True Moral and Intellectual Power Originates with God

Christ Triumphant - A Devotional by E.G. White

True Moral and Intellectual Power Originates with God

Today's Text: My servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it. Numbers 14:24

The Message:      The whole of the Christian world is involved in the great conflict of faith and unbelief. All will take sides. Some apparently may not engage in the conflict on either side. They may not appear to take sides against the truth, but they do not come out boldly for Christ through fear of losing property or suffering reproach; all such are numbered with the enemies of God.      Morality cannot be separated from religion. Not all conservative tradition received from educated persons and from the writings of outstanding people of the past are a safe guide for us in these last days, for the great struggle before us is such as the world has never seen....      We are not one of us safe, even with past experience, unless we live as seeing Him who is invisible. Daily, hourly, we must be actuated by the principles of Bible truth-righteousness, mercy, and the love of God. Any person who would have moral and intellectual power must draw from the Divine Source.      At every point and decision inquire, Is this the way of the Lord? With your Bibles open before you, consult sanctified reason and a good conscience. Your heart must be moved, your soul touched, your reason and intellect awakened by the Spirit of God. The holy principles laid down in His Word will give light to the soul. I tell you ... our true source of wisdom and virtue and power is in the cross of Calvary. Christ is the Author and Finisher of our faith. He says, "Without me ye can do nothing." Jesus is the only sure guarantee for intellectual success and advancement.      We need to practice temperance in all things so that the taste may be elevated, the appetite controlled, the passions subdued. The Lord Jesus can supply every grace. Love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance-these are the fruits borne by the Christian tree....      If you would have divine enlightenment, go to the throne of grace, and you will be answered from the seat of mercy. A compact was entered into by the Father and the Son to save the world through Christ, who would give Himself that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. No human power or angelic power could make such a covenant.-Manuscript 16, 1890.

Commentary: My friend, in the final test that is to come, all must be engaged for the cause of Christ.  None can sit idly by in the conflict.  Each must be engaged to share the truth about God, that all the world may be warned and have the opportunity to make a choice.  Those who do not proclaim Jesus as the Son of the One true God are placing themselves on the side of the adversary of souls. In this conflict there is no middle ground, no position that can be taken that will satisfy both sides, for each are diametrically opposed to each other.  We are either for Christ or against Him.  "He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad." (Matthew 12:30). The problem that these fence sitters have is that they are trying to serve two masters.  They are trying to please God and the world.  The conflict that is just before us allows for only one master to be served.  Unless we are actively proclaiming to others the three angels message of the One true God, we are cooperating with the power that is opposed to it.  Jesus said in sermon on the mount "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." (Matthew 6:24). The great deception of the last days is that the whole of the Christian world will think that they are serving God when they are in fact serving the beast and the power behind the beast, which is the dragon and Satan.  The doctrine of the trinity introduces to the people a concept of God that is not sustained by the Bible.  It claims that there are three co-equal, co-eternal beings in the godhead; God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.  These three god-beings are claimed to be each God unto themselves and also God collectively.  By claiming that the Holy Spirit is a separate being form the Father and the Son, they create a triune God which is actually three gods disguised as the One God of the Bible.  But we have this testimony from Jesus Himself saying "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." (John 17:3). My friend, the great deception of Satan is to pervert the image of God and get the world to worship this false image of God.  That false image is the trinity.  It is in harmony with the heart of man and as such allows the people to serve God and man.  The belief in the One true God and His Son Jesus Christ does not. All those who would be partners with Christ in this battle must be decidedly on the side of Christ, and the only way that we can do this is to engage in bringing this message to those who have been deceived, that they may have the opportunity to awaken from their stupor.  We must be the agents to offer to them the eyesalve that they may see. May you cooperate with God in this most important work today. God bless,

Video of the Week Truth Personified - with Daniel Mesa We have been able to identify truth by a name. Do we have enough evidence to be able to personify something else as well?  This presentation was presented recently to a group of believers in Canada.