But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name. John 1:12.
If we could appreciate this great blessing, what an advantage it would be to us! We are given the privilege of being laborers together with God in the saving of our souls. Receiving and believing is our part of the contract. We are to receive Christ as our personal Savior, and are to continue to believe in Him. This means abiding in Christ, showing in Him, at all times and under all circumstances, a faith that is a representation of His character—a faith that works by love, and purifies the soul from all defilement….
We must each obtain an experience for ourselves. No one can depend for salvation on the experience or practice of any other individual. We must each become acquainted with Christ in order properly to represent Him to the world…. None of us need to excuse our hasty temper, our misshapen character, our selfishness, envy, jealousy, or any impurity of soul, body, or spirit. God has called us to glory and virtue. We are to obey the call….
How can we escape the power of one who was once an exalted angel in the heavenly courts? He was a being full of beauty and personal charm, blessed with a powerful intellect. Because of his exaltation he thought himself equal with God…. How can we discern his false theories and resist his temptations? Only through the individual experience gained by receiving a knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord. Without divine aid we could not possibly escape the temptations and snares that Satan has prepared to deceive human minds….
We are to walk as He walked, following closely in His footsteps, manifesting His meekness and lowliness…. The service of Christ is pure and elevated. The path He traveled is not one of self-pleasing, self-gratification. He speaks to His children, saying, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” The price of heaven is submission to Christ. The way to heaven is obedience to the command, Deny thyself, take up thy cross, and follow Me. As Jesus journeyed, so we must journey. The path He followed, we must follow; for that path leads to the mansions He is preparing for us.—The Review and Herald, April 24, 1900.
From the Heart p. 64
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Prayer Request
—-Please pray for my brother-in-law who is in the hospital with colon cancer. J
—-Please pray for Rosalie whose husband died seven years ago that God will give her comfort and peace. BH
—-My sister is severely depressed and is in a very difficult situation. Please pray for her get help for her depression and for God to help her through this situation. Kathy
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Dear Friends,
As a teenager Esther wrote a piece entitled “A Mother’s Love.” I don’t remember if she had put this to music or not.
“A mother’s arms holding her child. Her tender voice warmed by her smile. A mother’s eyes brightened with her tears. She gives her wants and hopes and all her fears to God.
A mother’s strength is found in our God. He gives her hope and faith to lead her children on. She holds her child’s hands gently in her own. She shows the tiny feet the long pathway home to God.
A mother’s love is sent from our God. He gives her strength and peace to carry on. With a gentle smile and arms open wide She welcomes love from her child, then gives it back to God.”
Shortly after Solomon became king, he used a mother’s love to make a decision that would affect that mother’s child forever. “Then came there two women, that were harlots, unto the king, and stood before him. And the one woman said, O my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house; and I was delivered of a child with her in the house. And it came to pass the third day after that I was delivered, that this woman was delivered also: and we were together; there was no stranger with us in the house, save we two in the house. And this woman’s child died in the night; because she overlaid it. And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while thine handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom. And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold, it was dead: but when I had considered it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, which I did bear. And the other woman said, Nay; but the living is my son, and the dead is thy son. And this said, No; but the dead is thy son, and the living is my son. Thus they spake before the king. Then said the king, The one saith, This is my son that liveth, and thy son is the dead: and the other saith, Nay; but thy son is the dead, and my son is the living. And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king. And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other. Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it. Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it: she is the mother thereof.” 1 Kings 3:16-27
That mother’s heart yearned over her little one. All her hopes and dreams were wrapped up in him. Yet, she was willing to give her child to the other woman than to see harm come to her little one. Truly a mother’s love is strong. A mother would rather suffer than to see her child suffer. Indeed, when her child suffers (no matter what the age or what kind of suffering) the mother suffers as much or more.
We have Someone Whose Great Heart of Love yearns over us. Indeed, He loves us even more than we could ever love our children. Beyond this, He gave His Life for us that we might live with Him throughout all eternity. He assures us, “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.” “I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” Isa 49:15, 16; Jer 31:3 The psalmist reminds us, “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.” Ps 103:13
May our heart respond with love, trust, and praise to the One Who loves us so is my prayer.
Rose