Daily Devotional

July 24, 2016

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The General Resurrection of the Righteous

Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead. Isa. 26:19.

The King of kings descends upon the cloud, wrapped in flaming fire. The heavens are rolled together as a scroll, the earth trembles before Him, and every mountain and island is moved out of its place. . . .

Amid the reeling of the earth, the flash of lightning, and the roar of thunder, the voice of the Son of God calls forth the sleeping saints. He looks upon the graves of the righteous, then, raising His hands to heaven, He cries: “Awake, awake, awake, ye that sleep in the dust, and arise!” Throughout the length and breadth of the earth the dead shall hear that voice, and they that hear shall live. And the whole earth shall ring with the tread of the exceeding great army of every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. From the prison house of death they come, clothed with immortal glory, crying: “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” 1 Corinthians 15:55. And the living righteous and the risen saints unite their voices in a long, glad shout of victory.

All come forth from their graves the same in stature as when they entered the tomb. . . But all arise with the freshness and vigor of eternal youth. . . . The mortal, corruptible form, devoid of comeliness, once polluted with sin, becomes perfect, beautiful, and immortal. All blemishes and deformities are left in the grave. . . .

The living righteous are changed “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.” At the voice of God they were glorified; now they are made immortal and with the risen saints are caught up to meet their Lord in the air. Angels “gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

As the little infants come forth immortal from their dusty beds, they immediately wing their way to their mothers’ arms.

Friends long separated by death are united, nevermore to part, and with songs of gladness ascend together to the City of God.

From Devotional: Our Father Cares, p. 336.

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Thought of the Day

July 24, 2016

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Be kind in speech and gentle in action. Watch well your words, for they have a powerful influence for good or for ill. - CCh 127

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Devoción Matutina en español

July 23, 2016

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No podemos usar al Espíritu Santo. Él debe usarnos

Y cuando él venga, convencerá al mundo de pecado, de justicia y de juicio. Juan 16:8.

Cristo prometió el don del Espíritu Santo a su iglesia, y la promesa nos pertenece tanto a nosotros como a los primeros discípulos. Pero como toda otra promesa, se da con ciertas condiciones. Son muchos los que profesan creer y atenerse a las promesas del Señor; hablan de Cristo y del Espíritu Santo; mas no reciben beneficio, porque no entregan sus almas a la dirección de los agentes divinos.

No podemos nosotros emplear el Espíritu Santo; el Espíritu es quien nos ha de emplear a nosotros. Por medio del Espíritu, Dios obra en su pueblo “así el querer como el hacer, por su buena voluntad”. Filipenses 2:13. Pero muchos no quieren someterse a ser guiados. Quieren dirigirse a sí mismos. Esta es la razón por la cual no reciben el don celestial. Únicamente a aquellos que esperan humildemente en Dios, que esperan su dirección y gracia, se da el Espíritu. Esta bendición prometida, pedida con fe, trae consigo todas las demás bendiciones. Se da según las riquezas de la gracia de Cristo, quien está listo para abastecer a toda alma según su capacidad de recepción.

El impartimiento del Espíritu es el impartimiento de la vida en Cristo. Únicamente aquellos que son así enseñados por Dios, únicamente aquellos en cuyo interior obra el Espíritu, y en cuya vida se manifiesta la vida de Cristo, pueden ocupar la posición de verdaderos representantes del Salvador.

Dios toma a los hombres como son, y los educa para su servicio, si ellos quieren entregarse a El. El Espíritu de Dios, recibido en el alma, vivifica todas sus facultades. Bajo la dirección del Espíritu Santo, la mente, consagrada sin reservas a Dios, se desarrolla armoniosamente, y queda fortalecida para comprender y cumplir lo que Dios requiere. El carácter débil y vacilante se vuelve fuerte y firme. La devoción continua establece una relación tan íntima entre Jesús y sus discípulos que el cristiano se vuelve más semejante a su Maestro en carácter. Tiene una visión más clara y amplia. Su discernimiento es más penetrante, su criterio mejor equilibrado. Queda tan avivado por el poder vivificador del Sol de justicia, que es habilitado para llevar mucho fruto para gloria de Dios...

¿De qué nos valdría que el unigénito Hijo de Dios se hubiese humillado, soportase las tentaciones del astuto enemigo, y muriese, el justo por los injustos, si el Espíritu no fuese dado como agente constante de la regeneración, para hacer eficaz en cada caso individual lo que fue logrado por el Redentor del mundo?— Obreros Evangélicos, 301-303.

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Daily Devotional

July 23, 2016

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Under Threat of Death

For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this? Esther 4:14.

Wonderful events are soon to open before the world. The end of all things is at hand. The time of trouble is about to come upon the people of God. Then it is that the decree will go forth forbidding those who keep the Sabbath of the Lord to buy or sell, threatening them with punishment, and even death, if they do not observe the first day of the week as the Sabbath.

The decree which is to go forth against the people of God will be very similar to that issued by Ahasuerus against the Jews in the time of Esther. . . . Satan instigated the scheme in order to rid the earth of those who preserved the knowledge of the true God. But his plots were defeated by a counterpower that reigns among the children of men. . . .

The Protestant world today see in the little company keeping the Sabbath a Mordecai in the gate. His character and conduct, expressing reverence for the law of God, are a constant rebuke to those who have cast off the fear of the Lord and are trampling upon His Sabbath; the unwelcome intruder must by some means be put out of the way.

The same masterful mind that plotted against the faithful in ages past is still seeking to rid the earth of those who fear God and obey His law. Satan will excite indignation against the humble minority who conscientiously refuse to accept popular customs and traditions. Men of position and reputation will join with the lawless and the vile to take counsel against the people of God. . . . Not having a "Thus saith the Scriptures" to bring against the advocates of the Bible Sabbath, they will resort to oppressive enactments to supply the lack. . . . On this battlefield comes the last great conflict of the controversy between truth and error. And we are not left in doubt as to the issue. Now, as in the days of Mordecai, the Lord will vindicate His truth and His people.

From Devotional: Maranatha, p. 198.

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Thought of the Day

July 23, 2016

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When Edan shall bloom on earth again, God's law of love will be obeyed by all beneath the sun. Heaven, p. 78.

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Daily Devotional

July 23, 2016

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The Day and Hour of Christ’s Coming Announced

But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. Matt. 24:36.

The voice of God is heard from heaven, declaring the day and hour of Jesus’ coming, and delivering everlasting covenant to His people. Like peals of loudest thunder His words roll through the earth.

He spoke one sentence, and then paused, while the words were rolling through the earth. The Israel of God stood with their eyes fixed upward, listening to the words as they came from the mouth of Jehovah and rolled through the earth like peals of loudest thunder. It was awfully solemn. At the end of every sentence the saints shouted, “Glory! Hallelujah!”

The living saints, 144,000 in number, knew and understood the voice, while the wicked thought it was thunder and an earthquake.

The Israel of God stand listening, with their eyes fixed upward. Their countenances are lighted up with His glory, and shine as did the face of Moses when he came down from Sinai. The wicked cannot look upon them. And when the blessing is pronounced on those who have honored God by keeping His Sabbath holy, there is a mighty shout of victory.

Then commenced the jubilee, when the land should rest.

A glorious light shone upon them [the saints]. How beautiful they then looked! All marks of care and weariness were gone, and health and beauty were seen in every countenance. Their enemies, the heathen around them, fell like dead men; they could not endure the light that shone upon the delivered, holy ones. This light and glory remained upon them, until Jesus was seen in the clouds of heaven.

And I saw a flaming cloud come where Jesus stood. Then Jesus . . . took His place on the cloud which carried Him to the East, where it first appeared to the saints on earth—a small black cloud which was the sign of the Son of man. While the cloud was passing from the Holiest to the East, which took a number of days, the synagogue of Satan worshipped at the saint’s feet.

From Devotional: Our Father Cares, pp. 335, 336.

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Thought of the Day

July 23, 2016

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Live in the sunshine of the Saviour's love. Then your influence will bless the world. - CCh 128

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