Author: David

He will protect His flock like a shepherd, He will gather the lambs in His arm, He will carry them in His bosom; He will gently and carefully lead those nursing their young. (Isa 40:11, CEV)

Jesus knows us individually, and is touched with the feeling of our infirmities. He knows us all by name. He knows the very house in which we live, the name of each occupant. He has at times given directions to His servants to go to a certain street in a certain city, to such a house, to find one of His sheep.{DA 479.3}

God is often pictured as a shepherd, gently caring for and guiding his flock. He is powerful (Isa 40:10), yet careful and gentle. He is called a shepherd (Psalms 23); the good shepherd (John 10:11, John 10:14); the great Shepherd (Heb 13:20); and the Great Shepherd (1 Pet 5:4). Note that the shepherd is caring for the most defenseless members of his society: children and those caring for them. This reinforces the prophetic theme that the truly powerful nation is not the one with a strong military, but rather the one that relies on God’s caring strength to look after those in want, and the many families that are suffering these days.

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.(James 1:27, ESV)

In the first century, orphans and widows had very little means of economic support. Unless a family member was willing to care for them, they were reduced to begging, selling themselves as slaves, or starving. By caring for these people, the church put God’s Word into practice. When we give with no thought of receiving, we show what it means to truly serve others.

To keep ourselves from letting “the world” corrupt us, we need to commit ourselves to Christ’s ethical and moral system, not the world’s. We are not to adapt to the world’s value system, which is based on money, power, and pleasure. True faith means nothing if we are contaminated with such values that tear down the foundations of our “religion.”

A Christian is a Christlike man, a Christlike woman, who is active in God’s service, who is present at the social meeting, whose presence will encourage others also. Religion does not consist in works, but religion works; it is not dormant {7BC 935.13}

Many seem to feel that religion has a tendency to make its possessor narrow and cramped, but genuine religion does not have a narrowing influence; it is the lack of religion that cramps the faculties and narrows the mind. When a person is narrow, it is an evidence that they need the grace of God, the heavenly anointing; for a Christian is one whom the Lord, the God of hosts, can work through, that they may keep the ways of the Lord of the earth and make manifest His will to others.{7BC 935.14}

“Come to me all of you who are tired from the heavy [yoke] you have been forced to carry. I will give you rest. (Mat 11:28, ERV)

A yoke is a heavy wooden harness that fits over the shoulders of an ox or oxen. It is attached to a piece of equipment the oxen are to pull. A person may be carrying heavy burdens of (1) sin, (2) excessive demands of religious leaders (Mat 23:4; Act 15:10), (3) oppression and persecution, or (4) weariness in the search for God.

Jesus frees people from all these burdens. The rest that Jesus promises is love, healing, and peace with God, not the end of all labor. A relationship with God changes meaningless, wearisome toil into spiritual productivity and purpose.

The Yoke of Restraint and Obedience.

Christ says, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you”–the yoke of restraint and obedience–“and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” We are to find rest by wearing His yoke and bearing His burdens. In being co-workers with Christ in the great work for which He gave His life, we shall find true rest. When we were sinners, He gave His life for us. He wants us to come to Him and learn of Him. Thus we are to find rest. He says He will give us rest. “Learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart.” In doing this you will find in your own experience the rest that Christ gives, the rest that comes from wearing His yoke and lifting His burdens {5BC 1090.3}

Your work is not to gather up burdens of your own. As you take the burdens that Christ would have you, then you can realize what burdens He carried. Let us study the Bible, and find out what kind of yoke He bore. He was a help to those around Him. He says: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”

You see there is a yoke to bear. Now this is the very faith that we want–a faith that will grasp the promises of God, one that will take the yoke of Christ and bear the burdens that He would have us. We often think we are having a hard time in bearing burdens, and it is too often the case, because God has not made any provision for us to carry these burdens; but when we bear His yoke and carry His burdens, we can testify that the yoke of Christ is easy and His burdens are light, because He has made provision for these.

But when you feel depressed and discouraged, do not give up the battle; you have a living Saviour that will help you, and you will have rest in Him. You must not put your neck under the yoke of fashion, and yokes that God has never designed that you should bear. It is not our work to study how to meet the world’s standard, but the great question with each one should be, How can I meet God’s standard? Then it is that you will find rest to the soul; for Christ has said, “My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” {5BC 1091.2}

They will be like trees growing beside a stream— trees with roots that reach down to the water, and with leaves that are always green. They bear fruit every year and are never worried by a lack of rain. (Jer 17:5-8, CEV)

Two kinds of people are contrasted in this passage. Those who trust in human beings and those who trust in the Lord. The people of Judah were trusting in false gods and military alliances instead of God, and thus they were barren and unfruitful. In contrast, those who trust in the Lord flourish like trees planted along a riverbank (see Psalms 1).

In times of trouble, those who trust in human beings will be impoverished and spiritually weak, so they will have no strength to draw on. But those who trust in the Lord will have abundant strength, not only for their own needs, but even for the needs of others. Are you satisfied with being unfruitful, or do you, like a well-watered tree, have strength for times of crisis and even some to share as you bear fruit for the Lord?

What Makes an Evergreen Christian?

Seek to be an evergreen tree. Wear the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. Cherish the grace of love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. This is the fruit of the Christian tree. Planted by the rivers of water, it always brings forth its fruit in due season.{3BC 1142.2}

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers. (Psalms 1:1-3, NIV)

Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” (Jer 17:7-8, NIV)

But it is just as the Scriptures say, “What God has planned for people who love him is more than eyes have seen or ears have heard. It has never even entered our minds!” (1 Cor 2:9, CEV)

We cannot imagine all that God has in store for us, both in this life and for eternity. He will create a new heaven and a new earth (Isa 65:17, Rev 21:1), and we will live with him forever. Until then, his Holy Spirit comforts and guides us. Knowing the wonderful and eternal future that awaits us gives us hope and courage to press on in this life, to endure hardship, and to avoid giving in to temptation. This world is not all there is. The best is yet to come.

[We] need to dwell upon the assurances of God’s Word, to hold them before the mind’s eye. Point by point, day by day, repeat the lessons there given, over and over, until you learn the bearing and import of them. We see a little today, and by meditation and prayer, more tomorrow. And thus little by little we take in the gracious promises until we can almost comprehend their full significance. {6BC 1085.2}

“I am the way, the truth, and the life!” Jesus answered. “Without me, no one can go to the Father. (John 14:6, CEV)

As the way, Jesus is our path to the Father. As the truth, Jesus is the reality of all God’s promises in our daily life. As the life, Jesus joins his divine life to ours, both now and eternally. Jesus is, in truth, the only LIVING way to the Father. This is why scripture calls Him our “Living Hope:”

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has regenerated us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

Recently I was very interested to discover that the Bible talks about three doors by which Jesus becomes our life. By which we advance towards being more like Jesus.

1/ I had heard, of course, about Jesus being the door, (John 10:9).

2/ I did not associate Jesus being the door, as being connected to the door of Rev 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to [them] and will dine with [them], and they with Me.” (Rev 3:20,TLV) When we have a relationship with Jesus; we use these two doors, going in through Him, and allowing Jesus in to our own heart as He knocks at that door.

3/ And there is a third door which we must at times close to know Jesus better:

“Thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons” (2 Kings 4:4).

They were to be alone with God, for they were not dealing with the laws of nature, nor human government, nor the church, nor the priesthood, nor even with the great prophet of God, but they must needs be isolated from all creatures, from all leaning circumstances, from all props of human reason, and swung off, as it were, into the vast blue inter-stellar space, hanging on God alone, in touch with the fountain of miracles.
Here is a part in the programme of God’s dealings, a secret chamber of isolation in prayer and faith which every soul must enter that is very fruitful.

Jesus knocks at the door of our heart because he wants to save us and have fellowship with us. He is patient and persistent in trying to get through to us—not breaking and entering, but knocking. He allows us to decide whether or not to open our life to him. Do you intentionally keep his life-changing presence and power on the other side of the door?

“God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.” (1 Cor 1:9, KJV) This fellowship is indicated by the three doors of salvation:

1/ Jesus said “I am the door.” (John 10:9)

We go in THAT door for fellowship with Him. We go out that same door for service:

Says the true Witness, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.” Every warning, reproof, and entreaty in the Word of God, or through His delegated messengers, is a knock at the door of the heart; it is the voice of Jesus, asking for entrance. With every knock unheeded, your determination to open becomes weaker and weaker. If the voice of Jesus is not heeded at once, it becomes confused in the mind with a multitude of other voices, the world’s care and business engross the attention, and conviction dies away. The heart becomes less impressible, and lapses into a perilous unconsciousness of the shortness of time, and of the great eternity beyond.{7BC 966.9}

YOU ARE THE DOOR: Rev 3:20

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

What is the difference between the first two doors?

The one door we enter. (John 10:9) The other door Jesus enters. (Rev 3:20)

Jesus Is The Door: John 10:9

As an earthly shepherd knows his sheep, so does the divine Shepherd know His flock that are scattered throughout the world. “Ye My flock, the flock of My pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord God.” Jesus says, “I have called thee by thy name; thou art Mine.” “I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands.” Ezekiel 34:31; Isa 43:1; Isa 49:16. {DA 479.2}

Second Door: Revelation 3:20

Says the true Witness:

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock.” (Rev 3:20)

Every warning, reproof, and entreaty in the Word of God, or through His delegated messengers, is a knock at the door of the heart; it is the voice of Jesus, asking for entrance. With every knock unheeded, your determination to open becomes weaker and weaker. If the voice of Jesus is not heeded at once, it becomes confused in the mind with a multitude of other voices, the world’s care and business engross the attention, and conviction dies away. The heart becomes less impressible, and lapses into a perilous unconsciousness of the shortness of time, and of the great eternity beyond. {7BC 966.9}

We Follow Jesus Back Out THAT Door

The way to heaven is consecrated by the Saviour’s footprints. The path may be steep and rugged, but Jesus has traveled that way; His feet have pressed down the cruel thorns, to make the pathway easier for us. Every burden that we are called to bear He Himself has borne.{DA 480.4}

Because we are the gift of His Father, and the reward of His work, Jesus loves us. He loves us as His children. Jesus loves you. Heaven itself can bestow nothing greater, nothing better. Therefore trust.{DA 483.3}

Jesus thought upon the souls all over the earth who were misled by false shepherds. Those whom He longed to gather as the sheep of His pasture were scattered among wolves, and He said, “Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice; and they shall become one flock, one shepherd.” John 10:16. {DA 483.4}

A thief comes only to rob, kill, and destroy. I came so that everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest. (John 10:10, CEV)

My Grandmother used to say:

“Heaven begins on Earth.”

Perhaps this is some of which Jesus was talking about when He talked about having “life in it’s fullest?”

In contrast to the thief who takes life, Jesus gives life. The life he gives right now is abundantly rich and full. It is eternal, yet it begins immediately. Life in Christ is lived on a higher plane because of his overflowing forgiveness, love, and guidance. Have you taken Christ’s offer of life? (Life Application Notes)

That They Might Have Life

Jesus who came in by the door which John the Baptist opened has become the door. We enter into that door for fellowship, we go out that door for service to others. (John 10:7-18)

“My doctrine tends to life, because it is the true doctrine” (2 Tim 3:10) That of the false shepherds tends to death, because it neither comes from nor can lead to that God who is the fountain of eternal life and “the everlasting gospel.” (Rev 14:6-12)

Again, here in John 10:10 Jesus found access to the minds of His hearers by the pathway of their familiar associations. He had likened the Spirit’s influence to the cool, refreshing water. He had represented Himself as the light, the source of life and gladness to nature and to humanity. Now in a beautiful pastoral picture He represents His relation to those that believe on Him. No picture was more familiar to His hearers than this, and Christ’s words linked it forever with Himself. Never could the disciples look on the shepherds tending their flocks without recalling the Saviour’s lesson. They would see Christ in each faithful shepherd. They would see themselves in each helpless and dependent flock. {DA 476.2}

This figure the prophet Isaiah had applied to the Messiah’s mission, in the comforting words:

“O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!” (Isa 40:9)

He shall feed His flock like a shepherd: He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom.” Isaiah 40:9-11.

David had sung, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” Psalms 23:1.

And the Holy Spirit through Ezekiel had declared:

“I will set up one Shepherd over them, and He shall feed them.” “I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick.” “And I will make with them a covenant of peace.” “And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid.” Ezekiel 34:23, etc {DA 476.3}

Christ applied these prophecies to Himself, and He showed the contrast between His own character and that of the leaders in Israel. The Pharisees had just driven one from the fold, because he dared to bear witness to the power of Christ. They had cut off a soul whom the True Shepherd was drawing to Himself. In this they had shown themselves ignorant of the work committed to them, and unworthy of their trust as shepherds of the flock. Jesus now set before them the contrast between them and the Good Shepherd, and He pointed to Himself as the real keeper of the Lord’s flock. Before doing this, however, He speaks of Himself under another figure. {DA 477.1}

He said, “He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.” The Pharisees did not discern that these words were spoken against them. When they reasoned in their hearts as to the meaning, Jesus told them plainly, “I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) {DA 477.2}

Christ is the door to the fold of God. Through this door all His children, from the earliest times, have found entrance. In Jesus, as shown in types, as shadowed in symbols, as manifested in the revelation of the prophets, as unveiled in the lessons given to His disciples, and in the miracles wrought for the sons of men, they have beheld “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29), and through Him they are brought within the fold of His grace. Many have come presenting other objects for the faith of the world; ceremonies and systems have been devised by which men hope to receive justification and peace with God, and thus find entrance to His fold. But the only door is Christ, and all who have interposed something to take the place of Christ, all who have tried to enter the fold in some other way, are thieves and robbers. {DA 477.3}

The Pharisees had not entered by the door. They had climbed into the fold by another way than Christ! By their own denominated authority! They were not fulfilling the work of the true shepherd. The priests and rulers, the scribes and Pharisees, destroyed the living pastures, and defiled the wellsprings of the water of life. Faithfully do the words of inspiration describe those false shepherds:

“The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away;but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.” (Ezekiel 34:4). This verse well describes todays many shrinking churches. Status Quo churches. One-verse churches that dote so much on one verse that the gospel is completely lost sight of. Churches that refuse to change even a little bit, even when it’s God’s Word telling them to!

The shepherds of Israel knew nothing about their flock; they might have been diseased, infirm, bruised, maimed, their limbs broken, strayed, and lost; for they watched not over them. When they got fat sheep and wool for their table and their clothing, they regarded nothing else; as they considered the flock given them for their own use, and scarcely ever supposed that they were to give any thing in return for the milk and the wool.

“Anyone who enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.” Christ is both the door and the shepherd. He enters in by Himself. It is through His own sacrifice that He becomes the shepherd of the sheep. “To Him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear His voice: and He calleth His own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when He putteth forth His own sheep, He goeth before them, and the sheep follow Him: for they know His voice.” {DA 478.3}

The statements made by the prophet in Ezekiel 34:4, etc may be rightly applied to rapacious priests who care more for the fleece than for the flock. Pastors are required to lead the flock of God not for filthy lucre but as examples for the sheep, Jer 3:15, 1 Pet 5:2-3. It is their duty, also, to strengthen the spiritually diseased, heal the sick, bind up the broken in heart, and seek the lost.

The Closed Door

“Thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons” (2 Kings 4:4).

This is the door we close. As needed. There are times and places where God will form a mysterious wall around us, and cut away all props, and all the ordinary ways of doing things, and shut us up to something Divine, which is utterly new and unexpected, something that old circumstances do not fit into, where we do not know just what will happen, where God is cutting thes cloth of our lives on a new pattern, where He makes us look to Himself.

Most religious people live in a sort of treadmill life, where they can calculate almost everything that will happen, but the souls that God leads out into immediate and special dealings, He shuts in where all they know is that God has hold of them, and is dealing with them, and their expectation is from Him alone. Like this widow, we must be detached from outward things and attached inwardly to the Lord alone in order to see His wonders. In the sorest trials God often makes the sweetest discoveries of Himself.

We are promised:

IF you open the door, if you enter through the door, if Jesus IS your Shepherd, then you shall not want any good thing that God has to give:

“…they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing). (Psalms 34:10)

Our LORD and our God, you are like the sun and also like a shield. You treat us with kindness and with honor, never denying any good thing to those who live right. (Psalms 84:11,CEV)

God does not promise to give us everything we think is good, but he will not withhold what is permanently good. He will give us the means to walk along his paths, but we must do the walking. When we obey him, he will not hold anything back that will help us serve him.

Notice the tender manner in which the Lord Jesus Himself supplies the deficiencies of His unfaithful servants. In beautiful contrast to their selfish cruelty and rapacity, He sets Himself in cloudy and dark days to gather and tend His people, though they had been as scattered sheep, each taking his own way:

As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. (Ezekiel 34:12)

Use the door. Welcome the Lord Jesus today.

JESUS is thus THE light in our clouds.

Expect it.

I will stand like a guard and watch. I will wait to see what the LORD will say to me. I will wait and learn how he answers my questions. (Hab 2:1)

On the 3rd anniversary today, of my late wife’s death from ovarian cancer, there are still struggles with grief. With trying to live now, for now. Instead of living now, for then. Somedays I struggle to find a sensible balance.

The watchman and watchtower, often used by the prophet Habakkuk and others to show an attitude of expectation (Isa 21:8, Isa 21:11; Jer 6:17; Ezekiel 3:17), are pictures of the attitude of patient waiting and watching for God’s response, that we can still have today.

I am finding that there is very little real waiting on God for help. There is no tangible help from God. Without watchful expectation on our part.

Most of us inherently know how we need to grieve. But society, peer pressure, cultural leanings insist that we do it faster. The problem may not be us. There is something wrong when people forget how sacred grief is.

Whenever we fail to receive strength or defense from Jesus, perhaps it is due to us not being on the outlook for it? Society in general just tells us to hurry up and forget it, or “move on.” (whatever that means??)

I have found that many a comfort offered from Heaven flies right past me, because I am not standing on my “watch-tower” to catch the sometimes far off indications of what Jesus is offering me in my grief and sorrows, and to open the door of my heart, for His entrance.

The entrance of Your Words gives light; it gives understanding to [every day ordinary people]. (Psalms 119:30)

Those of us whose expectation does not lead to being on the alert for its coming will get so much less of God’s comfort and guidance. Watch for God in the events of your life. We all tend to find what we are looking for:

And you shall seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. (Jer 29:13)

Back in the days of Habakkuk’s times, stone watchtowers were built on city walls or ramparts so that watchmen could see people (enemies or messengers) approaching their city while still at a distance. Watchtowers were also erected in vineyards to help guard the ripening grapes (Isa 5:2). Habakkuk wanted to be in the best position to receive God’s message. The watchtower.

One of the very best positions for me to receive God’s responses to my grief is that I “watch” or expect something from God that helps, and I do that out in the wilderness. I listen to the wind; I know what direction to go. I plant my feet on the earth or on the side of a mountain, I know how to find balance. I watch the flickering flame of the campfire, I learn to dance to my own beat. I feel the water in the creek or the mountain lake, I know how to go with the flow. I see the alpine flowers and know that something beautiful will always be available. I look at the clouds above, and realize there is light in the clouds, here below.

Truly, “nature” is my greatest teacher. There IS light in every cloud. Expect it.

What is the best way for you to hear God’s response to you and your situation? What are your thoughts?  You may comment at the end of this article, online here.

“…love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful” (1 Cor 13:5, ESV)

This verse says that love “is not irritable.” Sometimes we’re irritated or angered by others, and we don’t know why. Not all irritability stems from sinful or selfish motives, although the irritable treatment of others surely is wrong. Much irritability comes from a love of perfection, a deep desire that programs, meetings, and structures be run perfectly. A desire to run things perfectly can erupt into anger at events or people who get in the way or ruin that desire. Those who are easily irritated need to remember that perfection exists only in God. We need to love the person concerned, and our fellow human beings, not the visions we have for perfection here on earth.

The greatest insult we can inflict upon Him, is to pretend to be His disciples while manifesting the spirit of Satan in our words, our dispositions and our actions. It does not behoove those from whom Jesus has so much to bear, in their failings and perversity, to be ever mindful of slights and real or imaginary offense. And yet there are those who are ever suspecting the motives of others about them. They see offense and slights where no such thing was intended. All this is Satan’s work in the human heart.

The heart filled with that love which thinks no evil will not be on the watch to notice discourtesies and grievances of which he may be the object. The will of God is that His love shall close the eyes, the ears and the heart to all such provocations and to all the suggestions with which Satan would fill them. There is a noble majesty in the silence of the one exposed to evil-surmising or outrage. To be master of one’s spirit is to be stronger than kings or conquerors. A Christian leads people to think of Christ. They will be affable, kind, patient, humble and yet courageous and firm in vindicating the truth and the name of Christ. {3BC 1160.7}

We must not consider as our enemies all those who do not receive us with a smile upon their lips and with demonstrations of love. It is much easier to play the martyr than to overcome a bad temper, or poorly thought out methods of outreach. {adapted from 3BC 1160.8}

We must give others an example of not stopping at every trifling offense in order to vindicate our rights. Or our opinions. We may expect that false reports will circulate about us; but if we follow a straight course, if we remain indifferent to these things, others will also be indifferent. Let us leave to God the care of our reputation. And thus, like sons and daughters of God, we shall show that we have self-control. We shall show that we are led by the Spirit of God, and that we are slow to anger.

Slander can be lived down by our manner of living; it is not lived down by words of indignation. Let our great anxiety be to act in the fear of God, and show by our conduct that these reports are false. No one can injure our character as much as ourselves. It is the weak trees and the tottering houses that need to be constantly propped. When we show ourselves so anxious to protect our reputation against attacks from the outside, we give the impression that it is not blameless before God, and that it needs therefore to be continually bolstered up (MS 24, 1887). {3BC 1160.9}

Better to be slow to anger than a mighty warrior. One who controls their temper is better than one who conquers a city. (Prov 16:32, TLV)

In our human relationships, it is better to just be kind than to be “right.”

Remember, we are not human doings, we are human beings.

Unlike human desires and tendencies, God’s kind of love is directed outward toward others, not inward toward ourselves. God’s love is totally unselfish. This kind of love goes against our natural inclinations. In our humanity is impossible to have this love unless God helps us set aside our own natural inclinations so that we can love and not expect anything in return. Thus, the more we become like Christ, the more love we will show to others. (2 Cor 5:17)

The Bible says that “God is love.” (1 John 4:8) And that “Love never fails.” (1 Cor 13:8) We know all too well how humans fail. So why not give God a chance? Perhaps its time for some of us to act and speak His words, in place of our own?

Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not brag, it is not puffed up, it does not behave inappropriately, it does not seek its own way, it is not provoked, it keeps no account of wrong, it does not rejoice over injustice but rejoices in the truth; it bears all things, it believes all things, it hopes all things, it endures all things. “God is Love.” (1 John 4:8) “Love never fails” (1 Cor 13:4-8)

Sometimes we hear preachers say something like “each one reach one.” But what would happen if we turned that around a bit and said “each one love one?”

Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” (John 1:46)

How easy it would have been for Phillip to win this challenging question by intellectual or theological argument. But instead, Phillip just said respectfully, without sensationalism or over-emphasizing :

“Come and See.”

Nathanael knew that the OT prophets had predicted that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. Nazareth was an obscure village back in the day. Nathanael simply could not fathom that such a significant person as Jesus could come from such an insignificant place as Nazareth. And Phillip’s response was truly amazing:

“Come and see:”

Philip did not argue, debate, or criticize in responding to Nathanael. Truth is not best imparted by argument but by the respectful invitation to

“Come and See.”

Rather than accepting the invitation to “Come and See,” some people often will ignore God and His ways in favor of their own ways. As Jeremiah noted:

“They have forsaken Me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.” Jer 2:13.

Who would set aside a fountain of living water for a cracked cistern, a pit that collected rainwater but that could not hold it? God told the Israelites they were doing that very thing when they turned from him, the fountain of living water, to the worship of idols. Not only that, but the cisterns they chose were broken and empty. The people had built religious systems in which to store truth, but those systems were worthless. Why should we cling to the broken promises of unstable “cisterns” (money, power, religious systems, or whatever transitory thing we are putting in place of God) when God promises to constantly refresh us with living water.

In the modern-day example prophesied in Rev 18:4 the call still goes out to “come out of her my people,” and to turn away from the false systems of worship and belief that are ruining the world. As the Bible puts it, the people of Babylon had lived in luxury and pleasure. The city boasted, “I am queen on my throne.I have no reason to mourn.” All people who think they are OK without God are susceptible to this same attitude. A person who is financially or spiritually comfortable often feels invulnerable, secure, and in control, feeling no need for God or anyone else. This kind of attitude defies God, and His judgment against this kind of rebellion is very harsh. We are told to avoid Babylon’s sins. If you are feeling secure, be careful. Don’t become complacent and deluded by the myth of self-sufficiency. Use your blessings, dedicate your resources to help others and to advance God’s Kingdom. That is why God says

“Come out of her my people.” (Rev 18:4)

Society is ranging into two great classes, the obedient and the disobedient.

When the Samaritan Woman asked Jesus about why He was offering to give her a drink of water from the well, Jesus answered:

“…”You don’t know what God wants to give you, and you don’t know who is asking you for a drink. If you did, you would ask me for the water that gives life.” (John 4:10)

What did Jesus mean by “living water”?

In the Old Testament, many verses speak of thirsting after God as one thirsts for water (Psalms 42:1; Isa 55:1; Jer 2:13; Zech 13:1). God is called the fountain of life (Psalms 36:9) and the fountain of living water (Jer 17:13). In saying he would bring living water that could forever quench a person’s thirst for God, Jesus was claiming to be the Messiah. Only the Messiah could give this gift that satisfies the soul’s desire.

On the last and most important day of the festival, Jesus stood up and shouted, “If you are thirsty, come to me and drink! Have faith in me, and you will have life-giving water flowing from deep inside you, just as the Scriptures say.” Jesus was talking about the Holy Spirit, who would be given to everyone that had faith in Him. The Spirit had not yet been given to anyone, since Jesus had not yet been given his full glory. (John 7:37-39, CEV)

Jesus’ words, “come and drink,” alluded to the theme of many Bible passages that talk about the Messiah’s life-giving blessings (Isa 12:2-3; Isa 44:3-4; Isa 58:11). In promising to give the Holy Spirit to all who believed, Jesus was claiming to be the Messiah, for that was something only the Messiah could do.

Jesus used the term living water in John 4:10 to indicate eternal life. Here he uses the term to refer to the Holy Spirit. The two go together: Wherever the Holy Spirit is accepted, he brings eternal life. Jesus teaches us more about the Holy Spirit in John 14-16. The Holy Spirit empowered Jesus’ followers at Pentecost (Acts 2) and has since been available to all who believe in Jesus as BOTH Lord, and Savior. “To them that received Him gave he power to become the sons and daughters of God.” (John 1:12). Jesus says clearly in Acts 1:8 what that power involves:

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

The Bible tells us that after Jesus said this before the crowd, how that great arguments and divisions amongst the people started to happen. Did you ever attend a church that acted like this:

The people started taking sides against each other because of Jesus. (John 7:43)

Some people insisted that

1/ “he must be a prophet” (John 7:40)

2/ some insisted that “he is The Messiah,” (John 7:41)

3/ to which others vehemently argued “”Can the Messiah come from Galilee?”

4/ Something like the question “”Can anything good come from Nazareth?” (John 1:46).

5/ Still others were clamouring about how “the Messiah will come from the family of King David. Doesn’t this mean that he will be born in David’s hometown of Bethlehem?” (John 7:42)

The crowd was asking questions about Jesus. Some believed, others were hostile, and still others disqualified Jesus as the Messiah simply because he was from Nazareth, not Bethlehem (Mic 5:2). But he was born in Bethlehem (Luke 2:1-7). Although he grew up in Nazareth. Jesus may have had a pronounced Gaililean accent. If they had looked more carefully, they would not have jumped to the wrong conclusions. When you search for God’s truth, make sure you look carefully and thoughtfully at the Bible with an open heart and mind. Don’t jump to conclusions before knowing more of what the Bible says.

The arguing and divisions in the church reached the point where “…some of them wanted to take Him, but no one [dared] lay hands on Him.” (John 7:44)

Bible prophecy looks to the day where the Church stops arguing, bickering, and playing “Churchianity:”

“…the Spirit and the Bride (Church) say, “Come!” And let all those who hear say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.” (Rev 22:17)

Both the Holy Spirit and the Bride, (the church), during the end times, will be seen extending this same invitation to all the world to come to Jesus and experience the joys of salvation in Christ.

“Come and See” is the end time message for God’s people today.

When Jesus met the Samaritan woman at the well, He had told her of the living water that he could supply (John 4:10-15). This image is used again as Christ invites anyone to come and drink of the water of life. The Good News is unlimited in scope—all people everywhere may come. Salvation cannot be earned, because God gives it freely. (Isa 55:1, Rom 3:24) We live in a world desperately thirsty for living water, and many are dying of thirst. But it’s still not too late. Let us invite everyone we know to come and drink.

The Church leaders back in the day wanted to harm and kill Jesus. Are we any different today? We often want to “KILL” Jesus. Get Him out of everywhere in our daily life where we deem Him to be “inconvenient.” How many of us are wiling to make room in our hearts for Jesus? How many of us “have no room at the Inn?” No room in our heart? No room in our life. No room in our church (for Jesus) today? How many of us have hearts full of the guilded cares of the secular world? No room for Jesus. No will to just accept the kindly invitation:

“Come and See.” (John 1:39)

If those who don’t know the salvation of God will come at the command of Christ, they would soon see that with Jesus is the fountain of life, and in his light they should see light. But is anyone today in your church giving out the invitation:

“Come and See?”

My friends, if anyone seriously inquires where Christ dwells, God invites you to kindly give the following response:

Jesus does not dwell in the tumult of worldly affairs, nor in profane assemblies, nor in worldly pleasures, nor in the place where drunkards proclaim their shame, nor in carelessness and laziness. Jesus is found in his temple, wherever two or three are gathered together in his name, (Mat 18:20), in secret prayer, in self-denial, in fasting, in self-examination. We cannot do any such of these things to others! Only to ourselves! (Ezekiel 14:14, Ezekiel 14:20). Each one must for their own sake

“Come and See.”

Jerusalem’s “persistent unfaithfulness” was so offensive to God that the presence of spiritual giants such as Noah, Job, Daniel, etc could not prevent any judgment by famine, wild beasts, military invasion (sword), disease (pestilence) etc. No one can begin or sustain a relationship with Jesus for you. You have to do it yourself, You have to just “Come and See.”

Today, Jesus dwells in the humble, contrite spirit. In the spirit of faith, of love, of forgiveness, of universal obedience. In a word, Jesus dwells in the heaven of heavens, (Heb 7:25) where He graciously purposes to bring each of us, if we will come and learn of him, and receive the salvation which he has bought for us by his own blood. (Eph 2:13, Gal 6:14)

Although the Romans ruled Palestine, they gave the Jewish religious leaders authority over minor civil and religious affairs. The religious leaders supervised their own Temple guards and gave the officers power to arrest anyone causing a disturbance or breaking any of their numerous ceremonial laws. Because these leaders had developed hundreds of trivial laws, it was almost impossible for anyone, even the leaders themselves, not to break, neglect, or ignore at least a few of them some of the time. But amazingly these Temple Guards couldn’t find one reason to arrest Jesus. And as they listened to Jesus to try to find evidence, they couldn’t help hearing the wonderful words he said.

Like Nathanael of old there are many today who look at Jesus and say

“Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”” (John 1:46)

The reply of any true disciple of Jesus will be:

“Come and see.” (John 1:46)

Back in the day, Nazareth was despised by the Jews because a Roman army garrison was located there. Some have speculated that an aloof attitude or a poor reputation in morals and religion on the part of the people of Nazareth had led to Nathanael’s harsh comment. Nathanael’s hometown was Cana, about four miles from Nazareth. When Nathanael heard that the Messiah was from Nazareth, he was surprised.

Philip responded,

“Come and See…” (for yourself).

Fortunately for Nathanael, he went to meet Jesus and became a disciple. If he had stuck to his prejudice without investigating further, he would have missed the Messiah! Don’t let people’s stereotypes about Christ cause them to miss his power and love. Invite people to come and see who Jesus really is. Show people by the way you live that you have been with Jesus:

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. (Acts 4:13)

Yes, Nathanael had initially doubted Jesus but he did accept the invitation to

“Come and See”

(for himself).

And then just a couple of verses later we read:

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him,

“Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!” (John 1:47).

Its almost like Jesus was giving us an inside peek at what the 144,000 of Bible prophecy looks like:

And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God. (Rev 14:5)

Jesus knew that the disciples were following Him. They were the first fruits of His ministry, and there was joy in the heart of the divine Teacher as these souls responded to His grace. Yet turning, He asked only,

“What seek ye?”

He would leave them free to turn back or to speak of their desire.{DA 138.6}

Of one purpose only were they conscious. One presence filled their thought. They exclaimed, “Rabbi, where dwellest Thou?” In a brief interview by the wayside they could not receive that for which they longed. They desired to be alone with Jesus, to sit at His feet, and hear His words. {DA 138.7}

“Jesus said unto them:

“Come and see.”

They came and saw where He dwelt, and they abode with Him that day.” {DA 139.1}

If John and Andrew had possessed the unbelieving spirit of the priests and rulers, they would not have been found as learners at the feet of Jesus. They would have come to Him as critics, to judge His words. Many thus close the door to the most precious opportunities. But not so did these first disciples. They had responded to the Holy Spirit’s call in the preaching of John the Baptist. Now they recognized the voice of the heavenly Teacher. To them the words of Jesus were full of freshness and truth and beauty. A divine illumination was shed upon the teaching of the Old Testament Scriptures. The many-sided themes of truth stood out in new light. {DA 139.2}

If Nathanael had trusted to the Church leaders of his day and age for guidance, he would never have found Jesus. It was by seeing and judging for himself that he became a disciple. So in the case of many today whom prejudice withholds from the good or the right. How different would be the result if they would simply

“Come and See”! {DA 140.5}

Today, Jesus is reaching out to you with the very same message. The “everlasting gospel:”

“Come and See.” (John 1:46)

According to the everlasting gospel, (Rev 14:6-7) as it began to proceed out of Nazareth, there is always hope among the fragments of our sin and grief. If your heart has been broken by grief, broken by worry, broken by death, broken by loneliness, broken by fear, or broken by anything else, then “come and See.”

Come and See!

Jesus will make beautiful art out of all your broken pieces. For the everlasting gospel, THE gospel, shows that we are all born of the anguish we bear; and when we “Come and See” by His power, (John 1:12) we turn all our brokeness, all of our fragments of lostness, and through Jesus, by God’s promises, we turn that all into the love and comfort that we want to give. Jesus says

“Come and see.

Gather up all of the fragments that remain now, so that absolutely nothing will be lost. (John 6:12)

It doesn’t matter who you are. It doesn’t matter who you are not. All Jesus asks is to

“Come and See.”

and in return

“…the Spirit and the Bride say, “Come!” And let those who hear say, “Come!” And let all who thirst come. Whoever desires, let them take the water of life freely.

“Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price. (Rev 22:17, Isa 55:1)

Come and See!