Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written. Romans 2:23, 24.
All who join themselves to the church but not to the Lord will in time develop their true character. “Ye shall know them by their fruits.” Matthew 7:16. The precious fruit of godliness, temperance, patience, kindness, love, and charity, does not appear in their lives. They bear only thorns and briers. God is dishonored before the world by all such professors…. They are, Satan knows, his best working agents while they are unchanged in heart and life, and their works are in such marked contrast to their profession that they are a stumbling block to unbelievers and a great trial to believers….
What an account will those have to give in the day of final reckoning, who profess to be keeping the commandments of God, while their lives contradict their profession, for they bear no precious fruit.
Many who would shrink with horror from some great transgression are led to look upon sin in little matters as of trifling consequence. But these little sins eat out the life of godliness in the soul. The feet which enter upon a path diverging from the right way are tending toward the broad road that ends in death. When once a retrograde movement begins, no one can tell where it may end.
A true disciple of Christ will seek to imitate the Pattern. His love will lead to perfect obedience. He will study to do the will of God on earth, as it is done in heaven. He whose heart is still defiled with sin cannot be zealous of good works, and is not careful to abstain from evil, … is not jealous over his unruly tongue; he is not careful to deny self and lift the cross of Christ….
The fruits of the Spirit, ruling in the heart and controlling the life, are love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, bowels of mercies, and humbleness of mind. True believers walk after the Spirit, and the Spirit of God dwells in them.
The Faith I Live By p. 92
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Prayer Requests
—-Requesting prayers for Robert due to recent problems with his pacemaker/defibrillator. Donna
—-Please pray for my dear friend Michelle, she has been struggling with alcoholism for about a decade and has severe cirrhosis of the liver. She is not doing well and I am praying she submits to the Lord before she falls asleep for the last time Megan
—-Praise God that He supplies all of our needs. Buck
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Dear Friends,
When I was in my late teens, I worked in a factory that made children’s clothing. The working conditions were terrible, but I was glad to have a job. Many people were out of work at that time. We got paid by how many garments we did. My mother worked there too and did much better than I because she was much faster.
One day our boss called a meeting for all employees. He had not done this before, so worry registered on each face. The boss stood upon a work table so all could see him. He told us that from that time on everyone had to work on Saturdays. No one was to be excused. That was not a problem for my mother, but it was a big problem for me. (I had recently learned that the Sabbath was still God’s holy day and that nowhere in the Holy Scriptures does it speak of any change.) I knew I could not go to work on Saturdays with a clear conscience. “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.” Ex 20:8 “If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.” Isa 58:13,14 “For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.” 66:23
At that time unemployment rates were quite high and finding a job was not that easy. This thought pressed upon my mind, but I knew God could work things out. After praying, I went to Andy, the boss, and explained to him why I could not work on Sabbath. Andy told me that I was expected to be there anyway.
In His mercy, God raised up someone to help me. That someone was my own mother, who was very much against my religion. Even so, God moved upon her heart to help me. He gave her the words that Andy needed to hear. I did not lose my job. I was very thankful that God used my mother to help me. She was my “way of escape.” “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” 1 Cor 10:13
Our Dear Saviour tells us, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.” This word “fulfill” in the Bible dictionary means to make full , fully preach, perfect, supply. And so He did. In His teaching, He fully preached not only an outward obedience, but an inward one as well. “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. . . . Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. . . . Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. . . . ” Matt 5:18-28
Often upon the Sabbath, our Great Creator taught by precept and example the correct way to keep His Holy Day. The Jewish leaders had placed so many restrictions upon that day that a person could not even carry a handkerchief when he had a cold. How ridiculous! Jesus did not follow their manmade restrictions, but He, Who created the Universe and everything therein, was standing before them declaring the proper way to keep the day He had instituted at creation. (Gen 2:1-3; John 1:1-3; Col 1:16,17) Not only did He go to church on that day, but He continued His acts of mercy. When confronted by the Pharisees, He told them, “the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day.” Matt 12:8
Our Loving Saviour pleads, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” John 14:15 “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.” 1 John 5:3 “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” Rev 22:14
Let us keep all of His commandments, not to be saved, but because we love Him. Let us be faithful to Him in all that we do, in all that we say, in all that we think, that we may bring joy to His Great Heart of Love. May we soon hear Him say to us, “Well done, good and faithful servant…enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” Matt 25:23
Rose
For more information go to www.Sabbathtruth.org .
Do We Contradict Our Profession?