The Secret of Power

It is one thing to treat the Bible as a book of good moral instruction, to be heeded so far as is consistent with the spirit of the times and our position in the world; it is another thing to regard it as it really is—the Word of the living God, the Word that is our life, the Word that is to mold our actions, our words, and our thoughts. To hold God’s Word anything less than this is to reject it.

The Word of God is a character-detector, a motive-tester. We are to read this Word with heart and mind open to receive the impressions that God will give. We must not think that the reading of the Word can accomplish that which only He whom the Word reveals, who stands behind the Word, can accomplish. Some are in danger of hastening to the conclusion that because they hold firmly to the doctrines of the truth, they are actually in possession of the blessings which these doctrines declare shall come to the receiver of truth. Many keep the truth in the outer court. Its sacred principles have not a controlling influence over the words, the thoughts, the actions.

In this perilous day of evil, when allurements to vice and corruption are on every hand, let the earnest, heartfelt cry of the young be raised to heaven: “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?” And may his ears be open and his heart inclined to obey the instruction given in the answer: “By taking heed thereto according to thy word.” The only safety for the youth in this age of pollution is to make God their trust. Without divine help they will be unable to control human passions and appetites. In Christ is the very help needed.

Truth must reach down to the deepest recesses of the soul, and cleanse away everything unlike the spirit of Christ, and the vacuum be supplied by the attributes of His character who was pure and holy and undefiled, that all the springs of the heart may be as flowers, fragrant with perfume, a sweet smelling savor, a savor of life unto life.
The Faith I Live By p. 18
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Prayer Requests
—–Please pray for my daughter and her marriage. She is having an extremely difficult time with her husband who is NOT supportive of her being a SDA (just recently came back) and is mentally abusive. She is in another state and is pregnant with their second child and I don’t know how much more she can take. Prayer is the only thing that can change things! Sheri
—–Got into a minor fender bender today; was rear ended with damage to my bumper. PTL as it could have been much worse! It looks like all the damage will be covered as well so any prayers for that to be the case would be great! God is good! Kellie
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Dear Friends,

Some years ago, the brakes on Ronnie Jay’s old, white Pontiac began growling and squealing. Ron has changed many sets of brakes over the years, so he figured that he would have no problem with these. He drove the car to a vacant lot and began changing the rotors and brakes. It was not long, however, till he realized that he was going to have a problem. He had the wheel off and had put the new rotor on, but the brakes were just not fitting. He tried and tried, but he could not get the bolts in properly. He was becoming frustrated and despairing. He just did not know what to do. The car was not drivable in the condition it was in and Ronnie Jay needed that car to get to his job on the other side of town. He knew that if he could not fix it, we would have to get it towed to a mechanic and that would be expensive. He sent Ronnie Jay home to get me. He thought maybe I could see why the bolt was not fitting. When I got there, we prayed that God would have the angels put those bolts in and the brakes on. Ron then tried to put it all back together again. This time the brakes went on easily and the bolts slipped into place! Our hearts thrilled that God had answered our prayer!

How good God is to answer the prayers of His children. Just as David prayed, “Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble, incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily.” Psa 86:2, so He speedily had answered our prayer. Moreover, He goes beyond this. He urges us, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” Jer 33:3 There are great and mighty things in His Word just waiting for us to discover. As we read his Word, the Holy Spirit will reveal these gems of truth to us. Jesus bids us, “Ask, and it shall be given you, seek, and ye shall find, knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” Luke 11:9-11

How vital it is that we ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance each day. How important to our present and future happiness that we study God’s Word diligently. Paul commands, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Tim 2:15 When we fulfill the conditions, the promises in His Holy Word are for us. Our Loving Saviour promises, “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” John 15:7

May we abide in Jesus every moment. May we spend time in His Word each day. May we declare as did David, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” Psa 119:11 As we study and memorize His Holy Word, may we become changed into His likeness which is the best blessing of all: to become like our Loving Saviour. <2 Cor 3:18>

Rose