Daily Devotional

April 2, 2019

Search the Scriptures, and Be Obedient

Anyone who resolves to do the will of God will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own. John 7:17, NRSV.

Those who humbly and prayerfully search the Scriptures, to know and to do God’s will, will not be in doubt of their obligations to God. For “if any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine.” If you would know the mystery of godliness, you must follow the plain word of truth – feeling or no feeling, emotion or no emotion. Obedience must be rendered from a sense of principle, and the right must be pursued under all circumstances. This is the character that is elected of God unto salvation.

The test of a genuine Christian is given in the Word of God. Says Jesus, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” … Here are the conditions upon which every soul will be elected to eternal life. Your obedience to God’s commandments will prove your right to an inheritance with the saints in light. God has elected a certain excellence of character; and everyone who, through the grace of Christ, shall reach the standard of His requirement will have an abundant entrance into the kingdom of glory. All who would reach this standard of character will have to employ the means that God has provided to this end.

If you would inherit the rest that remaineth for the children of God, you must become a colaborer with God. You are elected to wear the yoke of Christ – to bear His burden, to lift His cross. You are to be diligent “to make your calling and election sure.”

Search the Scriptures, and you will see that not a son or a daughter of Adam is elected to be saved in disobedience to God’s law. The world makes void the law of God; but Christians are chosen to sanctification through obedience to the truth. They are elected to bear the cross, if they would wear the crown.

The Bible is the only rule of faith and doctrine…. Only Bible truth and Bible religion will stand the test of the judgment. We are not to pervert the Word of God to suit our convenience and worldly interest, but to honestly inquire, “What wilt thou have me to do?” – The Review and Herald, July 17, 1888.

From Devotional: To Be Like Jesus, p. 129.

Daily Devotional

April 1, 2019

The Bible Reveals the Way to Christ

Love one another fervently with a pure heart, … because “all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, but the word of the Lord endures forever.” 1 Peter 1:22-25, NKJV.

The blessed Bible gives us a knowledge of the great plan of salvation, and shows us how every individual may have eternal life. Who is the author of the Book? Jesus Christ. He is the True Witness, and He says to His own, “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” The Bible is to show us the way to Christ, and in Christ eternal life is revealed. Jesus said to the Jews and to those who pressed about Him in great multitudes, “Search the scriptures.” The Jews had the Word in the Old Testament, but they had so mingled it with human opinions, that its truths were mystified, and the will of God to human beings was covered up. The religious teachers of the people are following their example in this age.

Though the Jews had the Scriptures which testified of Christ, they were not able to discern Christ in the Scriptures; and although we have the Old and the New Testament, people today wrest the Scriptures to evade their truths; and in their interpretations of the Scriptures, they teach, as did the Pharisees, the maxims and traditions of humanity for the commandments of God. In Christ’s day the religious leaders had so long presented human ideas before the people, that the teaching of Christ was in every way opposed to their theories and practice.

His sermon on the mount virtually contradicted the doctrines of the self-righteous scribes and Pharisees. They had so misrepresented God that He was looked upon as a stern judge, incapable of compassion, mercy, and love. They presented to the people endless maxims and traditions as proceeding from God, when they had no “Thus saith the Lord” for their authority. Though they professed to know and to worship the true and living God, they wholly misrepresented Him; and the character of God, as represented by His Son, was as an original subject, a new gift to the world. Christ made every effort so to sweep away the misrepresentations of Satan, that the confidence of people in the love of God might be restored. – Fundamentals of Christian Education, 308, 309.

From Devotional: To Be Like Jesus, p. 128.

Daily Devotional

March 31, 2019

To Understand God’s Word Better, Be Obedient

The mind of one who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly. Proverbs 15:14, NRSV.

No one can search the Old and New Testaments in the Spirit of Christ without being rewarded. “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden,” the Savior says, “and I will give you rest. Take my yoke [of obedience] upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” The Great Teacher’s invitation is before you. Will you willingly respond to it? You cannot draw near, placing yourself as a learner at the feet of Christ, without having your mind enlightened, and your heart quickened with a pure, holy admiration. You will then say, “Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.”

Disobedience has closed the door to a vast amount of knowledge that might have been gained from the Word of God. Understanding means obedience to God’s commandments. Had men and women been obedient, they would have understood the plan of God’s government. The heavenly world would have opened its chambers of grace and glory for exploration. Human beings would have been altogether different from what they are now, in form, in speech, in song; for by exploring the mines of truth, they would have been ennobled. The mystery of redemption, the incarnation of Christ, His atoning sacrifice, would not be, as they are now, vague in our minds. They would have been not only better understood, but altogether more highly appreciated.

In eternity we shall learn that which, if we had received the enlightenment that it was possible for us to obtain here, would have opened our understanding. The themes of redemption will employ the hearts and minds and tongues of the redeemed through the everlasting ages. They will understand the truths that Christ longed to open to His disciples, but which they did not have faith to grasp. Forever and forever, new views of the perfection and glory of Christ will appear. – The Review and Herald, July 3, 1900.

From Devotional: To Be Like Jesus, p. 127.

Daily Devotional

March 30, 2019

True Higher Education Found in the Word of God

Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. Proverbs 4:5, NKJV.

There is no time now to fill the mind with false ideas of what is called higher education. There can be no higher education than that which comes from the Author of truth. The Word of God is to be our study. We are to educate our children in the truths found therein. It is an inexhaustible treasure; but men and women fail to find this treasure because they do not search until it is within their possession. In this Word is found wisdom, unquestionable and inexhaustible wisdom, that did not originate in the finite mind, but in the infinite mind.

When men and women are willing to be instructed as little children, when they submit wholly to God, they will find in the Scriptures the science of education. When teachers and students enter Christ’s school, to learn from Him, they will talk intelligently of higher education, because they will understand that it is that knowledge which enables people to understand the essence of science.

Those who would seek successfully for the hidden treasure must rise to higher pursuits than the things of this world. Their affections and all their capabilities must be consecrated to this search. Men and women of piety and talent catch views of eternal realities, but often they fail to understand, because the things that are seen eclipse the glory of the unseen. By many human wisdom is thought to be higher than the wisdom of the divine Teacher, and God’s lesson book is looked upon as old-fashioned, so much so indeed as to be thought tame and stale. But by those who have been vivified by the Holy Spirit it is not so regarded. They see the priceless treasure, and would sell all to buy the field that contains it….

Those who make the Word of God their study, who dig for the treasures of truth, will appreciate the weighty principles taught, and will digest them. As a result, they will be imbued with the Spirit of Christ; and by beholding, they will become changed into His likeness. They will teach like disciples who have been sitting at the feet of Jesus, who have accustomed themselves to learn of Him, that they might know Him whom to know aright is life eternal. – The Review and Herald, July 3, 1900.

From Devotional: To Be Like Jesus, p. 126.

Daily Devotional

March 29, 2019

Enjoy the Rich Banquet Found in the Word

The anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him. 1 John 2:27, NKJV.

Let us believe the Word. He who thus eats the bread of heaven is nourished every day, and will know what these words mean, “Need not that any man teach you” (1 John 2:27). We have lessons pure from the lips of Him who owns us, who has bought us with the price of His own blood.

The precious Word of God is a solid foundation upon which to build. When people come to you with their supposed suppositions, tell them that the Great Teacher has left you His Word, which is of incalculable value, that He has sent a Comforter in His own name, even the Holy Ghost. “He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

Here is presented before us a rich banquet, of which all who believe in Christ as a personal Savior may eat. He is the tree of life to all who continue to feed on Him.

I am instructed to ask those who profess to receive Christ as their personal Savior, Why do you pass by the words of the Great Teacher, and send your letters to human beings for words of comfort? Why do you rely upon human help when you have the large, full, grand promises, “He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him…. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever”? They may die, yet the life of Christ in them is eternal, and they will be raised up at the last day. “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” …

I am instructed by the Word of God that His promises are for me and for every child of God. The banquet is spread before us; we are invited to eat the Word of God, which will strengthen spiritual muscle and sinew. – Manuscript Releases 21:132, 133.

From Devotional: To Be Like Jesus, p. 125.