Daily Devotional

September 3, 2016

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Obey God, Just as Jesus Did

This is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 1 John 5:3, NKJV.

The only-begotten Son of the infinite God has, by His words and in His practical example, left us a plain pattern which we are to copy. By His words He has educated us to obey God, and by His own practice He has showed us how we can obey God. This is the very work He wants every person to do, to obey God intelligently, and by precept and example teach others what they must do in order to be obedient children of God.

Jesus has helped the whole world to an intelligent knowledge of His divine mission and work. He came to represent the character of the Father to our world; and as we study the life, the words, and works of Christ, we are helped in every way in the education of obedience to God; and as we copy the example He has given us, we are living epistles known and read of all men. We are the living human agencies to represent to the world the character of Christ. Not only did Christ show us how we may become obedient children, but He showed us in His own life and character just how to do those things which are right and acceptable with God, so there is no reason why we should not do those things which are pleasing in His sight.

We are ever to be thankful that Jesus has proved to us by actual life that we can keep the commandments of God, contradicting Satan's falsehood that we cannot keep them. The great Teacher came to our world to stand at the head of humanity, to thus elevate and sanctify humanity by His holy obedience to all the requirements of God, showing it is possible to obey all the commandments of God. He has demonstrated that a lifelong obedience is possible. Thus He gives people to the world, as the Father gave the Son, to exemplify in their life the life of Christ.

Christ redeemed Adam's disgraceful failure and fall, and was conqueror, thus testifying to all the unfallen worlds and to fallen humanity that through the divine power granted to Him of heaven human beings can keep the commandments of God. Jesus, the Son of God, humbled Himself for us, endured temptation for us, overcame in our behalf, to show us how we may overcome; by the closest ties He bound up His interest with humanity, and gave positive assurance that we shall not be tempted above that we are able; for with the temptation He will make a way of escape. - The Signs of the Times, April 17, 1893.

From Devotional: To Be Like Jesus, p. 40.

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Thought of the Day

September 3, 2016

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We should not be found quibbling, and putting up hooks on which to hang our doubts in regard to the light which God sends us. - RH March 11, 1890

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Devoción Matutina en español

September 2, 2016

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Arreglad vuestras cuentas con el cielo

De gracia recibisteis, dad de gracia. Mateo 10:8.

Jesús dio su vida por ti. Como un niño que tiene plena confianza en sus padres, y que no se preocupa por temor de ser defraudado y maltratado, tú puedes descansar en Dios con perfecta confianza de que él será para ti un amigo y un ayudador. Si depositas la custodia de tu alma a Dios... no estarás lleno de dudas y recelos, sino que te asirás firmemente a las promesas, seguro que Dios no te privará de ninguna cosa buena...

No es posible que esperes todas las bendiciones de Dios y no retribuyas con nada. Por medio de Cristo poseemos todas las cosas. Sin Cristo no tendríamos más que pobreza, miseria y desesperanza. ¿Responderemos a este amor que Dios ha derramado sobre nosotros? El ser hijos de Dios es poseer todas las cosas. ¿Qué más puedes desear? Si el cristiano no está contento con una herencia tal, nada puede darle contentamiento. Estamos obligados al Señor por todo lo que poseemos. Por lo tanto, devolvamos al Dador todo lo que reclama como suyo. No cometamos un robo contra Dios...

El que amó tanto al hombre que vino desde regiones de bienaventuranza, desde su trono real, y se humilló a sí mismo cubriendo su divinidad con la humanidad, nos ha dado una inequívoca muestra de su amor y del valor que da al hombre. El que ha hecho por nosotros este infinito sacrificio nos constriñe a estimar el valor de un alma, haciendo el balance entre la ganancia terrenal y la pérdida celestial; entre el éxito temporal y la pérdida eterna...

Cristo desvía tu mirada de lo terrenal hacia lo celestial. Te invita a colocar tus tesoros arriba...

Te ruego que envíes tu tesoro delante de ti al cielo, usando los bienes del Señor para el adelanto de su causa en la tierra... Arregla tus cuentas con el alto cielo.—Carta 65, 1884.

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Daily Devotional

September 2, 2016

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Purifying, Vitalizing Power

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Ps. 51:10.

The Lord purifies the heart very much as we air a room. We do not close the doors and windows, and throw in some purifying substance; but we open the doors and throw wide the windows, and let heaven’s purifying atmosphere flow in. . . . The windows of impulse, of feeling must be opened up toward heaven, and the dust of selfishness and earthliness must be expelled. The grace of God must sweep through the chambers of the mind, the imagination must have heavenly themes for contemplation, and every element of the nature must be purified and vitalized by the Spirit of God.

He who lives the principles of Bible religion, will not be found weak in moral power. Under the ennobling influence of the Holy Spirit, the tastes and inclinations become pure and holy. Nothing takes so strong a hold upon the affections, nothing reaches so fully down to the deepest motives of action, nothing exerts so potent an influence upon the life, and gives so great firmness and stability to the character, as the religion of Christ. It leads its possessor ever upward, inspiring him with noble purposes, teaching him propriety of deportment, and imparting a becoming dignity to every action.

The church is the object of God’s tenderest love and care. If the members will allow Him, He will reveal His character through them. He says to them, “Ye are the light of the world” (Matt. 5:14). Those who walk and talk with God practice the gentleness of Christ. In their lives, forbearance, meekness, and self-restraint are united with holy earnestness and diligence. As they advance heavenward, the sharp, rough edges of character are worn off, and godliness is seen. The Holy Spirit, full of grace and power, works upon mind and heart.

The heart in which Jesus makes his abode will be quickened, purified, guided, and ruled by the Holy Spirit, and the human agent will make strenuous efforts to bring his character into harmony with God. He will avoid everything that is contrary to the revealed will and mind of God.

From Devotional: Our Father Cares, pp. 211, 212.

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Thought of the Day

September 2, 2016

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The Lord will certainly hear and answer the prayers of His workers if they will seek Him for counsel and instruction. Prayer, p. 34

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Daily Devotional

September 2, 2016

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Prayer Helps Guide to Truth

If anyone wants to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority. John 7:17, NKJV.

Before Jesus went forth to His final conflict with the powers of darkness, He lifted up His eyes to heaven and prayed for His disciples....

The burden of Jesus' request was that those who believed on Him might be kept from the evil of the world, and sanctified through the truth. He does not leave us to vague surmising as to what the truth is, but adds, "Thy word is truth." The Word of God is the means by which our sanctification is to be accomplished.

It is of the greatest importance, then, that we acquaint ourselves with the sacred instruction of the Bible. It is as necessary for us to understand the words of life as it was for the early disciples to be informed concerning the plan of salvation. We shall be inexcusable if, through our own negligence, we are ignorant of the claims of God's Word. God has given us His Word, the revelation of His will, and has promised the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him, to guide them into all truth; and every soul who honestly desires to do the will of God shall know of the doctrine....

Since the time when the Son of God breasted the haughty prejudices and unbelief of humankind, there has been no change in the attitude of the world toward the religion of Jesus. The servants of Christ must meet the same spirit of opposition and reproach, and must go "without the camp, bearing his reproach." ...

His [Jesus'] teaching was plain, clear, and comprehensive. The practical truths He uttered had a convincing power, and arrested the attention of the people. Multitudes lingered at His side, marveling at His wisdom. His manner corresponded with the great truths He proclaimed. There was no apology, no hesitancy, not the shadow of a doubt or uncertainty that it might be other than He declared. He spoke of the earthly and the heavenly, of the human and the divine, with positive authority; and the people "were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power." ...

It is a matter of the highest importance and interest to us that we understand what the truth is, and our petitions should go forth with the intense earnestness that we may be guided into all truth. - The Review and Herald, February 7, 1888.

From Devotional: To Be Like Jesus, p. 38.

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Thought of the Day

September 2, 2016

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Human wisdom, aside from God, will prove itself to be foolishness, and will bring confusion and perplexity. - DG 144

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