By Carron Lake @ www.thelightoftheword.org
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and
We are to Reveal Christ's Love and Joy
As Jesus ascended from among the physically and spiritually dead in this world, to open The Door for all, who will follow Him and come alive from this world of darkness, sin and death, to sit with Him, alive forever more, He has revealed to the church through the door and channel of His servant Paul, who quoted the sayings of Isaiah, through whom He said, "...There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another" (Romans 15:12-14).
Paul also declared that he was persuaded, to trust also in Him, Who knocked upon the door of his heart through His servant Isaiah. And as he was persuaded and was admonished to speak to the church in Rome, we also are to admonish one another by Christ Spirit, Who speaks through us, to knock at the doors of the hearts of men, who dwell among us. If they will have ears to hear GOD'S Voice in Him, then a connection can be made to GOD through The Power of HIS Word, Whom HE has sent to abide in our hearts. If we open the doors of our hearts to GOD by receiving HIS Word, then Jesus said, "He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me" (Matthew 10:40). Having received Him, Who is of GOD, John said of Him, "...as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth" (John 1:12-14).
The servant of Jesus was admonished to speak to His church saying, "In the great and measureless gift of the Holy Spirit are contained all of heaven's resources. It is not because of any restriction on the part of God that the riches of His grace do not flow earthward to men. If all were willing to receive, all would become filled with His Spirit. It is the privilege of every soul to be a living channel through which God can communicate to the world the treasures of His grace, the unsearchable riches of Christ. There is nothing that Christ desires so much as agents who will represent to the world His Spirit and character. There is nothing that the world needs so much as the manifestation through humanity of the Saviour's love. All heaven is waiting for channels through which can be poured the holy oil to be a joy and blessing to human hearts.
"Christ has made every provision that His church shall be a transformed body, illumined with the Light of the world, possessing the glory of Emmanuel. It is His purpose that every Christian shall be surrounded with a spiritual atmosphere of light and peace. He desires that we shall reveal His own joy in our lives.
"The indwelling of the Spirit will be shown by the outflowing of heavenly love. The divine fullness will flow through the consecrated human agent, to be given forth to others.
"The Sun of Righteousness has "healing in his wings" (Mal. 4:2). So from every true disciple is to be diffused an influence for life, courage, helpfulness, and true healing.
"The religion of Christ means more than the forgiveness of sin; it means taking away our sins, and filling the vacuum with the graces of the Holy Spirit. It means divine illumination, rejoicing in God. It means a heart emptied of self, and blessed with the abiding presence of Christ. When Christ reigns in the soul, there is purity, freedom from sin. The glory, the fullness, the completeness of the gospel plan is fulfilled in the life. The acceptance of the Saviour brings a glow of perfect peace, perfect love, perfect assurance. The beauty and fragrance of the character of Christ revealed in the life testifies that God has indeed sent His Son into the world to be its Saviour.--Christ's Object Lessons, pp. 419, 420.
"There is peace in believing, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Believing brings peace, and trusting in God brings joy.--Testimonies, vol. 2, pp. 319, 320.
(By Ellen G. White "Reflecting Christ", Page 134)
Notice that GOD has not placed a restriction on the part of us receiving The Gift of The Holy Spirit. HE has made it clear by HIS Word through the channel of His servant that, "if all were willing to receive, all would become filled with His Spirit." It is made clear that "All heaven is waiting for channels through which can be poured the holy oil, to be a joy and blessing to human hearts. Christ has made every provision that His church shall be a transformed body, illumined with the Light of the world, possessing the glory of Emmanuel." But in order for us to be channels through which He can pour The Treasures of His grace, to bring His Joy and Blessings to human hearts, our hearts must first be emptied of self, and be filled with His indwelling Spirit, to flow forth His Divine Fullness of heavenly love through our consecrated human hearts, to bring His Joy and Blessings to others. Through the heart and channel of His servant Paul, He led him to say, "...For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father" (Romans 8:14, 15). Like the shepherd Moses, who was the channel through whom Christ led His flock, GOD leads the flock of HIS people, who respond to HIS Voice by HIS Word, Whom HE has sent. "And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father" (Galatians 4:6).
No one likes clogged pipes, especially when the water in the pipe should move freely to its' destination. If when we turn on the faucet, to receive clean water through the pipes, which brings the water into our homes, and no water comes through, to enable us to meet our daily needs, then there must be a blockage somewhere in the pipes, that would prevent the water from flowing freely through the pipes, as a channel to help us meet and accomplish our daily needs. All heaven is said to be waiting for channels through which, The Holy Oil can be poured, to be a joy and a blessing to human hearts. If the enemy can keep us from dying to self, by focusing, and thinking only of ourselves, and of the wounds we have received from those, whom he has worked through to hurt us, then like open wounds in the body of Christ, we tear ourselves apart from each other, to bring and cause pain, not only to ourselves, but also to GOD, WHO seeks to work by The Power of HIS Word, to bring healing to all, who will repent of their sins that have caused separation, not only from each other, but from HIM, WHO seeks to heal our wounds. By focusing on ourselves, our hearts are blocked, and many will not open their hearts, to allow The Holy Oil of Christ Spirit, to flow in and through them, to heal the pain, which also hurts The Heart of GOD, and HIS Son, Who sustains us all, as the members of His Body.
As we know all to well, of friends and family, who suffer, or have suffered from cancer, which is a civil war that takes place within the body, between the cells that follow The Law of Life, and those cells that break the code of Life, to follow their own rules, which brings pain and suffering, and even death, not only to parts of the body, which are cut off from the circulation of Life, but to the whole body, which suffer and die, as a result of not following the laws of health. Christ came into this world, as one of us--a member of His Own Body, to reveal The Truth of The Father's Glory through Himself. But the members of His Own Body crucified Him, to protect and maintain their open wounds, to follow their own ways, which were contrary to His Will. They were not willing to allow Him to reign over them, as a Shepherd over His Own sheep, to work The Father's Will in and through them, to be cleansed, and to become His channels, through whom He could flow His blessings to wounded hearts all around the world.
After the door of his heart was unblocked, and open to The Spirit of Christ, Paul testified of The Light of Christ and said, "...if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to [give] the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us" (2 Corinthians 4:3-7). Notice that GOD has commanded that The Light of Christ's Spirit should shine into our darken hearts, which are blocked with the focus of our own ways, and the enemy has blinded our minds that we see nothing else, but the things that would please and meet our own needs. But The Light of Christ has been shinning to the hearts of men and women, knocking upon the doors of our hearts, to open unto Him. He has been in search of channels through whom He can bring and bless the wounded hearts of men and women with The Treasures of His Grace. We cannot renew our minds with His Spirit, if our minds are blocked with self.
Rather than being linked to a television set, and watching all the channels, which will profit not unto salvation, become linked to Christ, and become one of His channels through whom He can bless the hearts of men and women in this world.
It is said that Christ Jesus has healing in His Wings. Under one wing, or in The Hand of The LORD, Jesus heals the wounds that were opened by the division, which sin has caused between man and man, by taking the form of man. By drawing all unto Himself, men and women would find that they are being drawn closer to each other, as they continue to draw closer to Him. The more we press close together without a seam between His Spirit and us, we become One in Him, and He in us. And under the other wing, or by His Holy Arm, He draws us all in Himself, to be restored in His connection and fellowship with The Father. For it is revealed to us through the heart of His servant John, who said, "That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship [is] with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin" (1 John 1:3-7).
Through the channel of His servant John, The Word of The LORD said, "He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes. I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake" (1 John 2:9-12). Through His channel Solomon, The Word, Who is The Spirit of The LORD, said, "...the commandment [is] a lamp; and the law [is] light; and reproofs of instruction [are] the way of life: To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman" (Proverbs 6:23, 24).
Notice that it is The Blood of Jesus Christ, which must flow through the living channels of His Body, to circulate and bring cleansing and healing to all, who dwell in Him. He reveals to us through His servant Luke, of those, who did not want The Blood of Jesus to be upon them. And speaking of those, who were preaching The Gospel of Jesus Christ in The Temple of His Body, it is said, "Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned. And when they had brought them, they set [them] before the council: and the high priest asked them, Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. Then Peter and the [other] apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand [to be] a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things; and [so is] also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him" (Acts 5:26-32). Notice that GOD--The Father has exalted Jesus with HIS Right Hand--The Spirit of HIS Word, Who is Christ--The Channel by Whom all The Blessings of GOD are revealed through nature, The Law and the prophets. By Him, The Father exalted Jesus to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And He--Christ--The Power of GOD'S Glory is given to them that obey Him. We are to be channels for Him--Christ Jesus in shining His Light and Glory to men every where, that through us He might give His Gift of Repentance, to heal the wounded hearts of men, to turn them from sin to be One in Him in GOD.
GOD gave to man through Jesus, "The Gift of Repentance
The Jews are not the only ones, who need to open their blocked hearts, to hear of The Blood of Christ, Who gives to us His Gift of repentance and forgiveness, to heal our wounded souls. For many have hearts that are blocked by the enemy of our souls, who keeps us from receiving the flow of The Gift of Christ, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ should shine unto them. The enemy of our souls has sought to keep us separated from Christ, like cells within the body that would not heal, because of the lack of the circulation of the cleansing blood. The servant of The Lord was admonished to say, "Repentance is one of the first fruits of saving grace. Our great Teacher, in His lessons to erring, fallen man, presents the life-giving power of His grace, declaring that through this grace men and women may live the new life of holiness and purity. He who lives this life works out the principles of the kingdom of heaven. Taught of God, he leads others in straight paths. He will not lead the lame into paths of uncertainty. The working of the Holy Spirit in his life shows that he is a partaker of the divine nature. Every soul thus worked by the Spirit of Christ receives so abundant a supply of the rich grace that, beholding his good works, the unbelieving world acknowledges that he is controlled and sustained by divine power, and is led to glorify God. . . .
"Read and study the thirty-fourth chapter of Ezekiel. In it we are given most precious encouragement. "I will save my flock, and they shall be no more a prey," the Lord declares. ". . . And I will make with them a covenant of peace. . . ."
"The most striking feature of this covenant of peace is the exceeding richness of the pardoning mercy expressed to the sinner if he repents and turns from his sin. The Holy Spirit describes the gospel as salvation through the tender mercies of our God. "I will be merciful to their unrighteousness," the Lord declares of those who repent, "and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more" (Heb. 8:12). Does God turn from justice in showing mercy to the sinner? No; God cannot dishonor His law by suffering it to be transgressed with impunity. Under the new covenant, perfect obedience is the condition of life. If the sinner repents and confesses his sins, he will find pardon. By Christ's sacrifice in his behalf, forgiveness is secured for him. Christ has satisfied the demands of the law for every repentant, believing sinner. . . .
"The atonement that has been made for us by Christ is wholly and abundantly satisfactory to the Father. God can be just, and yet the justifier of those who believe.
(By Ellen G. White "God's Amazing Grace", Page 138)
Through The Door and channel to the church at Ephesus, The LORD sent The Spirit of Christ to speak through Paul, saying, "If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another" (Ephesians 4:21-25). Notice that we are all members of The One Body of Christ, of Which Body, Christ Jesus--The Divine Human is our Head. And if we are members of His Body, He spoke by Paul--a member of His Body and said, "...he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit" (1 Corinthians 6:17). By His Spirit in the form Flesh, Jesus was exalted from this world of sin, to be One in Him, as The Man Christ Jesus. By receiving His Spirit of Power in us, we become sons of GOD, according to His Spirit through John--His servant and member of His Body.
A New Life Altogether
Through His servant and channel to the church, He said, "Conversion is a work that most do not appreciate. It is not a small matter to transform an earthly, sin-loving mind and bring it to understand the unspeakable love of Christ, the charms of His grace, and the excellency of God, so that the soul shall be imbued with divine love and captivated with the heavenly mysteries.
"When he understands these things, his former life appears disgusting and hateful. He hates sin, and, breaking his heart before God, he embraces Christ as the life and joy of the soul. He renounces his former pleasures. He has a new mind, new affections, new interest, new will; his sorrows, and desires, love are all new. . . . Heaven, which once possessed no charms, is now viewed in its riches and glory; and he contemplates it as his future home, where he shall see, love, and praise the One who hath redeemed him by His precious blood. The works of holiness, which appeared wearisome, are now his delight. The Word of God, which was dull and uninteresting, is now chosen as his study, the man of his counsel. It is as a letter written to him from God, bearing the inscription of the Eternal. His thoughts, his words, and his deeds are brought to this rule and tested. He trembles at the commands and threatenings which it contains, while he firmly grasps its promises and strengthens his soul by appropriating them to himself.
"When the transforming grace of Christ is upon the heart, a righteous indignation will take possession of the soul because the sinner has so long neglected the great salvation that God has provided for him. He will then surrender himself, body, soul, and spirit, to God and will withdraw from companionship with Satan, through the grace given him of God.
"All need to understand the process of conversion. The fruit is seen in the changed life.
(By Ellen G. White "The Faith I Live by", Page 139)
Notice that the man or woman, whose heart is unblocked to receive The Holy Oil of The Spirit of Christ, he or she will look with disgust at the things that once drew the affections of the heart, which cause the heart to be blinded to The Will of GOD. Those, things that caused pain and wounded The Heart of GOD and man, by the transgression of GOD'S Law of Love, he, or she will renounces, because the heart is now open to feel the pain that causes pain to The Heart of GOD. He does not continue in his known sin, but turns from it to heal the wounds that were caused by transgression. The Word of GOD, Who was despised and rejected, He becomes The Pattern of Study, to reflect, as a Light and channel of Christ Blessings to others.
When Saul caused much pain to his own brothers and sisters in The Body of Christ, he was like a cancer cell in the body, living only to destroy all the good cells he could get his hand on. But after Christ Jesus--The Head of His Own Body shined The Light of His Glory to, bind his eyes, to open his heart, Saul's name was changed to Paul, who wanted only to make Christ known, and Him crucified. Through him, Christ shined His light to the hearts of many of the Jews. He said, "...we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected [us], and we gave [them] reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened [us] after their own pleasure; but he for [our] profit, that [we] might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. Follow peace with all [men], and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:9-14).
Holiness of Life
With the desire to be a channel of blessings to The Body of Christ, to shine The Light of Christ Glory of The Father to the hearts of men, to heal the wounds caused by men, whose minds and hearts are blocked by the enemy that they might not receive The Holy Oil of Christ's Spirit, The Spirit of Christ through His servant said to the church, "No one who claims holiness is really holy. Those who are registered as holy in the books of heaven are not aware of the fact, and are the last ones to boast of their own goodness.
"It is not a conclusive evidence that a man is a Christian because he manifests spiritual ecstasy under extraordinary circumstances. Holiness is not rapture: it is an entire surrender of the will to God; it is living by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God; it is doing the will of our heavenly Father; it is trusting God in trial, in darkness as well as in the light; it is walking by faith and not by sight; it is relying on God with unquestioning confidence, and resting in His love.
"No one can be omnipotent, but all can cleanse themselves from filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord. God requires every soul to be pure and holy. We have hereditary tendencies to wrong. This is a part of self that no one need carry about. It is a weakness of humanity to pet selfishness, because it is a natural trait of character. But unless all selfishness is put away, unless self is crucified, we can never be holy as God is holy. There is in humanity a tendency to suspicious imagining, which circumstances quicken into lively growth. If this trait is indulged, it spoils the character and ruins the soul.
"God requires moral perfection in all. Those who have been given light and opportunities should, as God's stewards, aim for perfection, and never, never lower the standard of righteousness to accommodate inherited and cultivated tendencies to wrong. Christ took upon Him our human nature, and lived our life, to show us that we may be like Him. . . . We ought to be holy even as God is holy; and when we comprehend the full significance of this statement, and set our heart to do the work of God, to be holy as He is holy, we shall approach the standard set for each individual in Christ Jesus.
(By Ellen G. White "The Faith I Live by", Page 140)
Notice that Christ, Who is The Divine Son of GOD, He gave His Soul, to dwell among men in the likeness of men, whom He sustain in His Own Body of Life. His Soul came to dwell among men, to live as a man among men in the nature of a Man, and not as an Angel. He came to dwell as a Man in the flesh of men, but not controlled by the corrupt fleshly nature of men. For He depended upon His Spirit of Strength from The Father, to remain connected to The Father. He came into this world of darkness, sin and death, to show us how we can partake also of His Divine Nature, and become connected to The Purity of His Connection with The Father through The Channel of HIS Spirit. It is like a deep-sea diver, who dives into a world of darkness, deep into the ocean, while maintaining a pure air supply from the surface of the ocean through a channel, which connects Him with the air from above.
As long as Jesus remained connected to The Channel of His Spirit from above, He was sustained by The Arm of The Father's Glory to Him, Who is The Hand of The LORD. But sin is the nature of being in this deep ocean of sin with our hearts blocked, and tied in knots, and not receiving The Pure Holy Air from above through The Spirit of Christ. For He came to dwell among men, as Jesus--meaning The Savior, or The Redeemer, Who came to connect us to His Channel--His Spirit of Pure Air, to purify all, who would come to Him, to be channels of His Spirit of Pure Air from above, to be given to men in this world. But men, who were blinded by the darkness of the deep, they sought to cut of His Air supply, to separate Him from His connection from above. It is this nature of the corrupt air from below that has caused the hearts of men to cut the air supply from each other, to keep us from turning from the abyss of the deep, that we might not return and connect with GOD above.
Through Christ--The Channel of GOD'S Word, The Father spoke with a Clear Voice of HIS Spirit to Moses, who was also a channel among men in this world of darkness and death. The LORD by HIS Word spoke through Moses, and by him, as a channel to the children of Israel, The LORD said, "If ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people" (Exodus 19:5).
Terms of the Covenant
Notice that the children of Israel were to be GOD'S peculiar treasure, HIS Channels of blessings, to minister The Pure Holy Oil from heaven to the hearts of men in this world of darkness, sin and death. But the enemy has worked, not only against them, but against all, who would connect to GOD by The Channel of HIS Word, to block the hearts of men from receiving The Gift and Treasure of GOD. Through Christ servant to the church, it is said of Him, "In the beginning, God gave His law to mankind as a means of attaining happiness and eternal life.
"The ten commandments, Thou shalt, and Thou shalt not, are ten promises, assured to us if we render obedience to the law governing the universe. "If ye love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15). Here is the sum and substance of the law of God. The terms of salvation for every son and daughter of Adam are here outlined. . . .
"That law of ten precepts of the greatest love that can be presented to man is the voice of God from heaven speaking to the soul in promise, "This do, and you will not come under the dominion and control of Satan." There is not a negative in that law, although it may appear thus. It is DO and Live.
"The condition of eternal life is now just what it always has been--just what it was in Paradise before the fall of our first parents--perfect obedience to the law of God, perfect righteousness. If eternal life were granted on any condition short of this, then the happiness of the whole universe would be imperiled. The way would be open for sin, with all its train of woe and misery, to be immortalized.
"Christ does not lessen the claims of the law. In unmistakable language He presents obedience to it as the condition of eternal life--the same condition that was required of Adam before his fall. . . . The requirement under the covenant of grace is just as broad as the requirement made in Eden--harmony with God's law, which is holy, just, and good.
"The standard of character presented in the Old Testament is the same that is presented in the New Testament. This standard is not one to which we cannot attain. In every command or injunction that God gives there is a promise, the most positive, underlying the command. God has made provision that we may become like unto Him, and He will accomplish this for all who do not interpose a perverse will and thus frustrate His grace.
(By Ellen G. White "God's Amazing Grace", Page 134)
Notice that GOD has made provision to accomplish HIS Will for all, who will become like unto HIM in Character through The Standard of HIS Law. HE sent HIS Word into this world to accomplish HIS Will. For in the Old Testament, Christ--The Divine Spirit and Glory of The Father has revealed through His servant David, saying, "...I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book [it is] written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law [is] within my heart. I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest. I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation. Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me" (Psalms 40:7-11). Notice also that The Character of GOD was revealed to The Children of Israel through The Channel of HIS Word--The Christ, Who spoke and revealed HIS Will to the prophets of old. In The New Testament, He spoke through His servant John, who spoke of Him and said, "In him was life; and the life was the light of men" (John 1:4). He is The Provision GOD has provided to all, who will receive HIS Character, and Live by HIS Word.
In speaking to Jesus--The Word of GOD, Who came from above and became Flesh among men; Nicodemus testified and said to Him, saying, "...Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:2, 3).
A Change of Heart Needed
Speaking of Nicodemus, the servant of Christ Jesus to the church, spoke and said, "Nicodemus held a high position of trust in the Jewish nation. . . . With others, he had been stirred by the teaching of Jesus. . . .The lessons that had fallen from the Saviour's lips had greatly impressed him, and he desired to learn more of these wonderful truths. . . .
"Nicodemus had come to the Lord thinking to enter into a discussion with Him, but Jesus laid bare the foundation principles of truth. He said to Nicodemus, It is not theoretical knowledge you need so much as spiritual regeneration. You need not to have your curiosity satisfied, but to have a new heart. You must receive a new life from above before you can appreciate heavenly things.
"The mighty power of the Holy Spirit works an entire transformation in the character of the human agent, making him a new creature in Christ Jesus. . . . The words and actions express the love of the Saviour. There is no striving for the highest place. Self is renounced. The name of Jesus is written on all that is said and done.
"Is not this, the renewal of man, the greatest miracle that can be performed? What cannot the human agent do who by faith takes hold of the divine power?
(By Ellen G. White "The Faith I Live by", Page 137)
Notice that by making connection to The Channel of Blessings from above, the human agent, who believes in Jesus Christ, will partake of The Spirit of Christ, to separate from the spirit that works for self-glory. And by connecting to Christ, he will work and speak by Christ Spirit, Who makes an entire transformation in the souls of men by a renewed mind of by The Spirit of Christ--His Mind in them. For it is Christ, Who reflects and revels The Expressed Glory and Character of The Father, as The Light and Life to all, who will come unto GOD by Him. And this was Perfectly illustrated and revealed to us in The Life of Christ, as Jesus in The Flesh of Men, Who overcome the world of darkness sin and death to sit down at The Right Hand of The Power of The Father upon HIS THRONE.
Through The servant of The Lord, as a channel of His Spirit--His Mind to the church, she said of Him, Who has both The Divine and human natures that, "God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son." He gave Him not only to live among men, to bear their sins, and die their sacrifice. He gave Him to the fallen race. Christ was to identify Himself with the interests and needs of humanity. He who was one with God has linked Himself with the children of men by ties that are never to be broken. Jesus is "not ashamed to call them brethren" (Hebrews 2:11); He is our Sacrifice, our Advocate, our Brother, bearing our human form before the Father's throne, and through eternal ages one with the race He has redeemed--the Son of man. And all this that man might be uplifted from the ruin and degradation of sin that he might reflect the love of God and share the joy of holiness." (Steps to Christ, Page 15) He, Who was Divine need to become like man, to uplift men from the ruin and degradation of sin, that men might reflect the love of God and share the joy of holiness with Him.
Notice that Christ was given of GOD to men, and His Divine nature was covered by the human, in other words, His Spirit was dwelling in form of Flesh, And He was given to man as Jesus--The Savior and Redeemer of men. Christ linked Himself to men by taking on the form of human nature. But by His Spirit, He is One with The Father. And by His Human form, He has linked Himself to man, to bear our form before The Throne of GOD. He is The Example we may become by receiving His Spirit in us, to be renewed in our minds by GOD'S Word of Life in our body temple, which is His dwelling. Jesus, as a Guide to all men. For He is The Way, The Truth, and The Life to The Father's Throne. He is The Shepherd, Who Leads us by His Spirit in our hearts.
Christ Elevates Humanity
"Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. Heb. 2:11, NIV.
"Jesus is "not ashamed to call them brethren" (Heb. 2:11); He is our Sacrifice, our Advocate, our Brother, bearing our human form before the Father's throne, and through eternal ages one with the race He has redeemed--the Son of man. And all this that man might be uplifted from the ruin and degradation of sin that he might reflect the love of God and share the joy of holiness.
"The price paid for our redemption, the infinite sacrifice of our heavenly Father in giving His Son to die for us, should give us exalted conceptions of what we may become through Christ. As the inspired apostle John beheld the height, the depth, the breadth of the Father's love toward the perishing race, he was filled with adoration and reverence; and, failing to find suitable language in which to express the greatness and tenderness of this love, he called upon the world to behold. "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God" (1 John 3:1). What a value this places upon man! Through transgression the sons of man become subjects of Satan. Through faith in the atoning sacrifice of Christ the sons of Adam may become the sons of God. By assuming human nature, Christ elevates humanity. Fallen men are placed where, through connection with Christ, they may indeed become worthy of the name "sons of God."
"Such love is without a parallel. Children of the heavenly King! Precious promise! Theme for the most profound meditation! The matchless love of God for a world that did not love Him! The thought has a subduing power upon the soul and brings the mind into captivity to the will of God. The more we study the divine character in the light of the cross, the more we see mercy, tenderness, and forgiveness blended with equity and justice, and the more clearly we discern innumerable evidences of a love that is infinite and a tender pity surpassing a mother's yearning sympathy for her wayward child (Steps to Christ, pp. 14, 15).
"The heart of God yearns over His earthly children with a love stronger than death. In giving up His Son, He has poured out to us all heaven in one gift. The Saviour's life and death and intercession, the ministry of angels, the pleading of the Spirit, the Father working above and through all, the unceasing interest of heavenly beings--all are enlisted in behalf of man's redemption.
"Oh, let us contemplate the amazing sacrifice that has been made for us! Let us try to appreciate the labor and energy that Heaven is expending to reclaim the lost, and bring them back to the Father's house. . . . Let us avail ourselves of the means provided for us that we may be transformed into His likeness (ibid., pp. 21, 22).
Notice that by the atoning sacrifice of Christ, by His divinity assuming the nature of humanity, He elevate humanity to be linked forever with Him, to become sons of GOD. By His Spirit in the form of Flesh, Jesus is The Example shown to us of Who we become when we partake of His Divine Nature to be joined together, as One Spirit in Him. Jesus and His Divine Spirit are not two separated beings, but One Spirit in GOD. All, who are joined together in Him are not separated beings, but One Body with Christ Jesus--The Second Adam, as The Head of the human race, to elevate us to be sons and daughters of GOD.
Notice that it was Christ, Who was sitting upon the throne of David's heart, to enable him to express and reveal The Father's Heart of Love, to the hearts of the children of Israel. The Father Spoke by The Channel of HIS Word to David, and he being a channel of GOD'S Blessing of HIS Word to the children of Israel, he made Him known to them, as The Light of GOD'S Will, HIS Righteousness, HIS Faithfulness, HIS Salvation and HIS Loving-kindness and Truth. When Christ made His abode in the heart of flesh, to become known as Jesus, as a Man in His Own Body of Flesh; He--The Word of Life came to men, to meet the needs of men, who were lost without Him. All that He had given to men through nature, and The Law and the prophets, He received again unto Himself, when He became a Member of His Own Body, which were separated from Him by transgression and sin. By revealing The Principles of The Law of GOD'S LOVE to man, He was revealing HIS Love to Himself when He became Man in the form of Flesh. He reflected The Light of GOD'S Holy LAW to all by becoming a Man and fulfilling The Law of GOD by loving GOD, and Loving the members of His Own Body--His brethren, as Himself. And the key thought here is that He loved man, not just as His neighbor, but as Himself. By GOD sending to us HIS Only Begotten Son, HE Loved us, not just as one of HIS created beings, but HE Loved us, and showed to us HIS Love by giving to us HIS Heart in The Gift of HIS Son.
For it is written of The Word, "Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things. Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting" (Galatians 6:6-8). As a Member of His Own Body, dwelling among the brethren, whom He sustains in Life by His Own Spirit of Power, Jesus spent His Life, as a man in the form of Flesh sowing to the hearts of men His Own Spirit, as The Gift of Life. He spent His Life in the form of flesh, working to heal both the physical and spiritual wounds of the hearts of men, and to feed the members of His Body, The Spiritual Bread of Life, Which He had already sown in the hearts of men through the Law and the prophets. At His death, His Body saw no corruption, but was raised from the dead by His Spirit, to have Life Everlasting with The Father in heaven. As members of His Body, we are to Love each other, as He Loved us, and we are to love each other, as the members of His own Body, to have with Him, Life Everlasting.
When He put on the flesh of men to become Jesus in the flesh of men, He said to the members of His Own Body, "...Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second [is] like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets" (Matthew 22:37-40).
Notice that when we Love GOD with all of our hearts, we are loving Jesus, Who is The Heart of GOD--The Son of GOD. When we love GOD with all of our soul, we are loving His Spirit, Who abides in our soul. And when we love GOD with all of our mind, we are loving The Father, WHO is The MIND and SOURCE of all KNOWLEDGE. HE revealed HIS DIVINE NATURE by HIS Word, Who is of HIS Soul. And The Word, Who is of HIS Soul, He revealed HIS Expressed GLORY in all things that were Created by Him, and for Him. The Word of GOD became flesh, to dwell among men, in whom His Spirit sustains by His Life. When we love GOD and our fellow men, we are living out in our expressions the principles of GOD'S Holy Law of Life, which is written upon our hearts, to express and reflect from our souls, The Glory of GOD by HIS Word, Who writes HIS Law upon our minds and hearts. Christ was sitting upon the throne of David's heart, when through him He declared that He comes in the volume of The Book, and that It is written of Him. The question to us today is this "Is Jesus Christ sitting upon the throne of our hearts, to fulfill in us and through us, GOD'S Will to HIS Glory?"
It is in fulfilling GOD'S Law of Love from our heart-connection with Christ that we follow the steps of Jesus to The Throne of GOD. As His sheep, He will say, "...unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed [thee]? or thirsty, and gave [thee] drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took [thee] in? or naked, and clothed [thee]? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done [it] unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done [it] unto me" (Matthew 25:34-40). As members of Christ Body, we are fed, and are given drink, and we are covered with His Righteousness when we minister His Same Blessings of His Covering of Grace to other members of His Body, to help heal the wounds between each other and Him. For by ministering His Blessings to each other, we are ministering Christ Blessings to ourselves.
Includes Love to God and Man
Through the servant of Jesus Christ to His church, it is said, "The whole work of grace is one continual service of love, of self-denying, self-sacrificing effort. During every hour of Christ's sojourn upon the earth, the love of God was flowing from Him in irrepressible streams. All who are imbued with His Spirit will love as He loved. The very principle that actuated Christ will actuate them in all their dealing one with another.
"This love is the evidence of their discipleship. . . . When men are bound together, not by force or self-interest, but by love, they show the working of an influence that is above every human influence. Where this oneness exists, it is evidence that the image of God is being restored in humanity, that a new principle of life has been implanted. It shows that there is power in the divine nature to withstand the supernatural agencies of evil, and that the grace of God subdues the selfishness inherent in the natural heart.
"When self is merged in Christ, love springs forth spontaneously. The completeness of Christian character is attained when the impulse to help and bless others springs constantly from within--when the sunshine of heaven fills the heart and is revealed in the countenance.
"It is not possible for the heart in which Christ abides to be destitute of love. If we love God because He first loved us, we shall love all for whom Christ died. We cannot come in touch with divinity without coming in touch with humanity; for in Him who sits upon the throne of the universe, divinity and humanity are combined. Connected with Christ, we are connected with our fellow men by the golden links of the chain of love. Then the pity and compassion of Christ will be manifest in our life. . . . It will be as natural for us to minister to the needy and suffering as it was for Christ to go about doing good.
"The law of God requires that man shall love God supremely, and his neighbor as himself. When through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, this is perfectly done, we shall be complete in Christ.
(By Ellen G. White "God's Amazing Grace", Page 145)
Notice that GOD loved HIS Son by giving HIS Only Begotten Son to save man. And The Only Begotten Son gave His Life, to save man from sin and death. As One in Christ Jesus, we are to be a living sacrifice in our love for one another, co-laboring together with Christ in reaching out to save the lost, to be restored to The One fellowship between GOD and man.
By believing in Jesus, His Spirit gives us a heart to repent of the direction towards the abyss of our souls, to sin and separate from Him in death. In their witness of The Spirit of Christ at work in them, as His channels speaking through their hearts to the council of the Jews, Peter and the other apostles testified of Jesus by His Spirit, and said, "The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand [to be] a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things; and [so is] also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him" (Acts 5:30-32).
Notice that when a person stops, and turns from destroying his soul in the abyss of darkness, sin, and death to his soul, he is responding to The Power of Christ, Who can give him Power to overcome the works of the enemy to his souls. For He has revealed through His servant John, who said of Him, "He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name..." "And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace" (John 1:11, 12, 16). (Click on Link) By overcoming the works of the enemy, Jesus was exalted to The Throne of GOD by His Spirit, Who comes from The Father above.
In their witness of The Workings of The Spirit of Christ through the channels of Peter and the other apostles, they testified to their own brethren and said, "...now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did [it], as [did] also your rulers. But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled. Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began" (Acts 3:17-21).
True Sorrow for Sin
Notice that The Same Blessing that is promised to those, who would repent is The Same Promise and Blessing that we will receive, when we repent of our sins, to receive The Power of GOD from above. Through Peter, it is revealed that GOD will send, not another person, but The Same Jesus Christ, Whom all the Prophets and His disciples spoke about in His Witness by His Spirit through them. By proclaiming a third person, men are denying The nature of Christ in becoming One with man in His human form, and to be One with GOD in His Divine Nature. This teaching of the trinity destroys His Work of atonement in restoring man to be one with GOD through The Man Christ Jesus--The Only Mediator between GOD and man. His Fullness connects us from earth to heaven, and transforms us from beings with just a human form, to beings like Him, Who have both a Divine Nature in a human form.
Through His servant Paul, Christ Jesus revealed to the church that, "...this I say, [that] the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. For if the inheritance [be] of the law, [it is] no more of promise: but God gave [it] to Abraham by promise. Wherefore then [serveth] the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; [and it was] ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator is not [a mediator] of one, but God is one" (Galatians 3:17-20). Notice that through Paul, it is stated that a Mediator is not a Mediator of One. But GOD worked by HIS Word--The Christ to redeem man by The One Word, Who became The Man Christ Jesus in the flesh of men, to mediate before GOD'S Throne on man's behalf.
In addressing our need to repent from our sins, The LORD by HIS Word--Jesus Christ inspired His servant to be a channel of HIS Blessings, to encourage the church in the steps of repentance. She said by HIM and HIS Word, "The conditions of obtaining mercy of God are simple and just and reasonable. The Lord does not require us to do some grievous thing in order that we may have the forgiveness of sin. We need not make long and wearisome pilgrimages, or perform painful penances, to commend our souls to the God of heaven or to expiate our transgression; but he that confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall have mercy.
"Repentance includes sorrow for sin, and a turning away from it. We shall not renounce sin unless we see its sinfulness; until we turn away from it in heart, there will be no real change in the life.
"One ray of the glory of God, one gleam of the purity of Christ, penetrating the soul, makes every spot of defilement painfully distinct, and lays bare the deformity and defects of the human character. It makes apparent the unhallowed desires, the infidelity of the heart, the impurity of the lips. The sinner's acts of disloyalty in making void the law of God, are exposed to his sight, and his spirit is stricken and afflicted under the searching influence of the Spirit of God.
"The tears of the penitent are only the raindrops that precede the sunshine of holiness. This sorrow heralds a joy which will be a living fountain in the soul. "Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God"; "and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the Lord." Jer. 3:13, 12. "Unto them that mourn in Zion," He has appointed to give "beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness." Isa. 61:3.
(By Ellen G. White "The Faith I Live by", Page 127)
Notice that it is not until we see what our sin, and our transgressions have done, to wound our heart connection to GOD through HIS Word, to tear apart The Heart of GOD--The Son from The Throne of HIS SOUL and our soul that we mourn, because of the void that sin has cause in our souls, by being disloyal with the unhallowed desires of the enemy, to sin against GOD and HIS Word. Like Adam and Eve, who sought to cover their nakedness with fig leaves that were sewed together, we are driven to fill the empty void in our souls with the things of this world, to replace The Love that we have lost, in the hope that these things will make us happy, but the things of this world--the gold, the pearls, the treasures that are destroyed with the using, can never fill the void of our souls, to replace The Eternal Gift GOD has revealed and has given to us in HIS Word. This acknowledgement of our emptiness brings the tears of the penitent heart, the sorrow of the lost of The Love that once filled our souls. But GOD is ever watching and listening for the cry of the soul that recognizes his need. HE is ever ready to fill our hearts to restore and give to us HIS Gift of Beauty in the place of our ashes. HE is looking for doors through whom HE might pour out from our hearts, to the hearts of men, to fill the empty hearts with The Gift of HIS Oil of Joy, to replace our sorrow and mourning. And The Father seeks to give to us HIS Gift of The Garment of Praise, to replace our spirit of heaviness and the covering of our sewn together fig leaves. Are we opening our hearts to co-labor together with The Father and HIS Son to bless each other with The Gift of GOD?
Through the channel of Christ servant--John, He has ministered His Spirit to all, who would become like Him, to reflect The Father's Glory of Love. John said of Him, "....whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning" (1 John 2:5-7).
"Through Christ servant to the church, she said, "The gospel is to be presented, not as a lifeless theory, but as a living force to change the life. God desires that the receivers of His grace shall be witnesses to its power. . . . He would have His servants bear testimony to the fact that through His grace men may possess Christlikeness of character, and may rejoice in the assurance of His great love. He would have us bear testimony to the fact that He cannot be satisfied until the human race are reclaimed and reinstated in their holy privileges as His sons and daughters.
"God's people are to be distinguished as a people who serve Him fully, wholeheartedly, taking no honor to themselves, and remembering that by a most solemn covenant they have bound themselves to serve the Lord and Him only.
"God requires perfection of His children. His law is a transcript of His own character, and it is the standard of all character. This infinite standard is presented to all that there may be no mistake in regard to the kind of people whom God will have to compose His kingdom. The life of Christ on earth was a perfect expression of God's law, and when those who claim to be children of God become Christlike in character, they will be obedient to God's commandments. Then the Lord can trust them to be of the number who shall compose the family of heaven. Clothed in the glorious apparel of Christ's righteousness, they have a place at the King's feast. They have a right to join the blood-washed throng.
"Everything must be viewed in the light of the example of Christ. He is the truth. He is the true Light that lighteth every man who cometh into the world. Listen to His words, copy His example in self-denial and self-sacrifice, and look to the merits of Christ for the glory in character which He possesses to be bestowed on you. Those who follow Christ live not to please themselves. Human standards are like feeble reeds. The Lord's standard is perfection of character.
(By Ellen G. White "God's Amazing Grace", Page 148)
Below are devotional thoughts HE has given by HIS Word through the channel of His servant to help meet the needs of healing our wounded hearts, to become channels for HIM in reflecting The Character HIS Word. For Christ Jesus
Through Christ servant and member of His Body, Peter was sent as His Channel of Blessings to the saints, to pour Christ Holy Oil into the wounded hearts of men. Through him The Word of GOD said, "...to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that [pertain] unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make [you that ye shall] neither [be] barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:1-8).
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open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with
me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne,
even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father
in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what
the Spirit saith unto the churches.
(Revelation 3:20-22)
All heaven is searching for channels, to poured The Holy Oil of Christ Spirit,
to bring joy and blessings to the hearts of men and women in this world.
The Spirit of The Law of Love is One between GOD and Man,
The Man Christ Jesus.
We are to encourage each other to become like Christ
He heals us not only spiritually, but also physically.