Deposits in the Bank of Heaven

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. James 1:27.
The tender sympathies of our Saviour were aroused for fallen and suffering humanity. If you would be His followers, you must cultivate compassion and sympathy…. The widow, the orphan, the sick, and the dying will always need help. Here is an opportunity to proclaim the gospel—to hold up Jesus, the hope and consolation of all men. When the suffering body has been relieved, … the heart is opened, and you can pour in the heavenly balm.
A company of believers may be poor, uneducated, and unknown; yet in Christ they may do a work in the home, the neighborhood, the church, and even in “the regions beyond,” whose results will be as far-reaching as eternity. It is because this work is neglected that so many young disciples never advance beyond the mere alphabet of Christian experience. The light which was glowing in their own hearts when Jesus spoke to them, “Thy sins be forgiven thee,” they might have kept alive by helping those in need. The restless energy that is so often a source of danger to the young might be directed into channels through which it would flow out in streams of blessing.
The hours so often spent in amusement that refreshes neither body nor soul should be spent in … seeking to help someone who is in need.
Every opportunity to help a brother in need, or to aid the cause of God in the spread of the truth, is a pearl that you can send beforehand, and deposit in the bank of heaven for safe-keeping.
Love, courtesy, self-sacrifice—these are never lost. When God’s chosen ones are changed from mortality to immortality, their words and deeds of goodness will be made manifest, and will be preserved through the eternal ages…. Through the merits of Christ’s imputed righteousness, the fragrance of such words and deeds is forever preserved.
The Faith I Live By p. 239
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Prayer Requests
—-Please continue to pray for Mike and Eileen as they travel. Rose
—-Pastor Al had surgery last Friday. They removed his left tonsil which was cancerous. He was able to go home on Sabbath but was re-admitted yesterday. He is extremely ill. They can’t control his pain, it’s a 9 out of 10 with morphine and his fever is rising instead of dropping and his throat is closed that he can’t swallow and his teeth and gums are hurting. Please offer another special petition to our loving savior. Diane
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Dear Friends,
One of the best teachers I ever had was Mrs. Vincent, my high school Latin teacher. Knowing that most of her students would find Latin rather boring, she did what she could to make learning fun. On the first day of school, she divided the students up into two teams. Then she told us that whichever team had the fewest points by Christmas had to bring the treats for a party. They had to serve the winners and clean up the mess afterwards. The winning team could just sit back and enjoy the party. At that party, new teams were to be chosen. There would be another party at the end of the school year.
Every day Mrs. Vincent had games for us at the blackboard. Different students from each team had to go to the board and decline a noun, conjugate a verb, or write a sentence using a particular word. Since it seemed more like a game than it did work, even John who normally had little interest in school wanted to do well. He really tried hard and found that Latin was easy when it was approached as a team sport.
How many look upon our service to Jesus as John normally looked at going to school. How many others follow our Great Provider for the promise of future reward just like the students worked hard learning Latin so they could be on the winning team. How many have a “fire escape” religion, working hard to make sure they are not on the losing side. Yet, these reasons will leave us disappointed. There is only one reason to follow our Dear Saviour—-love. He says, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” John 14:15 This is the key. Pleasing our Wonderful Saviour should be the only motive for obedience. “We love him, because he first loved us.” 1 John 4:19
Obedience should never be approached as something distasteful that we have to do or else. Obedience should be given joyfully from a heart full of love, in order to please the One Who died for us that we might have eternal life. We cannot earn our way to Heaven, neither can we rid ourselves of the sin in our lives. We may try, but it is useless. “For though thou wash thee with niter, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord GOD.” “Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.” Jer 2:22; 13:23 James reminds us, “whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” James 2:10 We may, by stern discipline, keep the law outwardly, but if the heart is not completely right, we are still breaking the commandments.
If we think an outward show is enough, we are as the rich, young ruler. (Matt 19:16-22) His was an outward obedience and when the test came, he failed.
Yet, obedience is required. the Great King of the Universe cannot allow sinners into Heaven or sin would be perpetuated and spread to the entire universe. A change of heart is essential. Our thoughts, motives, words, and actions must be brought into harmony with the Heavenly team. Praise God! He has provided the way! He does not leave us alone! He not only forgives our sin, but He cleanses us from it! John tells us, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected.” 1 John 1:9-2:5 James adds, “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” James 2:17-20
Peter assures us that our Loving Redeemer gives us power to obey! “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” 2 Peter 1:3,4
Let us obey our Great Redeemer as joyfully and wholeheartedly as the students in Mrs. Vincent’s class studied Latin. Let us allow Him to finish the good work that He has begun in us and get us ready to live in His presence for all eternity. (Phil 1:6) Let us so live, that we may partake of the marriage supper of the Lamb. (Rev 19:6-9)
Rose