Daily Devotional

July 5, 2016

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Spiritual Giant or Dwarf?

Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 2 Cor. 7:1.

The Lord reproves and corrects the people who profess to keep His law. He points out their sins and lays open their iniquity because He wishes to separate all sin and wickedness from them, that they may perfect holiness in His fear and be prepared to die in the Lord or to be translated to heaven. . . .

God will accept nothing but purity and holiness; one spot, one wrinkle, one defect in the character, will forever debar them from heaven, with all its glories and treasures.

Most professed Christians have no sense of the spiritual strength they might obtain were they as ambitious, zealous, and persevering to gain a knowledge of divine things as they are to obtain the paltry, perishable things of this life. The masses professing to be Christians have been satisfied to be spiritual dwarfs. They have no disposition to make it their object to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; hence godliness is a hidden mystery to them, they cannot understand it. They know not Christ by experimental knowledge.

Ample provisions have been made for all who sincerely, earnestly, and thoughtfully set about the work of perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Strength, grace, and glory have been provided through Christ, to be brought by ministering angels to the heirs of salvation. None are so low, so corrupt and vile, that they cannot find in Jesus, who died for them, strength, purity, and righteousness, if they will put away their sins, cease their course of iniquity, and turn with full purpose of heart to the living God. He is waiting to strip them of their garments, stained and polluted by sin, and to put upon them the white, bright robes of righteousness; and He bids them live and not die. In Him they may flourish. Their branches will not wither nor be fruitless. If they abide in Him, they can draw sap and nourishment from Him, be imbued with His Spirit, walk even as He walked, overcome as He overcame, and be exalted to His own right hand.

From Devotional: Our Father Cares, pp. 319, 320.

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Thought of the Day

July 5, 2016

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Often [satan] comes to us as he came to Christ, arraying before us our weakness and infirmities. He hopes to discourage the soul, and to break our hold on God... If we would meet him as Jesus did, we should escape many a defeat. By parleying with the enemy, we give him an advantage. Desire of Ages, p. 121.

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Devoción Matutina en español

July 4, 2016

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El Espíritu Santo es nuestro ayudador

Porque todos los que son guiados por el Espíritu de Dios, éstos son hijos de Dios. Romanos 8:14.

Mediante el ministerio de los ángeles, el Espíritu Santo puede obrar en la mente y el corazón del ser humano y atraerlo a

Cristo... Pero el Espíritu de Dios no interfiere con la libertad del ser humano. El Espíritu Santo se da como un ayudador a fin de que el hombre pueda cooperar con la Divinidad, y es dado para que Dios pueda atraer al alma, pero nunca forzar su obediencia.

Cristo está pronto a impartir toda la influencia celestial. Conoce cada tentación que sobreviene al hombre y las facultades de cada uno. Pesa su fuerza. Ve el presente y el futuro y presenta delante de la mente las obligaciones a las que hará frente y la insta para que las cosas vulgares terrenales no lleguen a ser tan absorbentes que las cosas eternas queden fuera de cómputo. El Señor tiene plenitud de gracia para conferir a cualquiera que reciba el don celestial. El Espíritu Santo pondrá en el servicio de Cristo las facultades confiadas por Dios, y modelará y dará forma al ser humano de acuerdo con el Modelo divino.—Carta 71, 1893.

El Espíritu Santo es nuestra suficiencia en la obra de edificar el carácter, de formarlo de acuerdo con la semejanza divina. Cometemos un grave error cuando pensamos que somos capaces de modelar nuestra propia vida. Nunca podemos por nosotros mismos vencer la tentación. Pero los que tienen una fe genuina en Cristo serán movidos por el Espíritu Santo. El alma en cuyo corazón habita la fe, crecerá constituyendo un bello templo para el Señor. Será dirigida por la gracia de Cristo. Crecerá en la misma proporción en que dependa de las enseñanzas del Espíritu Santo.—Manuscrito 8, 1900.

La influencia del Espíritu Santo es la vida de Cristo en el alma. No vemos a Cristo ni le hablamos, pero su Espíritu Santo está tan cerca de nosotros en un lugar como en otro. Obra dentro y por medio de todo el que recibe a Cristo.—Manuscrito 41, 1896.

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Daily Devotional

July 4, 2016

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The Sign to Leave Large Cities

When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains. Matt. 24:15, 16.

The time is not far distant, when, like the early disciples, we shall be forced to seek a refuge in desolate and solitary places. As the siege of Jerusalem by the Roman armies was the signal for flight to the Judean Christians, so the assumption of power on the part of our nation [the United States] in the decree enforcing the papal sabbath will be a warning to us. It will then be time to leave the large cities, preparatory to leaving the smaller ones for retired homes in secluded places among the mountains.

For years I have been given special light that we are not to center our work in the cities. The turmoil and confusion that fill these cities, the conditions brought about by the labor unions and the strikes, would prove a great hindrance to our work. Men are seeking to bring those engaged in the different trades under bondage to certain unions. This is not God's planning, but the planning of a power that we should in no wise acknowledge. God's Word is fulfilling; the wicked are binding themselves up in bundles ready to be burned.

The trades unions and confederacies of the world are a snare. Keep out of them, and away from them, brethren. Have nothing to do with them. Because of these unions and confederacies, it will soon be very difficult for our institutions to carry on their work in the cities. . . . Educate our people to get out of the cities into the country, where they can obtain a small piece of land, and make a home for themselves and their children. . . .

Erelong there will be such strife and confusion in the cities, that those who wish to leave them will not be able.

We are not to locate ourselves where we will be forced into close relations with those who do not honor God. . . . A crisis is soon to come in regard to the observance of Sunday. . . .

The Sunday party is strengthening itself in its false claims, and this will mean oppression to those who determine to keep the Sabbath of the Lord. . . .

If in the providence of God we can secure places away from the cities, the Lord would have us do this. There are troublous times before us.

From Devotional: Maranatha, p. 180.

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Thought of the Day

July 4, 2016

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The sinner could not be happy in God's presence; he would shrink from the companionship of holy beings. Could he be permitted to enter heaven, it would have no joy for him. The spirit of unselfish love that reigns there --every heart responding to the heart of Infinite Love --would touch no answering chord in his soul. Heaven, p. 65.

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Daily Devotional

July 4, 2016

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A High Standard

And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the Lord am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine. Lev. 20:26.

I also saw many do not realize what they must be in order to live in the sight of the Lord without a high priest in the sanctuary through the time of trouble. Those who receive the seal of the living God and are protected in the time of trouble must reflect the image of Jesus fully.

I saw that many were neglecting the preparation so needful and were looking to the time of “refreshing” and the “latter rain” to fit them to stand in the day of the Lord and to live in His sight. Oh, how many I saw in the time of trouble without a shelter! They had neglected the needful preparation; therefore they could not receive the refreshing that all must have to fit them to live in the sight of a holy God. Those who . . . fail to purify their souls in obeying the whole truth . . . will come up to the time of the falling of the plagues, and then see that they needed to be hewed and squared for the building. But there will be . . . no Mediator to plead their cause before the Father. Before this time the awfully solemn declaration has gone forth, “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.”

I saw that none could share the “refreshing” unless they obtain the victory over every besetment, over pride, selfishness, love of the world, and over every wrong word and action. We should, therefore, be drawing nearer and nearer to the Lord and be earnestly seeking that preparation necessary to enable us to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord. Let all remember that God is holy and that none but holy beings can ever dwell in His presence.

We are today to watch that we offend not in word or deed. . . . We must today seek God and be determined that we will not rest satisfied without His presence. We should watch and work and pray as though this were the last day that would be granted us. How intensely earnest, then, would be our life. How closely would we follow Jesus in all our words and deeds.

From Devotional: Our Father Cares, pp. 318, 319.

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Thought of the Day

July 4, 2016

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Whenever one is encompassed with clouds, perplexed by circumstances, or afflicted by poverty or distress, Satan is at hand to tempt and annoy. He attacks our weak points of character. He seeks to shake our confidence in God, who suffers such a condition of things to exist. Desire of Ages, p. 120.

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