Yield yourselves unto God, . . . and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you. Romans 6:13, 14.
There is but one power that can break the hold of evil from the hearts of men, and that is the power of God in Jesus Christ. . . . His grace alone can enable us to resist and subdue the tendencies of our fallen nature.
The infinite value of the sacrifice required for our redemption reveals the fact that sin is a tremendous evil. Through sin the whole human organism is deranged, the mind is perverted, the imagination corrupted. Sin has degraded the faculties of the soul. Temptations from without find an answering chord within the heart, and the feet turn imperceptibly toward evil. As the sacrifice in our behalf was complete, so our restoration from the defilement of sin is to be complete. There is no act of wickedness that the law will excuse; there is no unrighteousness that will escape its condemnation. The life of Christ was a perfect fulfillment of every precept of the law. He said; “I have kept my Father’s commandments.” John 15:10. His life is our standard of obedience and service.
Today Satan presents the same temptations that he presented to Christ, offering us the kingdoms of the world in return for our allegiance. But upon him who looks to Jesus as the author and finisher of his faith, Satan’s temptations have no power. He cannot cause to sin the one who will accept by faith the virtues of Him who was tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin.
The expulsion of sin is the act of the soul itself. True, we have no power to free ourselves from Satan’s control; but when we desire to be set free from sin, and in our great need cry out for a power out of and above ourselves, the powers of the soul are imbued with the divine energy of the Holy Spirit, and they obey the dictates of the will in fulfilling the will of God.
God will have a people zealous of good works, standing firm amid the pollutions of this degenerate age. There will be a people who hold so fast to the divine strength that they will be proof against every temptation.
Maranatha p. 91
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Prayer Requests
—–Pray for my son who is in the hospital and struggles with alcohol addiction. A
—– Please put Shell on your prayer chain he has an infection in his stump where he lost his leg clear up to his hip ten years ago, he is in a lot of pain. Mary
—–Please pray for the Ebola epidemic. Diane
—– Please pray for these requests: Emily: kids in terrible car accident; taken by flight for life to hospitals; thank you for your prayers for them.— Sharon: painful bruising and swelling in her legs; praying it isn’t more problems with her hip replacements; please pray for healing.— Pastor L: (Ukraine) abducted at gun-point during communion service last Sabbath; please pray he is released unharmed. Carol
—– Daniel has a tumor on his thyroid and the blood test are a strong positive for cancer, so he was told he has it. He has gone to _____today and I am staying with his wife, and he will be trying to see another Dr. He needs a biopsy to confirm what is going on. He has struggled with fatigue for years, even when he goes to bed early. God is faithful and he is in God’s hands, who does all things well and can turn the attacks of the enemy to blessings. Carol
—–Please pray for D and M who are in a very bad situation. L
—– my grandma Millie hasn’t been doing well health wise and it appears that she will be closing her eyes and going to sleep in Jesus soon. She will be missed by all of us, but we are very grateful for the wonderful promise that Jesus is coming soon and we will get to see her again!! Ruth
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Dear Friends,
My grandmother rarely went to visit her friend Cora, because she lived on the other side of town. Since my grandparents did not have a car, this meant a long bus ride including a transfer at the main corners of Kalamazoo. One day when I was about 4, she decided to take me with her. Cora lived alone, and since she had no children, had many delicate figurines sitting everywhere.
As soon as she saw me, Cora did not seem overjoyed that her friend had brought a child in the house. In her mind those expensive figurines and four year olds just did not mix. I could feel her watching me, although she never said a word about it. The scowl on her face was enough to know what she was thinking. My grandmother, seemingly unaware of Cora’s discomfiture, suggested that I look at all the pretty things in the other room so they could visit in private.
Obediently, I wandered into the dining room and began looking at the beautiful objects she had in and on top of intricately carved wooden and glass cases. Cora need not have worried so much. I had been taught from a very early age to keep my hands behind me when I looked at something breakable. After a while, the older woman began to relax a little and enjoyed my grandmother’s visit.
Sometimes we are like Cora, but our treasure is more precious than her expensive figurines. These treasures are found in God’s Word. How often we keep them to ourselves and are silent when we should be sharing them with others. There is a battle going on—a battle with eternal consequences, yet how often we live our lives as though these treasures were exclusively ours.
Jesus never intended for us to keep the treasure of Truth to ourselves. He declares, “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matt 5:14-16 A candle shines wherever it is placed. It does not selfishly keep its light to itself, but blesses all with its ability to illuminate.
Paul admonishes, “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” 2 Tim 4:2 Jesus commands, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Matt 28:19-10 We may never be called to preach a sermon or go to a foreign land as a missionary, but we can let our light shine where we are. We can fulfill His command as we daily give our lives, our plans, our all to the Master.
May we allow the Holy Spirit to flow through us to all around. May we share the treasures He has given us with those who are perishing. Jesus is coming soon. May we, and those with whom we have shared the truths of His Word, soon look up and say; “Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice inhis salvation.” Isa 25:9
Rose