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Showing posts from April, 2020

Daily readings for 04/30/2020: The Upward Look

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The Upward Look — Day 121 of 365 May Satanic Subtlety, May 1 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 2 Corinthians 11:3 . In all our dealings with one another we are to reveal Christ. Thus we shall show that we have a genuine connection with the Saviour. God is to receive all honor, all glory. When Christ shall appear, those who are united with Him by living faith will be acknowledged by Him. He will not be ashamed to call them brethren.... The Lord, He is God, and beside Him there is none else. When Satan can bring his craftiness to bear on human minds, deceptive influences are received [as] from heaven. If his de...

Daily readings for 04/29/2020: The Upward Look

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The Upward Look — Day 120 of 365 The Great Exemplar, April 30 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps. 1 Peter 2:21 . It is not enough merely to acknowledge Christ. We must follow where He leads the way. His grace is sufficient. He suffered for us, and He has left us an example, that we should follow .... The present is our time of proving. The experience necessary in order to gain the crown of life will bring us far greater crucifixion of self than we have hitherto thought possible. What is the message that the apostle Paul bears to everyone who names the name of Christ? “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud o...

Daily readings for 04/28/2020: The Upward Look

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The Upward Look — Day 119 of 365 Go Forward, April 29 Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you. 2 Chronicles 20:17 . Into the daily life there come many perplexing problems that we cannot solve. There are those who wish to adjust every difficulty, to settle every question, before they begin to work. Such will surely fail. In the end, the future will be just as indistinct, and the problems just as perplexing, as when they began to speculate. It is in following the light given that we receive greater light.... Move forward at the call of God. Whe...

Daily readings for 04/27/2020: The Upward Look

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The Upward Look — Day 118 of 365 Take the Cup of Salvation, April 28 I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord. Psalm 116:13 . Are you one that makes mistakes? Go to Jesus, and ask Him to forgive you, and then believe that He does. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” ( 1 John 1:9 ). Ask the Lord to pardon your errors. Then rejoice in Him. It will not help you in the least to keep mourning over your defects. Say, “Lord, I cast my helpless soul on Thee, and Thee alone. I will not worry, because Thou hast said, ‘Ask, and ye shall receive.’” Believe that you do receive. Believe that your Sav...

Daily readings for 04/26/2020: The Upward Look

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The Upward Look — Day 117 of 365 God Has His Chosen People, April 27 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. 1 Peter 2:9 . God gives men the light, but many are filled with a self-sufficient, masterly spirit; and they strive by carrying out their own ideas to reach a height where they will be as God. They place their mind first, as if God must serve with them. Herein lies the danger in this: Unless God shall in some way make these men understand that He is God, and that they are to serve Him, human inventions will be brought in that will lead away from Bible truth, notwithstandi...

Daily readings for 04/25/2020: The Upward Look

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The Upward Look — Day 116 of 365 Follow the Lord's Directions, April 26 Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Psalm 37:3 . The Lord is acquainted with all our circumstances. When that Ethiopian traveler was reading the Scriptures, as he rode in his chariot, angels of God were looking upon the scene. One of the disciples was sent to meet the chariot, and when he came to the place, he saw the man studying the Scriptures. Philip said to him, “Understandest thou what thou readest?” He answered, “How can I, except some man should guide me?” Then Philip opened to him the Scriptures. And when he had heard and believed, the Ethiopian asked, “What d...

Daily readings for 04/24/2020: The Upward Look

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The Upward Look — Day 115 of 365 Cultivate the Christian Virtues, April 25 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. 2 Peter 1:3 . True Christians are faithful in little things, remembering that the Word of God declares, “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much” ( Luke 16:10 ). A faithful, steady obedience to the words of Christ makes men pure in mind, resolute in purpose, and faithful in every station of life. True service is the unveiling of a heart made fragrant by the love of God. Such service gives nobility to the character in this life. Under its influence, lo...

Daily readings for 04/23/2020: The Upward Look

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The Upward Look — Day 114 of 365 Glorify God, Not Man, April 24 My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. Psalm 34:2 . I was about to write some words of encouragement to one who had helped in the work ... at a time when it was going very hard. A hand was placed upon the paper, forbidding me to write, and a voice said, “These words of commendation will do harm to the one you are addressing. God is the Master Worker. Glorify Him, not man.” ... Let us be very careful not to praise or flatter any human being. Do not place before the Lord's servants the temptation of human praise. It is God who enables men and women to accomplish good. He is behind every worker. Without Hi...

Daily readings for 04/22/2020: The Upward Look

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The Upward Look — Day 113 of 365 Learning From Christ, April 23 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: that, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:30, 31 . We had a very precious season of prayer in our little tent [at the Fresno, California, camp meeting] this morning. I felt my soul drawn out in earnest prayer for you [her husband, James White] and for myself. The dear Saviour seemed very near and very gracious, full of mercy and love. I feel like serving Him with my undivided affection.... Divine power must be combined with human effort or this terrible paralysis of indifference, this deathl...

Daily readings for 04/21/2020: The Upward Look

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The Upward Look — Day 112 of 365 True Love Cannot Be Hidden, April 22 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Matthew 7:20 . The law of God is the transcript of His character. Those who profess to keep this law, but who fail to show that they love God with heart, mind, and strength, who do not devote themselves unreservedly to His service, [and who] keep neither the first four commandments, which enjoin supreme love for God, nor the last six, which enjoin unselfish love for one another, are not obedient children. “By their fruits ye shall know them.” True love for God will always manifest itself. It cannot be hidden. Those who keep God's commandments in truth will reveal the same love that Christ revealed ...

Daily readings for 04/20/2020: The Upward Look

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The Upward Look — Day 111 of 365 The Word of God Your Guide, April 21 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105 . If we would work wisely and intelligently, our human passions, our hereditary and cultivated tendencies, must be brought under the control of a higher and more commanding generalship than human ability.... “Cease to do evil; learn to do well.” This is the lesson everyone should learn day by day. The training due to one's self comes first. The influence exerted by a life of strict integrity will be a continual education to others. Those who are restrained and guided by the moral and religious principles plainly laid down in God's Word walk in accordance with the min...

Daily readings for 04/19/2020: The Upward Look

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The Upward Look — Day 110 of 365 True Sanctification, April 20 I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. Acts 20:32 . What is genuine sanctification? Read Exodus 31 . In that chapter we shall understand the term, for God Himself has defined it. The Lord Jesus had given the special directions how to build the tabernacle. As the children of Israel had been compelled to work on the Sabbath, the sacredness of the day was not preserved. As slaves in Egypt, they had largely lost the knowledge of the Sabbath. This is the reason the commandments of God were given in awful grandeur upon Mount Sinai. The Lord would guard His Sabbath ...

Daily readings for 04/18/2020: The Upward Look

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The Upward Look — Day 109 of 365 Draw With Christ, April 19 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. John 17:17 . Assimilation is a law of human nature. Satan works with untiring perseverance to use this law, ordained by God to be a power for good, to forward his plans. He seeks to blend together righteous and unrighteous principles in order that through this union sin may lose its offensive appearance. He mixes chaff with the wheat. The righteous should associate with the wicked only to restore the principles of truth which have been almost obliterated. He who seeks to help and bless others must depend wholly upon the unseen yet all-essential supply of grace and strength. He must cooperate with God if he would be suc...

Daily readings for 04/17/2020: The Upward Look

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The Upward Look — Day 108 of 365 Christ Loves the Sinner, April 18 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. John 13:34 . There are those who cherish a spirit of envy and hatred against their brethren, calling it the Spirit of God. There are those who go up and down as talebearers, accusing and condemning, blackening character, inspiring hearts with maliciousness. They carry false reports to the doors of their neighbors, who, as they listen to the slander, lose the Spirit of God. Not even the messenger of God, who bears to the people His truth, is spared. This sin is worse than the sin of Achan. Its influence is not confined to those who cherish it. It is a r...

Daily readings for 04/16/2020: The Upward Look

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The Upward Look — Day 107 of 365 Trust Your Brethren, April 17 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. Matthew 23:8 . Some days ago I received copies of a number of testimonials written for Brother N_____ by different men in official positions. I read these testimonials. In the night season a representation passed before me. Brother and Sister N_____ were looking over these testimonials. As they were talking together, there stood by their side, not the One who appeared to Brother N_____ on a certain occasion—the Messenger of heaven—but an evil messenger, who insinuated into Brother N_____'s mind the belief that his brethren wanted to get control of his property, an...

Daily readings for 04/15/2020: The Upward Look

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The Upward Look — Day 106 of 365 Cultivating a Christlike Character, April 16 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. Colossians 3:12, 13 . [During the] hours of the night, while others are sleeping, I am praying that the responsible work committed to my trust may be so unselfishly and faithfully done that God will approve. The anxiety is not with me what others may think or what others may do, but What shall I do to glorify God? and Will my work bear the inspection of God? Is every high look removed from me? I...