Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. Jeremiah 6:16.
After asking the Lord for a knowledge of His will, for heavenly wisdom, for the light of the Holy Spirit, the petitioner will search the Scriptures, and find that passages that were dark to his mind have suddenly grown clear, and he understands his duty as never before. Jesus said: “My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself” (John 7:16, 17).
The knowledge of divine truth is promised to those who will render obedience to the light and truth that have been given to them. An entrance into the strait gate is not dependent upon the possession of learning or riches, but it is dependent upon the possession of a teachable spirit. He who appreciates the first ray of heavenly light, and appropriates it, and walks in it, bringing his actions into harmony with that ray, and becoming sanctified through it, will receive yet more light. He will understand that the gospel is the plan of salvation….
He who has an obedient heart, that is ready to do the will of God, will not only gladly receive truth, but will earnestly seek for truth as for hidden treasure. He will come to the Scriptures with a humble and teachable spirit, seeking to understand how he may walk in the light, and saying, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” (Acts 9:6). He is ready to sacrifice anything and everything, if required, in order that he may be in harmony with the will of God.
It is not always an easy matter to render obedience to the will of God. It demands firmness of purpose to enter in at the strait gate and to travel in the narrow path that leads to eternal life, for on every hand are voices inviting the soul into bye and forbidden paths. Those who love wealth and honor and high position will not enter in at the strait gate unless they part with their idols. There is not room to enter in at the strait gate and carry the things of this world along.
He who would enter in at the strait gate must make an entire consecration of his all to God. Jesus says, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Matthew 16:24).—The Review and Herald, March 28, 1912.
Ye Shall Receive Power p. 110
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for a friend’s wife fell a couple months ago and broke her other hip and has been in Rehab for several weeks she knows just sleeps. all the time. I told the people who told me that she is getting ready to go home to her Saviour her husband may have to go in the hospital he is on blood thinners and bleeding. you know how to word this with out too much information. Also got a request for prayer for some very dear friends of mine . . . he is in his early 80’s very active but they found out that he may need a pace maker his pulse is 36. please pray for Ernie. he is a super nice guy loves the Lord and helps everyone he can. . . . an update on the little boy he is home and at church [and doind well] he was born with out a rectum had so many surgeries o his rectum trying to create one he has been on a colostomy bag. that little guy is so cheerful and super friendly in spite of all his surgeries. I tell people he is trying to show people that no wonder what we are going through Jesus is going though it with us. and that we need to keep the JOY of the Lord in front of us.. M
—-Please continue to pray for E and children. R
—-Please be praying for my friend Sheila that is suffering with depression and anxiety. Dan
—-My parents house caught on fire this past Wednesday. They barely made it out in time just before the whole burned down. Thank God they are safe and didn’t get injured at all. Josue
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Dear Friends,
Some time ago, I heard a sermon on being dead to sin but alive in Christ. The main text was Romans 6:1-11: “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
As the speaker shared his testimony as an illustration of the change Jesus makes in the life that is yielded to God, I could only praise our Loving Redeemer for His goodness in giving “Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world” and making such a change in each person who allows Him to make them dead to sin but alive through our Lord Jesus Christ. Gal 1:4 “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.” 1 John 3:1 Praise God! The Only Begotten Son of God left all of the glories of Heaven, the worship of beings unfallen, the adoration of the angels, and came to this dark and miserable planet to suffer and die the cruelest of deaths; that He might “redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” Titus 2:14
Paul asks, “What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” Rom 6:15,16; 1 Cor 6:19,20
May we truly become dead to sin but alive through Jesus, working “out [our] own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in [us] both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” Phil 2:12,13 May we “put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of [our] mind.” May we “put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness” is my prayer. Eph 4:22-24
Rose
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