And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. John 17:3.
The Lord Jesus said to His disciples when He was with them, “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.” He could have made disclosures which would have absorbed the attention of the disciples and caused them to lose sight of His former instruction that He wished to be the subject of their most earnest thought. But He withheld those things that they would have been amazed to hear, and that would have afforded them opportunity to cavil, to create misunderstanding and disaffection. He would give no occasion for persons of little faith and piety to mystify and misrepresent the truth, and thus create factions.
Jesus could have presented mysteries that would have given subject for thought and investigation for generations, even to the close of time. Himself the source of all true science, He could have led people to the investigation of mysteries, and age after age their minds would have been so thoroughly absorbed that they would have felt no desire to eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of God.
Jesus well knew that Satan is constantly working to excite curiosity, and to busy people with conjecture. Thus he seeks to eclipse the grand and momentous truth that Christ wished to be ever prominent before their minds. “For this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”
There is a lesson for us in those words of Christ spoken after the feeding of the five thousand. He said, “Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.” These words meant more than that the disciples should gather the broken pieces of bread into baskets. Jesus meant that they should mark His words, should study the Scriptures, and treasure every ray of light. Instead of searching for a knowledge of something that God had not revealed, they were carefully to gather up what He had given them.
Satan had tried to eclipse from human minds the knowledge of God, and to eradicate from their hearts the attributes of God…. That which God had revealed was misconstrued, misapplied, and mingled with satanic delusions. Satan will quote Scripture in order to deceive. He tried to deceive Christ in this way. So he still tries to deceive…. Christ came to adjust truths that had been misplaced and made to serve the cause of error. He recalled them, repeated them, … and bade them stand fast forever.—Manuscript 32, 1896 (Manuscript Releases 17:20, 21).
Christ Triumphant p. 250
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer Requests
—-My long time school friend Linda has Stage 3 lung cancer in her left lung and in the lymph nodes on both sides of her esophagus. Please keep her and her family in your prayers. Sherry
—-Please pray for traveling mercies for my daughter as she travels. Helena
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Friends,
Some years ago before I retired, one of my friends at work mentioned a lady she had met years before who was very lonely. My co-worker and the lady had met in the restroom and had talked a few minutes in there, and then this older lady followed her back to her office. Being interested in people and wishing to help them as much as possible, she invited the lady to sit down.
As they talked further, the lady explained that she had no one left in this world. After her husband and son had died, she lavished all of her love upon her little dog. Finally, that dog had died also. For some reason, a person here in town had some of her furniture and she had traveled all the way from New York City to get it back. As the story unfolded, we could see the futility of her quest. We wondered what this unhappy lady would do when she failed, as her whole life revolved around her possessions. How very sad we felt for her. As my friend talked with her, she gently attempted to bring this woman’s thoughts to God.
Jesus tells us, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matt 6:21 This lady’s heart was on her possessions and when she lost some of them, she was willing to go to great time and expense to get them back.
We never know the heartache and trials of those we meet, but our loving Savior does. Our Dear Redeemer loves them as much as He loves us. We never know why someone crosses our path, but sometimes we are able to help with just a word or by listening to their problems and by pointing them to their Only Helper.
James tells us, “ Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins” James 5:19, 20 Paul advises, “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” Gal 6:1, 2
May we look away from self and heed this admonition is my prayer.
Rose