Archive for January, 2008

Ellen White: True followers of God are humble

Saturday, January 19th, 2008

“The adorning that is of value with God is a meek and quiet spirit, and it is of more value than gold and silver and precious gems. The attributes of God are goodness, mercy, love, long-suffering, and patience, and his followers are to possess the same attributes of character, representing Christ in true spirituality. meekness, the treasure of inward wealth, may be possessed in the midst of poverty and sorrow. The soul reveals the source of its strength in the manifestation of meekness and lowliness of heart; for the grace of meekness has its origin in the source of all blessedness, and those who possess this grace are in harmony with Christ and the Father. The followers of Christ thus become one with each other. If meekness and love are not a part of our character, we are not the disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, and our whole experience is feeble and uncertain.”  Ellen White, Signs of the Times, August 22, 1895

Ellen White: An open mind needed to receive greater light

Friday, January 18th, 2008

“Were Jesus with us today, He would say to us as He did to His disciples, ‘I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now’ (John 16:12). Jesus longed to open before the minds of His disciples deep and living truths, but their earthliness, their clouded, deficient comprehension made it impossible. They could not be benefited with great, glorious, solemn truths. The want of  spiritual growth closes the door to the rich rays of LIGHT that shine from Christ. We shall never reach a period when there is no increased light for us. The sayings of Christ were always far-reaching in their import. Those who heard His teachings with their preconceived opinions, could not take in the meaning attached to His utterances. Jesus was the source, the originator of truth.” Ellen White, Selected Messages, vol. 1, p. 403

Ellen White: Any “light” from great leaders comes from The Light

Tuesday, January 15th, 2008

The world has had its great teachers, men of giant intellect and wonderful research, men whose utterances have stimulated thought, and opened to view vast fields of knowledge; and these men have been honored as guides and benefactors of their race. But there is One who stands higher than they… We can trace the line of the world’s great teachers as far back as human records extend; but the Light was before them. As the moon and the stars of the solar system shine by the reflected light of the sun, so, as far as their teaching is true, do the world’s great thinkers reflect the rays of the Sun of Righteousness. Every gem of thought, every flash of the intellect, is from the Light of the world.”  Ellen White, The Desire of Ages, p. 464

Ellen White: God’s light shines on every soul

Monday, January 14th, 2008

God is light; and in the words, ‘I am the light of the world,’ Christ declared His oneness with God, and His relation to the whole human family. It was He who at the beginning had caused ‘the light to shine out of darkness.’ 2 Cor. 4:6. He is the light of sun and moon and star. He was the spiritual light that in symbol and type and prophecy had shone upon Israel. But not to the Jewish nation alone was the light given. As the sunbeams penetrate to the remotest corners of the earth, so does the light of the Sun of Righteousness shine upon every soul.”  Ellen White, The Desire of Ages, p. 464

Ellen White: No middle-man needed

Friday, January 11th, 2008

“The great intercessor presents His petition to the Father. No middle-man comes between the sinner and Christ. No dead prophet, no buried saint, is seen. Christ Himself is our advocate. All that the Father is to His Son, He is to those whom His Son in humanity represented. In every line of His work Christ acted as a representative of the Father. He lived as our substitute and surety. He laboured as He would have His followers labour, unselfishly appreciating the value of every human being for whom He suffered and died.” Ellen White, BEcho, May 1, 1899

Ellen White: God hears every prayer

Thursday, January 10th, 2008

“The Father hears every prayer of His contrite children. The voice of supplication from the earth unites with the voice of our intercessor, who pleads in heaven, whose voice the Father always hears. Let our prayers therefore continually ascend to God. Let them not come up in the name of any human being, but in the name of Him who is our Substitute and Surety. Christ has given us His name to use…” Ellen White, In Heavenly Places, p. 79

Ellen White: Christ is our substitute.

Wednesday, January 9th, 2008

“Christ proclaims Himself our intercessor. He would have us know that He has graciously engaged to be our Substitute. He places His merit in the golden censer to offer up with the prayers of His saints, so that the prayers of His dear children may be mingled with the fragrant merit of Christ as they ascend to the Father in the cloud of incense.” Ellen White, In Heavenly Places, p. 79

Ellen White: When we turn to God, He always answers “Here I am.”

Tuesday, January 8th, 2008

“The Lord Jesus is your personal intercessor. . . . Repeat over and over many times through the day, ‘Jesus has died for me. He saw me in peril, exposed to destruction, and poured out His life to save me. He does not behold the soul as a trembling suppliant prostrate at His feet without pity, and He will not fail to raise me up.’ He has become the advocate for man. He has lifted up those who believe in Him and placed a treasure house of blessing at their demand. Men cannot bestow one blessing upon their fellows, they cannot remove one stain of sin. It is only the merit and righteousness of Christ that will avail anything, but this is placed to our account in rich fullness. We may draw upon God every moment. As we turn to Him, He answers, ‘Here I am.’” Ellen White, In Heavenly Places, p. 79 [emphasis supplied]

Ellen White: Followers of Jesus are called to seek His holiness

Monday, January 7th, 2008

“The apostle’s great love for the Corinthian believers was revealed in his tender greeting to the church. He referred to their experience in turning from idolatry to the worship and service of the true God. He reminded them of the gifts of the Holy Spirit which they had received, and showed that it was their privilege to make continual advancement in the Christian life until they should attain to the purity and holiness of Christ. ‘In everything ye are enriched by Him,’ he wrote, ‘in all utterance, and in all knowledge; even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.’ Ellen White, Acts of the Apostles, 301

Ellen White:Embracing the humility and salvation of Christ leads to experiencing all the resources of heaven.

Sunday, January 6th, 2008

“All heaven enters into co-partnership with those who come to Christ for eternal life, submitting themselves to him as those who have made a surrender of all to God. God requires his servants to stand under the blood-stained banner of Prince Emmanuel, striving in his power to keep the principles of truth pure and uncorrupted. They must never step aside from the path of self-denial and HUMILITY which every true Christian must travel. As they thus co-operate with God, Christ is formed within, “the hope of glory.” Clad in his meekness and lowliness, they find their highest joy in doing  his service. Earthly ambition gives way to a desire to serve the Master.” Ellen White, Review & Herald, May 11, 1897