Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. James 1:17.
Since the fall of Adam, it has been the fashion of the world to sin, and it is for our interest to know what sin is. John declares: “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” 1 John 3:4.
God’s purpose is … to save from sin…. The soul, corrupted and deformed, is to be purified, transformed.
Through the gospel, souls that are degraded and enslaved by Satan are to be redeemed to share the glorious liberty of the sons of God.
The gospel is the power and wisdom of God.
Christ had been sent to earth to represent God in character…. He Himself was the gospel.
Many who claim to believe and to teach the gospel … set aside the Old Testament Scriptures, of which Christ declared, “They are they which testify of me.” John 5:39. In rejecting the Old, they virtually reject the New; for both are parts of an inseparable whole. No man can rightly present the law of God without the gospel, or the gospel without the law. The law is the gospel embodied, and the gospel is the law unfolded. The law is the root, the gospel is the fragrant blossom and fruit which it bears.
He who proclaimed the law from Sinai, and delivered to Moses the precepts of the ritual law, is the same that spoke the sermon on the mount….The teacher is the same in both dispensations. God’s claims are the same. The principles of His government are the same. For all proceed from Him “with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”
The gospel of the New Testament is not the Old Testament standard lowered to meet the sinner and save him in his sins. God requires of all His subjects obedience, entire obedience to all His commandments.
The Faith I Live By p.88
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for Dan that God will give him success and travelling mercies. Rose
—- I need prayer for my granddaughter she says she is gay! She is 16 yrs old. I have taught her about Jesus and she went to an Adventist school and she was baptized. She goes on line and talks to people and I think this is where she is getting this from. The enemy is attacking! Please help me pray for her. Her and I have always been close and she told someone in confidence about this so I can’t say anything to her. She doesn’t know I know about it. anonymous
—-prayer request from one of our elders. His nephew was hit by a hit-and-run driver, and he is in critical condition and they say he needs a miracle to survive. He’s 20 years old. Jose
—-Please pray for our baby who was born at the beginning of the Sabbath. He was really big (11 lb 5 oz, 21 inches long, and 15 in head circumference). Our baby has developed a pneumothorax, but it is very small. He has been transferred to a larger hospital. Jennifer
—-Need prayers for my aunt who is in the hospital for pneumonia, please pray that she gets well soon. Milton
—-Please pray right now for the safety of neighbors baby and me. Thanks Ann
—-Please needing emergency prayer for my youngest son. He has PTSD and has so much anxiety and depression it is consuming his life. He has been letting out some very strong hints of suicide. Connie
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Dear Friends,
My high school class has a facebook page and it is so much fun to talk about the old days when we were young. The class president who is the administrator of the page, asked everyone their memories of their favorite and least favorite teachers. It was fun to read all of the comments. One of the teachers mentioned was A J Cekola.
How well I remembered him! He had taught at my junior high school and later transferred to Central High. He had been my eighth and ninth grade English teacher and try as I might, I never could seem to get an A grade on any of my assignments. This greatly distressed me as I tried very hard to get A grades.
I was very shy and uncomfortable with myself and didn’t fit in anywhere, so school was a miserable experience. To add to my misery, Mr. Cekola told the class that we were each to give an oral book report. The thought of standing up in front of all those students terrified me but I couldn’t do anything about it. Day after day, I worked on my report. Day after day, I was filled with dread. In my imagination I could feel all those eyes staring at me. I could think of no one in the class whom I could classify as a friend.
Finally the dreaded day came. It was my turn to stand before the class and give my report. I walked to the front of the room to stand by the teacher’s desk. Just in front of me was a large metal wastebasket. In my fright, I accidentally kicked that empty wastebasket. It made a very loud bell-like noise. I was so embarrassed! Without thinking, I said, “Oh, dear, I kicked the bucket!”
With that, my classmates exploded with laughter. So did my teacher. Right then I wished I had “kicked the bucket”. I managed to do my report, but I don’t think anyone was listening. As I stood there in total misery, I could hear little giggles here and there. The Mr. Cekola gave me an “A,” but I think it was probably because he had enjoyed such a good laugh.
Sometimes in our Christian walk, we feel like we are failing miserably. Sometimes we are ridiculed and laughed at because of our beliefs. But our Loving Saviour sees all things and He is there beside us through all our difficulties. We can have the experience of Jeremiah who tells us, “the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD. Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.” Jer 1:7-9
We can say with the Psalmist David, “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.” “Thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever…. But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.” Ps 56:3,4;73:23-28
Let us look always to Jesus and be filled with His love and His message. Let us do the work He has given us to do no matter what others may say about us. Let us determine to keep our eyes firmly upon the One Who loves us so.
Rose

The Gospel for Both Dispensations