He always lives to make intercession for them.—Hebrews 7:25

Christ has said, “Ye shall be witnesses unto Me.” You are to hold forth the word of life, to let your light so shine before men that they, seeing your good works, may glorify your Father who is in heaven. The confession of the church, the declaration of the evidences of God’s truth, love, faithfulness, and power, are chosen agencies of heaven to reveal Christ’s pardoning love to the world. The testimonies of the people of God, when impressed by His Spirit, convict men and women of the sin of neglecting so great salvation. While individuals who are converted to God acknowledge His power through patriarchs and prophets, they have a more interesting testimony to bear concerning the miracles of the grace of Christ, the ever-living Saviour, in their present and personal experiences. These precious acknowledgments of the goodness, forbearance, and love of God, when accompanied by a consistent life, carry with them an irresistible power, that results in the salvation of souls. Says the apostle, “Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

Every important truth received into the heart must find expression in the life. It is in proportion to the reception of the love of Christ that men and women desire to proclaim its power to others; and the very act of proclaiming it, deepens and intensifies its value to their own souls. Those whose souls are full of the love of Christ, are full of eagerness to make disclosures of the comfort, hope, and peace that pervade their hearts. They feel as did Paul when he said, “Unto me, which am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known to the church, the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”—The Review and Herald, February 19, 1889.

Further Reflection: The desire to proclaim the love of Christ comes in proportion to the reception of that love. When was the last time that I told someone about the love of Christ?

From Jesus, Name Above All Names

“For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”—Luke 19:10

Let every sincere Christian who has a connection with our schools, be determined to be a faithful servant in the cause of Christ, and help every student to be faithful, pure, and holy in life. Let everyone who loves God seek to win those who have not yet confessed Christ. Every day they may exert a silent, prayerful influence, and co-operate with Jesus Christ, the missionary-in-chief to our world. Let every soul—man, woman, and youth—grow in excellence of character and devotion, in purity and holiness, and live with an eye single to the glory of God, that the enemies of our faith may not triumph. Let there be such a binding together in the bonds of our holy faith, that our united influence may be wholly on the Lord’s side, and may work for the transformation of those with whom we associate. Let it be made manifest that you have a living connection with God, and are ambitious for the Master’s glory, seeking to cultivate in yourselves every grace of character by which you may honor Him who gave His life for you. May the love of Christ exercise a constraining power to draw others into the path cast up for the ransomed of the Lord to walk in. When the students in our schools shall learn to like God’s will, they will find it comparatively easy to do it.

If students see defects of character in others, let them be thankful that they have discerned these defects, and therefore may be put on their guard against them. You will, no doubt, see persons who are not learning the meekness and lowliness of Christ, but who love display, and are vain, frivolous, and worldly. The only remedy for such is to behold Jesus, and by studying His character they will come to despise everything that is vain and frivolous, weak and mean. The character of Christ is full of forbearance, patience, goodness, mercy, and unexampled love. By beholding such a character, they will rise above the littleness of that which has fashioned and molded them, and made them unholy and unlovely. They will say, “I will not sit with vain persons, neither will I go with dissemblers.” They will realize that “he that walketh with wise men shall be wise; but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.”—The Review and Herald, January 16, 1894.

Further Reflection: What does it mean for me to be ambitious for the Master’s glory?

From Jesus, Name Above All Names

“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”—Matthew 11:29, 30

In these words Christ is speaking to every human being. Whether they know it or not, all are weary and heavy-laden. All are weighed down with burdens that only Christ can remove. The heaviest burden that we bear is the burden of sin. If we were left to bear this burden, it would crush us. But the Sinless One has taken our place. “The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6). He has borne the burden of our guilt. He will take the load from our weary shoulders. He will give us rest. The burden of care and sorrow also He will bear. He invites us to cast all our care upon Him; for He carries us upon His heart.

The Elder Brother of our race is by the eternal throne. He looks upon every soul who is turning his face toward Him as the Saviour. He knows by experience what are the weaknesses of humanity, what are our wants, and where lies the strength of our temptations; for He was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. He is watching over you, trembling child of God. Are you tempted? He will deliver. Are you weak? He will strengthen. Are you ignorant? He will enlighten. Are you wounded? He will heal. The Lord “telleth the number of the stars;” and yet “He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds” (Psalm 147:4, 3). “Come unto Me,” is His invitation. Whatever your anxieties and trials, spread out your case before the Lord. Your spirit will be braced for endurance. The way will be opened for you to disentangle yourself from embarrassment and difficulty. The weaker and more helpless you know yourself to be, the stronger will you become in His strength. The heavier your burdens, the more blessed the rest in casting them upon the Burden Bearer. The rest that Christ offers depends upon conditions, but these conditions are plainly specified. They are those with which all can comply. He tells us just how His rest is to be found.

“Take My yoke upon you,” Jesus says. The yoke is an instrument of service. Cattle are yoked for labor, and the yoke is essential that they may labor effectually. By this illustration Christ teaches us that we are called to service as long as life shall last. We are to take upon us His yoke, that we may be co-workers with Him.—The Desire of Ages, 328, 329.

Further Reflection: What burden must I put down to take up Christ’s yoke of service?

From Jesus, Name Above All Names

“You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am.”—John 13:13

In the Teacher sent from God, heaven gave to us its best and greatest. He who had stood in the councils of the Most High, who had dwelt in the innermost sanctuary of the Eternal, was the One chosen to reveal in person to humanity the knowledge of God.

Through Christ had been communicated every ray of divine light that had ever reached our fallen world. It was He who had spoken through everyone that throughout the ages had declared God’s word to humanity. Of Him all the excellences manifest in the earth’s greatest and noblest souls were reflections. The purity and beneficence of Joseph, the faith and meekness and long-suffering of Moses, the steadfastness of Elisha, the noble integrity and firmness of Daniel, the ardor and self-sacrifice of Paul, the mental and spiritual power manifest in all these men, and in all others who had ever dwelt on the earth, were but gleams from the shining of His glory. In Him was found the perfect ideal.

To reveal this ideal as the only true standard for attainment; to show what every human being might become; what, through the indwelling of humanity by divinity, all who received Him would become—for this, Christ came to the world. He came to show how people are to be trained as befits the sons of God; how on earth they are to practice the principles and to live the life of heaven.

God’s greatest gift was bestowed to meet humanity’s greatest need. The Light appeared when the world’s darkness was deepest. Through false teaching the minds of human beings had long been turned away from God. In the prevailing systems of education, human philosophy had taken the place of divine revelation. Instead of the heaven-given standard of truth, men and women had accepted a standard of their own devising. From the Light of life they had turned aside to walk in the sparks of the fire which they had kindled.—Education, 73, 74.

Further Reflection: “Of Him all the excellences manifest in the earth’s greatest and noblest souls were reflections.” If humanity’s greatest and noblest men and women are but reflections of Jesus, what concrete step can I take today to better reflect Christ?

From Jesus, Name Above All Names

“I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day.”—John 9:4

God has a purpose in sending trial to His children. He never leads them otherwise than they would choose to be led if they could see the end from the beginning, and discern the glory of the purpose which they are fulfilling. He subjects them to discipline to humble them—to lead them, through trial and affliction, to see their weakness and to draw near unto Him. As they cry to Him for help, He responds, saying, “Here am I.”

Christians are Christ’s jewels. They are to shine brightly for Him, shedding forth the light of His loveliness. Their luster depends on the polishing they receive. They may choose to be polished or to remain unpolished. But every one who is pronounced worthy of a place in the Lord’s temple must submit to the polishing process. Without the polishing that the Lord gives they can reflect no more light than a common pebble.

Christ says to men and women, “You are Mine. I have bought you. You are now only a rough stone, but if you will place yourself in My hands, I will polish you, and the luster with which you shall shine will bring honor to My name. No person shall pluck you out of My hand. I will make you My peculiar treasure. On My coronation day, you will be a jewel in My crown of rejoicing.”

The divine Worker spends little time on worthless material. Only the precious jewels does He polish after the similitude of a palace, cutting away all the rough edges. This process is severe and trying; it hurts human pride. Christ cuts deep into the experience that human beings in their self-sufficiency have regarded as complete, and takes away self-uplifting from the character. He cuts away the surplus surface, and putting the stone to the polishing wheel, presses it close, that all roughness may be worn away. Then, holding the jewel up to the light, the Master sees in it a reflection of Himself, and He pronounces it worthy of a place in His casket.

“In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, will I take thee … and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the Lord of hosts.” Blessed be the experience, however severe, that gives new value to the stone, and causes it to shine with living brightness.—The Review and Herald, December 19, 1907.

Further Reflection: Where is Jesus polishing you right now? How do you deal with the hurt that you feel as He removes the rough edges from your life?

From Jesus, Name Above All Names