Who Is the Lord?

Pharaoh sowed obstinacy, and he reaped obstinacy. He himself put this seed into the soil. There was no more need for God by some new power to interfere with its growth, than there is for Him to interfere with the growth of a grain of corn. All that is required is that a seed shall be left to germinate and spring up to bring forth fruit after its kind. The harvest reveals the kind of seed that has been sown.35The S.D.A. Bible Commentary 1:1100.

Pharaoh saw the mighty working of the Spirit of God; he saw the miracles which the Lord performed by His servant; but he refused obedience to God’s command. The rebellious king had proudly inquired, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? … [Exodus 5:2].” And as the judgments of God fell more and more heavily upon him, he persisted in stubborn resistance. By rejecting light from heaven, he became hard and unimpressible. The providence of God was revealing His power, and these manifestations, unacknowledged, were the means of hardening Pharaoh’s heart against greater light. Those who exalt their own ideas above the plainly specified will of God, are saying as did Pharaoh, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice?” Every rejection of light hardens the heart and darkens the understanding; and thus men find it more and more difficult to distinguish between right and wrong, and they become bolder in resisting the will of God.36Ibid., 1099, 1100.

He who has once yielded to temptation will yield more readily the second time. Every repetition of the sin lessens his power of resistance, blinds his eyes, and stifles conviction. Every seed of indulgence sown will bear fruit. God worked no miracle to prevent the harvest…. He who manifests an infidel hardihood, a stolid indifference to divine truth, is but reaping the harvest of that which he has himself sown. It is thus that multitudes come to listen with stoical indifference to the truths that once stirred their very souls. They sowed neglect and resistance to the truth, and such is the harvest which they reap.37Patriarchs and Prophets, 268, 269.
Conflict and Courage p. 88
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Prayer Requests
—-Yet another Sabbath and I can’t go to church because of coughing so hard. Please pray that not only I will get over this virus, but that all the other people I know who have it will get over it too. Rose
—-Please pray for me. I have so much going on in my life and am without the energy or the answers to deal with it. Barbara
—-The sons of two different friends of mine need prayers for healing. Both of them are in hospitals. Mary
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Welcome to Rose’s Devotional

The Route to Greater Spiritual Life in the Church

Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. John 3:7.

The question is often asked, Why is there not more power in the church? why not more vital godliness? The reason is, the requirements of God’s Word are not complied with in verity and in truth; God is not loved supremely, and our neighbor as ourselves. This covers the entire ground. Upon these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Let these two requirements of God be obeyed explicitly, and there would be no discord in the church, no inharmonious notes in the family. With many the work is too superficial. Outward forms take the place of the inner work of grace. . . . The theory of the truth has converted the head, but the soul temple has not been cleansed from its idols. . . .

True conviction of sin, real heart sorrow because of wickedness, death to self, the daily overcoming of defects of character, and the new birth–these, represented as old things, Paul says had passed away, and all things had become new. Such a work many know nothing of. They grafted the truth into their natural hearts, and then went on as before, manifesting the same unhappy traits of character. What is now needed is the plain testimony borne in love from lips touched with living fire.

Church members do not show that living connection with God that they must have in order to win souls from darkness to light. Make the tree good, and good fruit will be the result. The work of the Spirit of God upon the heart is essential to godliness. It must be received into the hearts of those who accept the truth, and create in them clean hearts, before one of them can keep His commandments and be doers of the Word. “Marvel not,” said the great Teacher unto the astonished Nicodemus, “Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.”

The Bible is not studied as much as it should be; it is not made the rule of life. Were its precepts conscientiously followed, and made the basis of character, there would be steadfastness of purpose that no business speculations or worldly pursuits could seriously influence. A character thus formed, and supported by the Word of God, will abide the day of trial, of difficulties, and dangers. The conscience must be enlightened, and the life sanctified by the love of the truth received into the heart, before the influence will be saving upon the world.

What is needed is men of action for the time, prompt, determined, firm as a rock to principle, and prepared to meet any emergency. Why we are so weak, why there are so many irresponsible men among us, is because they do not connect with God; they have not an indwelling Saviour, and do not feel the love of Christ ever fresh and new. . . . No earthly relationship is as strong as this love. Nothing can compare with it.–Review and Herald, Aug. 28, 1879.

Reflecting Christ p. 208

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Prayer Requests

—–Today is day 28 without cigarettes for my son Kelly-Praise to God for
all those that have been praying for Kelly.. Please keep him in prayer
as he has to be off cigarettes for 6 months before they will put him on
the heart transplant list. Linda

—–That God would guide me to the correct ministry He desires me to serve in. Sandra

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Dear Friends,

When my Aunt Joyce found out that she had colon cancer, she took it with the stoical toughness with which she had faced many other of life’s disappointments. As the disease progressed, however, she began to soften toward religion and was seriously considering asking a pastor for counsel. About this time, she received a phone call from Pastor H. She was delighted as she had gone to school and church with him when they were teenagers. She would feel comfortable telling him what was on her heart.

The day finally came when Pastor H came to visit. Auntie Joyce felt relief that at last she would be able to have help returning to God. It had been over forty years since she had gone to church. There was a knock on the door. Auntie Joyce welcomed her former friend into her apartment. The first words out of his mouth were a flippant, “Girl, you’d better get your act together.” Then he belittled her for her wrong choices in life in a hardhearted and judgmental way. There was no loving compassion. There was no pointing her to the Great Physician Who was standing there waiting to bring her spiritual and perhaps even physical healing. There was no opening to her the Scriptures and no prayer raised in her behalf. There was no showing her the Good Shepherd Who with joy would welcome her back to the fold.

Poor Joyce was shocked! This man was no one with whom she could counsel. She felt her window of hope slam shut. Indeed, after Pastor H left, her disappointment turned to anger. She felt vindicated that she had left the church long years before. Christians were critical and judgmental. Christians were more unbelieving than unbelievers. Christians possessed no love for anyone other than their little circle of friends. Auntie Joyce shut her heart’s door against Jesus that day because of the way she was treated by a man who professed to be His follower. Moreover, she shared this experience with her grown children who were incensed by the way she was treated and looked upon Christians in an even worse light than they already had.

Our Dear Saviour bids us to “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 always, even unto the end of the world.” Matt 28:19, 20 Yet, we must be “wise as serpents, and harmless as doves” when we share our faith. 10:16 Paul reminds us, “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” Col 4:6 How important that we never treat the gospel in a careless or flippant manner. How vital that we have respect for those around us and speak of eternal realities with care and reverence lest they shut their heart and mind from their Only Helper just like my Auntie Joyce did. How essential that we speak the truth with the same love for the erring one that our Loving Redeemer has for them. (Eph 4:15)

May “the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, . . . To the end he may stablish your hearts [and theirs] unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” is my prayer.

Rose