had put over 40 miles on my bike and was not the least bit worn out! Today I am on my bike again. I have not touched my car since Friday. I am hoping this new bike will get me in better physical shape, save me money on gas and ware and tare on my car. With no stereo on my bike I am also looking forward to more time alone with God as I ride across His wonderful creation going from Bible study to Bible study!

Please enjoy more Bible studies and devotionals at my personal website http://www.InLightOfTheCross.com

I am Celebrating Five Years in Florida!

I am writing today from my beautiful church in the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

 

 

Wow! This April 16, I will have been in Florida for five years. In some ways it seems like I moved here yesterday and in other ways it seems like a long time. Here are some things I have learned here in Florida over the last five years.

 

We don’t have elections every day here in Tampa. At first I thought we did. Then one night I understood what the weatherman was really saying, “For all you BOATERS out there.” Okay boaters not voters. Now I get it. At first I was wondering what we were voting about all the time.

 

God has wonderful people everywhere. I used to think all the wonderful people were in Texas and Oklahoma, but then I moved to Florida and found all kinds of wonderful people here in Florida. Then I went on a mission trip to Peru and found even more wonderful people. Actually they were good friends I just hadn’t met yet. Turns out even in this sin-darkened world, Christ is still lighting the earth with His glory.

 

I could write all day about how everyone in my church from young to old has touched my heart. Over the years I have mentioned many things either in my sermons or writings, so I want to mention one thing I have never mentioned that really touched my heart. Ever since I met the Ogaus family their mother was sick. I studied with them and became friends with them and watched them watch their mother die. Mano was around 14, Javens around 13 and Jonise 7. At the same time my mother was diagnosed with cancer. I have never lost anyone in my immediate family before and I was at amazed at how bravely these kids went through what they did when their mother died. I was amazed how faithful they were to their family and their God. I was amazed at their faith. While they thought I was teaching them I was actually desperately learning from them how to face life’s fiercest trials. One night after their mother died I got a call from Javens. He needed a personal favor and I explained I could not help him right then because my mother who was visiting had become ill and was in the hospital here. Javens cheerfully accepted my excuse but then just before he hung up he said, “Oh William, I will be praying for your mother that she gets better.” As I hung up it hit me that a child was praying that I would not have to experience as an adult what he had already tasted as a child. That has always touched my heart.

 

During an evangelistic campaign I called and asked the Ogaus family if they could help me stuff and stamp some envelopes. They told me I did not need to call and ask just bring things by for them and they would always take care of them for me. Javens also offered several times to clean my car whenever it needed it to show his appreciation for my ministry to his family. Either he was very thankful or thought I had a dirty car. The Ogaus family has moved on to New Jersey but I will always remember Mano and Javens as a wonderful young woman and young man and not as kids. I still keep in touch with them. No matter where they go or where I go I will always be their friend. They taught me so much.

 

Well if I kept writing about how this family and all the other families have touched my heart here I would be writing for the next five years!

 

Another thing I have learned in my five years in Florida is that Tex-Mex is not the only real food there is. I have to admit it was quite a culture shock when I moved here and found out that not all Spanish food is Mexican food. Don’t know what I was thinking though. I knew not all English speaking people drink hot tea just because they do in England. While I have met a lot of new friends my stomach has met a lot of new foods. Just like God has good people all over the world He also has some good foods all over the world. Yellow rice and black beans is one of my new favorites.

 

Actually the diversity in cultures here in Tampa has inspired my ambition to learn more about the rest of the world. In 2006 I was blessed to be a part of a mission team in Peru. I long to go back and also go on missions to other parts of the world too.

 

While I love Oklahoma and Texas, Florida is the first state that made me buy a digital camera! So much beauty here and I had to capture it and share it. Now when I drive across the Howard Franklin Bridge from Tampa into St.Petersburg and look out on the beautiful bay I just think to myself, and when I drove from Fort Worth to Dallas all those years all I saw was concrete. Let me take the time now to apologize for sending so many pictures of the same Florida scenes over and over. I realize you all know what a sunset looks like and have probably seen alligators at the zoo. I know too you could Google Florida and find pictures of the exact same things I send you. Still there is so much beauty here in Florida that just makes me grab my camera over and over again.

 

One thing I can honestly say about myself is that I work hard and I play hard. I can put in a 60 hour week at work, play a round of golf, keep up with my personal Bible study and prayer life as well, and still have time to sit on a park bench every now and then and watch the sun set as I sip on my lemonade. I guess being single does have its advantages. Notice I said single but did not say not having a family because I do have family, a huge family! Come to think of it I bet renting instead of owning helps keep my life simple too. Not only has my ministry blossomed (if you will allow me to modestly say that) here in Florida over the last five years but my personal life has too. So many new friends and adventures kayaking the bay, biking the trails and golfing on the most beautiful courses in the world.

 

What is more beautiful than anything else in Florida are the people who have come to accept and know Jesus as their personal Savior. Many were older and many have been younger. Many have stayed right here and blossomed and grown so much that I forget there was a day when they were just beginning their walk with Christ. Others have moved to different parts of the state and even world and are now leading others to Christ. While I can honestly say without any hesitation that the last five years here in Tampa have been the best five years of my life, I also know our God does not live in the past. I believe as we all draw closer to Jesus the best is yet to come!

 

 

 

Please enjoy more Bible studies and devotionals at my personal website http://www.InLightOfTheCross.com

Online Sermon/Study Videos

I am writing today from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

Just wanted to share some sermon videos I have made with the help of my friend Joel. Several are short videos where I attempt to simplify dificult Bible texts. others are just inspirational sermons. I hope you find these helpful. Enjoy! http://onewaytoheaven.ning.com/page/william-earnhardt-sermons  The website my sermons are posted on is not my site and I am not responsible for the content of that site.

You can also find more difficult text explanations on my website http://www.InLightOfTheCross.com just click on difficult texts.