“I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.—Matthew 28:20

We bear about in our body the dying of the Lord Jesus, which is life and salvation and righteousness to us. Wherever we go, there is the recollection of One dear to us. We are abiding in Christ by a living faith. He is abiding in our hearts by our individual appropriating of faith. We have the companionship of the divine presence, and as we realize this presence, our thoughts are brought into captivity to Jesus Christ. Our spiritual exercises are in accordance with the vividness of our sense of this companionship. Enoch walked with God in this way; and Christ is dwelling in our hearts by faith when we will consider what He is to us, and what a work He has wrought out for us in the plan of redemption. We shall be most happy in cultivating a sense of this great gift of God to our world and to us personally.

These thoughts have a controlling power upon the whole character. I want to impress upon your mind that you may have a divine companion with you, if you will, always. “And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” As the mind dwells upon Christ, the character is molded after the divine similitude. The thoughts are pervaded with a sense of His goodness, His love. We contemplate His character, and thus He is in all our thoughts. His love encloses us. If we gaze even a moment upon the sun in its meridian glory, when we turn away our eyes, the image of the sun will appear in everything upon which we look.

Thus it is when we behold Jesus; everything we look upon reflects His image, the Sun of Righteousness. We cannot see anything else, or talk of anything else. His image is imprinted upon the eye of the soul and affects every portion of our daily life, softening and subduing our whole nature. By beholding, we are conformed to the divine similitude, even the likeness of Christ. To all with whom we associate we reflect the bright and cheerful beams of His righteousness. We have become transformed in character; for heart, soul, mind, are irradiated by the reflection of Him who loved us and gave Himself for us.—Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 388, 389.

Further Reflection: When today will I make time for a sustained look at Jesus?

From Jesus, Name Above All Names

Yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things.—1 Corinthians 8:6

Silas and Timothy had “come from Macedonia” to help Paul, and together they labored for the Gentiles. To the heathen, as well as to the Jews, Paul and his companions preached Christ as the Saviour of the fallen race. Avoiding complicated, far-fetched reasoning, the messengers of the cross dwelt upon the attributes of the Creator of the world, the Supreme Ruler of the universe. Their hearts aglow with the love of God and of His Son, they appealed to the heathen to behold the infinite sacrifice made in humanity’s behalf. They knew that if those who had long been groping in the darkness of heathenism could but see the light streaming from Calvary’s cross, they would be drawn to the Redeemer….

The gospel workers in Corinth realized the terrible dangers threatening the souls of those for whom they were laboring; and it was with a sense of the responsibility resting on them that they presented the truth as it is in Jesus. Clear, plain, and decided was their message—a savor of life unto life, or of death unto death. And not only in their words, but in the daily life, was the gospel revealed….

The hatred with which the Jews had always regarded the apostles was now intensified. The conversion and baptism of Crispus had the effect of exasperating instead of convincing these stubborn opposers. They could not bring arguments to disprove Paul’s preaching, and for lack of such evidence they resorted to deception and malignant attack. They blasphemed the gospel and the name of Jesus. In their blind anger no words were too bitter, no device too low, for them to use. They could not deny that Christ had worked miracles; but they declared that He had performed them through the power of Satan; and they boldly affirmed that the wonderful works wrought by Paul were accomplished through the same agency.—The Acts of the Apostles, 248, 249.

Further Reflection: How do I share Christ with those who may be hostile to religion?

From Jesus, Name Above All Names

Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!—Psalm 107:8

If Christians would associate together, speaking to each other of the love of God and of the precious truths of redemption, their own hearts would be refreshed and they would refresh one another. We may be daily learning more of our heavenly Father, gaining a fresh experience of His grace; then we shall desire to speak of His love; and as we do this, our own hearts will be warmed and encouraged. If we thought and talked more of Jesus, and less of self, we should have far more of His presence.

If we would but think of God as often as we have evidence of His care for us we should keep Him ever in our thoughts and should delight to talk of Him and to praise Him. We talk of temporal things because we have an interest in them. We talk of our friends because we love them; our joys and our sorrows are bound up with them. Yet we have infinitely greater reason to love God than to love our earthly friends; it should be the most natural thing in the world to make Him first in all our thoughts, to talk of His goodness and tell of His power. The rich gifts He has bestowed upon us were not intended to absorb our thoughts and love so much that we should have nothing to give to God; they are constantly to remind us of Him and to bind us in bonds of love and gratitude to our heavenly Benefactor. We dwell too near the lowlands of earth. Let us raise our eyes to the open door of the sanctuary above, where the light of the glory of God shines in the face of Christ, who “is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him” (Hebrews 7:25).

We need to praise God more “for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men” (Psalm 107:8). Our devotional exercises should not consist wholly in asking and receiving. Let us not be always thinking of our wants and never of the benefits we receive. We do not pray any too much, but we are too sparing of giving thanks. We are the constant recipients of God’s mercies, and yet how little gratitude we express, how little we praise Him for what He has done for us.—Steps to Christ, 101-103.

Further Reflection: Is there any correlation between the things I love to talk about and the God whom I claim to love?

From Jesus, Name Above All Names

“He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.”—Psalm 91:2

Angels, cherubim, and seraphim bow in holy reverence before God. “Ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands” of angels are round about the throne, and are sent to minister to those who shall be heirs of salvation. The ruling principles of God’s throne are justice and mercy. It is called the throne of grace. Would you have divine enlightenment?—Go to the throne of grace. You will be answered from the mercy seat. A covenant has been entered into by the Father and by the Son to save the world through Christ…. The rainbow above the throne is a token that God through Christ binds Himself to save all who believe in Him. The covenant is as sure as the throne, and His throne is established in righteousness. Then why are we so unbelieving, so distrustful? Why doubt so frequently, and trust God so fitfully? Whenever we come to the throne of God to ask His mercy, we may look up, and behold the rainbow of promise, and find in it assurance that our prayers shall be answered.

But let no one flatter himself that he may transgress the commandments, and yet receive the favor of God. In the government of God, justice and grace stand side by side. The law cannot be transgressed with impunity. Justice and judgment are the habitation of His throne. In Christ mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Christ Himself gave the law from Mount Sinai, and He has not lessened a jot or tittle of its claims. He has given His own life to atone for humanity’s transgression of the law, and to enable them to obey its precepts….

Christ knows the sinner’s trials; He knows His temptations. He has taken upon Himself our nature; He was tempted in all points like as we are, and He knows how to succor those who are tempted. He has wept, and He knows our sorrows; He has experienced all our griefs. To all who believe and trust in Him, He will be a hiding-place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest. As a man, Christ ascended to heaven. As a man, He is the substitute for humanity. As a man, He liveth to make intercession for us. He is preparing a place for all who love Him.—The Signs of the Times, October 10, 1892.

Further Reflection: If Jesus is touched by my sorrows and pains and offers me a shelter from the tempest, how can I offer this Shelter to someone who needs it today?

From Jesus, Name Above All Names

“I, the LORD, search the heart,
I test the mind,
Even to give every man according to his ways,
According to the fruit of his doings.”
      —Jeremiah 17:10

I have been tempted, sorely tempted, as I see how little many who profess to love God are really loving Him. Our obedience to His commandments testifies whether we are indeed children of God. We are inclined to worry at the outlook of things transpiring in our world. All the forces of the powers of darkness are working against the human race to restrict religious liberty and to compel service and the worshiping of an idol sabbath. God knows all about the outcome.

I am so glad the Father understands every phase of the difficulties we shall have to meet. Believing Him and knowing Him to be God, we know that He sees with a larger vision than is possible for us. His ideals are higher than any of our conceptions. He can read every purpose of hearts that are leaguing against God and co-operating with the evil angels to overthrow the righteous. All the forces of evil angels combined with evil men and women will be in action to suppress truth, and liberty to believe truth. We will not fail now in our work; we will not be discouraged. Every question is open as the day to the Heart Searcher. He sees the effort made to influence a child in the wrong direction. The high and lofty One who inhabiteth eternity will not overlook the one who would work counter to His will in tainting and corrupting human minds. We must consider that God knows, God understands.

Keep in view the high standard. We are as God’s chosen, working out His plans, accomplishing His purposes. Self is under control to God. We must keep looking unto Jesus, trusting in Him, and not disappoint the hope and expectation of God. We must want to do and want to be just what God would have us to be. And the lesson we have to learn daily is to be meek and lowly of heart. Then can we raise the standard higher and still higher. My children, every day hide in the cleft of the Rock where you may not be seen but where you can see, and where you can hear the proclamation of God’s character. This is worth everything to us.—Letter 141, 1896.

Further Reflection: If I fail to stand against those who work to corrupt human minds, how will God view me?

From Jesus, Name Above All Names