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Daily Devotional

December 4, 2015

Time For Meditation

But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. Ps. 1:2.

Your last thought at night, your first thought in the morning, should be of Him in whom is centered your hope of eternal life.

Many seem to begrudge moments spent in meditation, and the searching of the Scriptures, and prayer, as though the time thus occupied was lost. I wish you could all view these things in the light God would have you; for you would then make the kingdom of heaven of the first importance. . . . As exercise increases the appetite, and gives strength and healthy vigor to the body, so will devotional exercises bring an increase of grace and spiritual vigor.

The affections should center upon God. Contemplate His greatness, His mercy and excellences. Let His goodness and love and perfection of character captivate your heart. Converse upon His divine charms, and the heavenly mansions He is preparing for the faithful. He whose conversation is in heaven, is the most profitable Christian to all around him. His words are useful and refreshing. They have a transforming power upon those who hear them.

There is constant need of private communion with God. We must take in the spirit of Christ if we would impart it to others. We cannot meet satanic and human agencies combined unless we spend much time in intercourse with the Source of all strength. There are times when we should get away from the sounds of earthly toil and human voices, and in retired places listen to the voice of Jesus. Thus we may taste of His love and imbibe His spirit. Thus we shall learn to crucify self. This course of action may seem impossible to the human mind. “I have not time,” you may say. But when you consider the matter as it really is, you lose no time; for when you secure the power and grace that come alone from God, you do not accomplish the work. It is Jesus who is the real worker. “Without me,” says Christ, “ye can do nothing.” John 15:5. . . . Reflection and earnest prayer will inspire to holy endeavor.

From Devotional: Our Father Cares, p. 98.

Daily Devotional

December 3, 2015

“Come Unto Me”

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matt. 11:28.

Many who hear this invitation, while sighing for rest, yet press on the rugged path, hugging their burdens close to their heart. Jesus loves them, and longs to bear their burdens and themselves also in His strong arms. He would remove the fears and uncertainties that rob them of peace and rest; but they must first come to Him, and tell Him the secret woes of their heart. . . .

Sometimes we pour our troubles into human ears, and tell our afflictions to those who cannot help us, and neglect to confide all to Jesus, who is able to change the sorrowful way to paths of joy and peace. . . .

He proposes to be our friend, to walk with us through all the rough pathways of life. He says to us, I am the Lord thy God; walk with me, and I will fill thy path with light. Jesus, the Majesty of Heaven, proposes to elevate to companionship with Himself those who come to Him with their burdens, their weaknesses, and their cares. . . .

His invitation to us is a call to a pure, holy, and happy life—a life of peace and rest, of liberty and love—and to a rich inheritance in the future, immortal life. . . . It is our privilege to have daily a calm, close, happy walk with Jesus.

Rest is found when all self-justification, all reasoning from a selfish standpoint, is put away. Entire self-surrender, an acceptance of His ways, is the secret of perfect rest in His love. . . . Do just what He has told you to do, and be assured that God will do all that He has said He would do. . . . Have you come to Him, renouncing all your makeshifts, all your unbelief, all your self-righteousness? Come just as you are, weak, helpless, and ready to die.

What is the “rest” promised?—It is the consciousness that God is true, that He never disappoints the one who comes to Him. His pardon is full and free, and His acceptance means rest to the soul, rest in His love.

From Devotional: Our Father Cares, pp. 97, 98.

White Estate Newsletter 2015

December 3, 2015

December 2015

Dear Friend of the White Estate,

In several ways, 2015 was the best year ever for the White Estate. It was the 100^th anniversary year of Ellen White’s death on July 16, 1915, and the organization she established to care for her writings spent much of it helping people worldwide recall the many blessings those writings continue to be. Projects included:

• Articles were published in both the Adventist World and Adventist Review

• Symposia and other meetings were held in several locations worldwide

• Homeward Bound, 2016 daily devotional compiled from Ellen White’s writings

• Ellen G. White Letters & Manuscripts with Annotations , Vol. 1 (1845-1859)

• Two new books were published, Understanding Ellen White and The Gift of Prophecy in Scripture and History (Available soon at adventistbookcenter.com)

• Her life and ministry were featured at the General Conference Session held in San Antonio, Texas, as well as during Annual Council in Silver Spring, Maryland, and at several of the world Divisions’ Year-end Meetings. Our Inspiring Heritage DVD, GC Session presentations by Jim Nix (parts 1-6), will be available at store.hopetv.org

• A professionally designed Ellen G. White Visitor Center opened at the White Estate’s main office located in the General Conference building in Silver Spring, Maryland. It is hoped that a virtual reality tour of the new Visitor Center can be produced in 2016.

• 23 video presentations by Jim Nix about Ellen White will soon be available on ellenwhite.org.

We have made it a priority to create new resources as well as make existing ones more user friendly. Work continued in 2015 on the second volume of the Ellen G. White Letters & Manuscripts with Annotations. When completed, the years 1845 to 1863 will be covered. Additional volumes will be produced as funds become available. The following new resources were released during 2015:

• July—new EGW Writings apps for Windows (30,000 users), iOS (455,000 users), and Android (800,000 users)

• July—new main White Estate Website, ellenwhite.org

• July—new m.egwwritings.org mobile website

• July 16—all of Ellen White’s letters and manuscripts were released on egwwritings.org and our EGW Writings apps for Android, iOS, and Windows.

• August—all of Edson White’s letters through 1915 posted to ellenwhite.org

• August 29—all of W. C. White’s letterbook correspondence made available on ellenwhite.org

• August 30—all of James White’s letters were uploaded to ellenwhite.org

• November—download for EGW Writings CRE for Mac OS X (El Capitan) on ellenwhite.org

• November 26—all incoming correspondence to the White Estate through 1915 is now available for research at ellenwhite.org

• By the middle of November, the egwwritings.org website had 1.3 million users.

Much of what was described above was made possible through the generous support of people like you who have partnered with the White Estate this year. But what of the future? Obviously, the future of the church is its young people. However, studies show that much of what has been produced to date will be underutilized—or not used at all—by those currently under 30 years of age. And yet, these millennials are the very youth we need to reach. Consequently, the White Estate continues to look for new ways to introduce and engage today’s youth with the life and ministry of Ellen White.

On March 3, 1915, a few weeks after Ellen White fell and broke her hip, she received her last vision. Much of it was about preparing books for young people. Bedridden, she regretted not being able to do that work. During this centennial year of her death, there seems no better way to move into the future than to prepare materials specifically for young people, as Ellen White stated. Here are some of our creative plans for doing that in 2016, as funds become available:

• Youth Website: Young people need a single, appealing website where they can access all youth-related Ellen White materials—youth links, videos, Pdfs, mp3, questions and answers. Estimated cost: $4,000.

• Pitcairn Game: Launched in 2014, the Pitcairn game had over 10,000 players during the first half of 2015 (English only). The game is now available across all platforms and in seven languages, with continuing requests to make it available in additional languages. In order to retain current players and connect with new ones, we plan to develop and introduce an advanced level game titled Pitcairn 2. The estimated cost: $3,500.

• Short Testimonial Videos: Young people want to see something that works. They want to know how Ellen White’s writings can make a difference in their lives. There are many young people who have had life–changing encounters with Jesus after reading Ellen White’s books. Their stories must be told. We want to make 2-minute videos of such young people. The short videos will be promoted over social media. Production costs will be kept at a minimum with an emphasis on making as many as possible. Estimated cost: $5,000 to edit and distribute them.

• Virtual tour of “Elmshaven”: Historical sites have a tremendous influence on people, including young people. Unfortunately, only a small percentage of people can visit such places. Therefore, we want to make a virtual interactive tour of Ellen White’s “Elmshaven” home. Visitors will be able to “walk through” her home, getting a 360-degree view of each room. By moving their mouse over a picture on the wall, or item of furniture, they will get a brief story about the item. Integrated into the tour will be historic photographs, videos, and voice-overs from Ellen White’s granddaughter. Viewers will be introduced to Ellen White’s life, books, writing themes, tests of a prophet, and major events and people from early Adventist history. As a result they will receive a clear sense of their Adventist identity. Estimated cost: $30,000.

Before I close, I want to express my personal appreciation for your support. Your investment in the work of the White Estate is paying rich dividends. If the Lord impresses you to partner with us again, you may do so electronically by using the attached link https://partner.egwwritings.org, or you may send your tax deductible donation to Ellen G. White Estate, Inc., 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904. Every dollar invested in any White Estate project is used 100% for the designated project. Tax deductible receipts will be issued for those wanting to claim donation credit on their U.S. Federal income taxes.

Thanks so much for your prayers and ongoing financial support. May God continue to richly bless you.

James R. Nix

Director

P.S. If you are interested in including the Ellen G. White Estate in your estate planning, please contact us if we can help you to do so.

Daily Devotional

December 2, 2015

How To Maintain Integrity!

Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Rom. 6:11, 12.

Some regard sin as altogether so light a matter that they have no defense against its indulgence or its consequence. . . .

If you suppose for a moment that God will treat sin lightly, or make provisions or exemptions so that you can go on in committing sin, and the soul suffer no penalty from so doing, you are under a terrible delusion of Satan. Any willful violation of the righteous law of Jehovah exposes your soul to the full assaults of Satan.

When you lose your conscious integrity, your soul becomes a battlefield for Satan; you have doubts and fears enough to paralyze your energies and drive you to discouragement. . . .

Remember that temptation is not sin. Remember that however trying the circumstances in which a man may be placed, nothing can really weaken his soul so long as he does not yield to temptation but maintains his own integrity. The interests most vital to you individually are in your own keeping. No one can damage them without your consent. All the satanic legions cannot injure you unless you open your soul to the arts and arrows of Satan. Your ruin can never take place until your will consents. If there is not pollution of mind in yourself, all the surrounding pollution cannot taint or defile you.

Eternal life is worth everything to us or it is worth nothing. Those only who put forth persevering effort and untiring zeal with intense desire proportionate to the value of the object they are in pursuit of, will gain that life which measures with the life of God….

We have the example of Adam and Eve before us, and the result of their transgression should lead every soul of us to avoid sin, to abhor sin as the hateful thing it is, and to feel, in view of the sufferings which sin is sure to inflict, that it is better to suffer loss of all things than to depart from the least of God’s commandments.

From Devotional: Our Father Cares, pp. 96, 97.

Daily Devotional

December 1, 2015

Above The Fog Of Doubt

Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord. Ps. 31:24.

Even Christians of long experience are often assaulted with the most terrible doubts and waverings. . . . You must not consider that for these temptations your case is hopeless. . . . Hope in God, trust in Him and rest in His promises.

When the devil comes with his doubts and unbeliefs, shut the door of your heart. Shut your eyes so that you will not dwell upon his hellish shadow. Lift them up where they can behold the things which are eternal, and you will have strength every hour. The trial of your faith is much more precious than gold. . . . It makes you valiant to fight the battle of the Lord. . . .

Satan connects with everyone that will connect with him. If he can get those that have had an experience in religion, they are his most effectual agents to reach just such men and compass their souls with unbelief. You cannot afford to let any doubts come into your mind. Do not please the devil enough to tell about the terrible burdens you are carrying. Every time you do it, Satan laughs that his soul can control you and that you have lost sight of Jesus Christ your Redeemer. . . .

We are to show forth Him who hath called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. It is by living faith that we rest in that light. It is by living faith that we rejoice in that light every day. We are not to talk our doubts and trials, because they grow bigger every time we talk them. Every time we talk them, Satan has gained the victory; but when we say, “I will commit the keeping of my soul unto Him, as unto a faithful witness,” then we testify that we have given ourselves to Jesus Christ without any reservation, and then God gives us light and we rejoice in Him.

The soul that loves God, rises above the fog of doubt; he gains a bright, broad, deep, living experience, and becomes meek and Christ-like. His soul is committed to God, hid with Christ in God.

From Devotional: Our Father Cares, pp. 95, 96.