Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law. Romans 3:31.
Faith is not an opiate, but a stimulant. Looking to Calvary will not quiet your soul into nonperformance of duty, but will create faith that will work, purifying the soul from all selfishness.118The Review and Herald, January 24, 1893.
The faith in Christ which saves the soul is not what it is represented to be by many. “Believe, believe,” is their cry; “only believe in Christ, and you will be saved. It is all you have to do.” While true faith trusts wholly in Christ for salvation, it will lead to perfect conformity to the law of God.119SDA Bible Commentary 6:1073.
There are two errors against which the children of God—particularly those who have just come to trust in His grace—especially need to guard. The first … is that of looking to their own works, trusting to anything they can do, to bring themselves into harmony with God. He who is trying to become holy by his own works in keeping the law, is attempting an impossibility…. It is the grace of Christ alone, through faith, that can make us holy.
The opposite and no less dangerous error is that belief in Christ releases men from keeping the law of God; that since by faith alone we become partakers of the grace of Christ, our works have nothing to do with our redemption.
But notice here that obedience is not a mere outward compliance, but the service of love. The law of God is an expression of His very nature; it is an embodiment of the great principle of love, and hence is the foundation of His government in heaven and earth…. Instead of releasing man from obedience, it is faith, and faith only, that makes us partakers of the grace of Christ, which enables us to render obedience.120Steps to Christ, 59-61.
As Jesus was in human nature, so God means His followers to be. In His strength we are to live the life of purity and nobility which the Saviour lived.121The Ministry of Healing, 426.
The Faith I Live By p. 93
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Prayer Requests
—-Please continue to pray for Marvin who has cancer and is in great pain. Rose
—-Please pray for a friend of mine Denise…she and her husband tried to avoid a deer while driving and ended up upside in their vehicle ..she has significant leg damage..pray for speedy recovery. Bonnie
—-Please pray for Craig who has stage three cancer. Debra
—-Please I need prayers for my daughter who is 16years old. She has phyllodes tumor on her left breast. Grace
—-Please pray for E that God will supply all of her needs. R
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Dear Friends,
When we lived in Utah, we often hiked up into the Wasatch mountains. Ronnie Jay and I like to collect rocks, so usually our pockets would be filled with them. One day as we were walking, I turned around and saw Ronnie Jay, who was lagging behind, carrying a rather large rock. It was not a bit pretty and I wondered why he was wasting his time on that ugly rock. Knowing children’s ways, I was sure that he would soon be asking me to carry it, and I had no intention of carrying such a worthless specimen. I told him to put the rock down. He protested a little, but I kept walking and would not listen. Obediently, he put the rock down.
Later, Ronnie Jay sadly told me that what I saw as an ugly, worthless rock, had a perfect fossil of a fish on the side that was next to him. You can imagine how I felt. I have always wanted a fish fossil. I was so sorry that I had not listened to my son’s protests. What I saw as a worthless rock was the very thing I had been looking for all of my life. I was very upset with myself, but it was useless to go back and search for it. My opportunity had passed. That rock was lost forever.
So many people are like that rock. There is nothing on the outside that is attractive. We look at their actions, judge their motives, listen to their words, and consider them worthless, not worthy of our time. How many times we turn others away, because of our attitude. We do not see what is in their heart. We do not understand the trials and heartaches that they have endured. How often they are the very ones who feel their need of something better. Yet, we do not see them as a precious soul, looking wistfully toward Heaven, longing to be delivered from the chains that bind them.
Our Great Redeemer reminds us, “the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.” 1 Sam 16:7 It is only by looking beneath the surface, that we find the value. When He was upon this earth, our Loving Saviour attracted publicans and sinners to Himself. He did not to join them in their lifestyle; instead, He “drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love” and lead them to His Father in Heaven, Who “so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” Hosea 11:4, John 3:16,17 They were as unattractive on the surface as Ronnie Jay’s rock, but He saw the value in each one of them. He saw what they could become if they followed Him. Many of those publicans and sinners left their old lifestyle and followed Him. They did not stay in their sins, but came to Him for cleansing.
May we see others as our Great Creator sees them, looking past the rough exterior and seeing the tender heart beneath. May we, through the guidance from the Holy Spirit, help those we meet to accept our Dear Saviour’s great gift of salvation. May we be willing to consecrate all of our actions, all of our words, all of our thoughts, all of our attitudes this day unto the LORD.
Rose