Our Father in heaven is the source of life, of wisdom, and of joy, (SC 9).
Of Joy.—“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance,” (Gal. 5:22, 23). This is a tremendously profound reality. Joy is a gift and is a manifestation of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. I dare say that true joy cannot be experienced outside of Christ--mirth, fleeting happiness yes, but not joy. “In Thy presence is fullness of joy,” (Ps. 16:11). We experience His joy as we follow in His footsteps, in His life of self-sacrifice. “Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith; Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God,” (Heb. 12:2). It was His joy to lay down His life so that we might live and be reunited to Him forever. The greatest, purest joy is found in selfless service for others alone. “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? For ye are our glory and joy,” (1 Thes. 2:19, 20).
Our Saviour's joy was in the uplifting and redemption of fallen men. For this He counted not His life dear unto Himself, but endured the cross, despising the shame. So angels are ever engaged in working for the happiness of others. This is their joy. That which selfish hearts would regard as humiliating service, ministering to those who are wretched and in every way inferior in character and rank, is the work of sinless angels. The spirit of Christ's self-sacrificing love is the spirit that pervades heaven and is the very essence of its bliss. This is the spirit that Christ's followers will possess, the work that they will do. (Steps to Christ 77)
Friday, January 28, 2011
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Our Wisdom
“Our Father in heaven is the source of life, of wisdom, and of joy,” (SC 9).
Of wisdom.—“In whom (Jesus) are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,” (Col. 2:3—One of my favorite texts in academy). “Every gleam of thought, every flash of the intellect is from the light of the world,” (Ed 14). Jesus, Himself is Wisdom. “The LORD by Wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath He established the heavens,” (Pr. 3:19), “In the beginning was the Word… all things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made,” (John 1:1, 3). He is also “Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of peace,” (Isaiah 9:6), and to us “a Teacher come from God,” (John 3:2)—Master Teacher. With this in mind the following quotation is especially profound and applicable to us students:
In the presence of such a Teacher, with such opportunity for divine education, what worse than folly is to seek an education apart from Him,--to seek to be wise apart from Wisdom; to be true while rejecting Truth; to seek illumination apart from Light, and existence without the Life; to turn from the Fountain of living waters, and hew out broken cisterns, that can hold no water! (Education 83)
Of wisdom.—“In whom (Jesus) are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,” (Col. 2:3—One of my favorite texts in academy). “Every gleam of thought, every flash of the intellect is from the light of the world,” (Ed 14). Jesus, Himself is Wisdom. “The LORD by Wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath He established the heavens,” (Pr. 3:19), “In the beginning was the Word… all things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made,” (John 1:1, 3). He is also “Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of peace,” (Isaiah 9:6), and to us “a Teacher come from God,” (John 3:2)—Master Teacher. With this in mind the following quotation is especially profound and applicable to us students:
In the presence of such a Teacher, with such opportunity for divine education, what worse than folly is to seek an education apart from Him,--to seek to be wise apart from Wisdom; to be true while rejecting Truth; to seek illumination apart from Light, and existence without the Life; to turn from the Fountain of living waters, and hew out broken cisterns, that can hold no water! (Education 83)
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Our Source of Life
“Our Father in heaven is the source of life, of wisdom, and of joy,” (SC 9).
Of Life.--“In Him was life; and the life was the light of men,” (John 1:4). “I am the way, the truth, and the life,” (John 14:6). “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life,” (1 John 5:12). I have often said that before I came to know Christ it is was as though I had not lived, as though I never breathed before, as though I had never laughed before. His life is a tangible reality now, it is the Christians pleasure—“In Thy presence is fullness of joy, at Thy right hand there are pleasures forever more,” (Ps. 16:11). “In Christ is life, original, unborrowed, underived,” (DA 530). To know Him is to have life, abundant, eternal. “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly,” (John 10:10). “And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent,” (John 17:3). A knowledge of God, eternal life, heaven—begin today.
As through Jesus we enter into rest, heaven begins here. We respond to His invitation, Come, learn of Me, and in thus coming we begin the life eternal. Heaven is a ceaseless approaching to God through Christ. The longer we are in the heaven of bliss, the more and still more of glory will be opened to us; and the more we know of God, the more intense will be our happiness. As we walk with Jesus in this life, we may be filled with His love, satisfied with His presence. (Desire of Ages 331)
Of Life.--“In Him was life; and the life was the light of men,” (John 1:4). “I am the way, the truth, and the life,” (John 14:6). “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life,” (1 John 5:12). I have often said that before I came to know Christ it is was as though I had not lived, as though I never breathed before, as though I had never laughed before. His life is a tangible reality now, it is the Christians pleasure—“In Thy presence is fullness of joy, at Thy right hand there are pleasures forever more,” (Ps. 16:11). “In Christ is life, original, unborrowed, underived,” (DA 530). To know Him is to have life, abundant, eternal. “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly,” (John 10:10). “And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent,” (John 17:3). A knowledge of God, eternal life, heaven—begin today.
As through Jesus we enter into rest, heaven begins here. We respond to His invitation, Come, learn of Me, and in thus coming we begin the life eternal. Heaven is a ceaseless approaching to God through Christ. The longer we are in the heaven of bliss, the more and still more of glory will be opened to us; and the more we know of God, the more intense will be our happiness. As we walk with Jesus in this life, we may be filled with His love, satisfied with His presence. (Desire of Ages 331)
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
God's Love For Man
God’s Love for Man (9-15)
The first chapter in Steps to Christ is my favorite chapter in the book. The first paragraph brings to light the wonders and wisdom locked up in the "fifth gospel," nature. It repeats the thought found in the second paragraph of the first chapter of PP, "Every manifestation of creative power is an expression of infinite love," (PP 33) but also reveals that within His creation are infinite lessons of His character and His love. (When I quote I'll be using the standard pagination).
"Nature and revelation alike testify of God's love," (SC 9). There's so much packed into this sentence! Just as the Bible reveals the infinite nature and wonder of God’s love so also nature declares His love as unconditional—“for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust,” (Mat. 5:45). Though Adam (representing mankind) forfeited the dominion of the earth by his transgression of the expressed will of the Father and, “the prince of the power of the air,” (Eph. 2:2) claimed his territory and “the earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence,” (Gen. 6:11), yet “nature still speaks of God’s goodness,” (Ed 101), and “in nature itself are messages of hope and comfort,” (SC 10). We need to be ever cognizant of the fact that God through His wondrous creations sends us messages, distinct messages to inspire hope and to comfort us in specific trials we encounter.
The first chapter in Steps to Christ is my favorite chapter in the book. The first paragraph brings to light the wonders and wisdom locked up in the "fifth gospel," nature. It repeats the thought found in the second paragraph of the first chapter of PP, "Every manifestation of creative power is an expression of infinite love," (PP 33) but also reveals that within His creation are infinite lessons of His character and His love. (When I quote I'll be using the standard pagination).
"Nature and revelation alike testify of God's love," (SC 9). There's so much packed into this sentence! Just as the Bible reveals the infinite nature and wonder of God’s love so also nature declares His love as unconditional—“for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust,” (Mat. 5:45). Though Adam (representing mankind) forfeited the dominion of the earth by his transgression of the expressed will of the Father and, “the prince of the power of the air,” (Eph. 2:2) claimed his territory and “the earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence,” (Gen. 6:11), yet “nature still speaks of God’s goodness,” (Ed 101), and “in nature itself are messages of hope and comfort,” (SC 10). We need to be ever cognizant of the fact that God through His wondrous creations sends us messages, distinct messages to inspire hope and to comfort us in specific trials we encounter.
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