Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. John 17:17.
Those who are sanctified through the truth are living recommendations of its power, and representatives of their risen Lord. The religion of Christ will refine the taste, sanctify the judgment, elevate, purify, and ennoble the soul, making the Christian more and more fit for the society of the heavenly angels.
“And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.” John 17:19. “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.” 1 Peter 1:22. “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” 2 Corinthians 7:1. . . .
Here is Bible sanctification. It is not merely a show or outside work. It is sanctification received through the channel of truth. It is truth received in the heart, and practically carried out in the life.
There is no Bible sanctification for those who cast a part of the truth behind them. There is light enough given in the word of God, so that none need err. . . . Jesus, considered as a man, was perfect, yet He grew in grace. “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.” Luke 2:52. Even the most perfect Christian may increase continually in the knowledge and love of God. . . .
Sanctification is not the work of a moment, an hour, or a day. It is a continual growth in grace. . . . Satan lives, and is active, and every day we need to cry earnestly to God for help and strength to resist him. As long as Satan reigns we shall have self to subdue, besetments to overcome, and there is no stopping place, there is no point to which we can come and say we have fully attained. . . .
The Christian life is constantly an onward march. Jesus sits as a refiner and purifier of His people; and when His image is perfectly reflected in them, they are perfect and holy, and prepared for translation.
Maranatha p. 89
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Prayer Requests
—– We’ve got an urgent prayer request on behalf of Janine and her family. Her 95 year old grandfather Bob Sr. was hospitalized yesterday morning after he unexpectedly fainted and they discovered gastrointestinal bleeding. Doctors have been trying since then to locate the cause of the bleeding and stop it, but to little avail. They’ve done multiple blood and platelet transfusions and other tests. Earlier today they tried going down his throat with a scope to try and figure it out, but his heart stopped during the procedure. Thankfully they were able to resuscitate him. He’s in the ICU at a hospital in _____ right now. The family is trying to decide what course to pursue. He was already very frail and so there’s a high risk of unwanted side-effects from any additional procedures. Our prayer is that the Lord would do His perfect will and that if it’s not grandpa’s time, the Lord would preserve him. We also pray for comfort and support for Janine’s family as they go through this challenging time. Curtis
—– A Seventh-day Adventist pastor is missing after being abducted by gunmen during a communion service last Sabbath at a church in separatist-controlled eastern Ukraine, local church leaders said. Unidentified men carrying machine guns and wearing camouflage burst into the church in the city of Horlivka on Sept. 27 and seized Pastor Sergei Litovchenko, the Ukrainian Union Conference said. “They interrupted the worship service and forced the worshipers to disperse,” it said in a statement. “They ordered Pastor Sergei Litovchenko to close the church, forced him into a car, and drove away in an unknown direction.” Please pray that he is released unharmed.
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Dear Friends,
When I was a little girl, we had a neighbor man, whom I called Uncle Jap. His name was Jasper Francisco, who was originally a cowboy from from Montana . I can still remember the old, faded photo of him and a friend on horseback herding cattle. He eventually gave up that job and became a fireman on the railroad. Next to my grandfather, he had a very important place in my heart. He worked nights, so he was home during the day. While my grandfather was at work, I followed Uncle Jap around as he worked in his garage or in his workshop.
The yard of my grandparents’ house had about a three foot slope down to their shared driveway. I called that my “hill” and had fun sliding down it in the winter. Of course it was a very short ride, but I had fun sliding down it. One day I mentioned something about my “hill” to Uncle Jap. He laughed and said, “That’s not a hill, that’s a mole hill.” Being from a state that has beautiful mountains, Michigan ’s rolling hills seemed flat indeed, and my “hill” was no hill at all.
I took him seriously. My grandparents didn’t joke, so I took everything literally. In my childish mind, I tried to imagine the mole that had made my “hill.” That spring, my mother saw me sitting very still on the grass watching my “hill.” She asked me what I was doing. I told her that Uncle Jap had told me that my hill was a mole hill and I was waiting for the mole to come out. I wanted to see it, so I was being very quiet so it would not know I was there. My mother tried very hard not to laugh. She explained to me what Uncle Jap really meant. I was so embarrassed.
Little children have perfect trust and confidence in the people they love. How our Heavenly Father yearns for us to have that same belief, that same trust and confidence in Him. “And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Matt 18:2,3
Of course, Jesus was speaking of an unspoiled little child. Such a child is completely trusting. He has a very tender heart. A little child forgives easily. He might argue with a friend over a toy, but within a minute or two, all is forgiven and they are happily playing again. In these ways we should be as children.
How important little children are to our Dear Saviour. He says, “Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God . Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.” Luke 18:16,17 Unless we have a little child’s perfect trust in our Heavenly Father, we will fail to receive our goal. Unless we love Him completely, we will eventually turn away. Jesus bids us, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” Matt 22:37 That whole-hearted experience is what He desires, because it is that whole-hearted experience that gives us the perfect love, the perfect trust, the perfect heart that unites our heart with His Great Heart of Love.
May we have a childlike faith in our Loving Redeemer. May we love Him with our entire being. May we take hold of His outstretched hand and walk with Him all the way to His Heavenly Kingdom in perfect love and confidence is my prayer.
Rose