Dry, Desolate Summer

I take a different path to see what I can see.
I take an Instagram of a bunch of frog lawn ornaments under a giant tree.
I can hear the Chech-Chech-Cheching of sprinklers desperately trying to revive the crunchy, stale straw colored grass that shrivels under my feet.
Down at the daycare I can hear children laughing and shouting as they leap over the deliciously cool spray.
There are flags everywhere: on garages, waving from poles in front yards, painted on mail boxes and curbs.
Then, jolting into the stifling air comes an air raid siren--full and thick.
It's just first Wednesday tornado drill, but it still turns my thoughts darker, desolate...

America the proud with all your flags.
Are you still proud when there are shootings in every public place, no acknowledgement of another human being at the check-out counter, squirreling away stuff that you will never use in a storage unit because it wont fit in your house, and when neighbors can no longer share a cup of sugar but leach wifi and cable?

A man whistles appreciatively in my direction.
I don't acknowledge it.
I notice how sporadically, little white flowers have spread over a parched patch of grass in rebellion to the sun's dictatorship over all plant life.

America is like that patch--dry and thirsty for hope and truth.
Yet still, sporadically covering that patch of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness are God's people. Growing white and pure in the truth that can see it to true Freedom.
In Jesus is the only Happiness.

On Prayer

Prayer is the source of the victorious life, and there is no other. Cortland Meyers has well said that "all life and all service is dependent upon prayer, not the form and ceremony, but the faith and the force." The Master promised us what prayer--real prayer--would do; and then, to help us to understand what He meant, He proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that it would do all that He promised.

"But prayer does not mean victory in my life," exclaims a struggling soul. And you and I have had the same experience. We know what it is to pray and to fail. Still, let us not forget that what prayer has done for others, it can do for us. Here is even a stronger truth, one we dare not utter without hushed voices: What prayer did for Jesus, it can do for you and me. Never man spoke as He spoke, because never man lived as He lived, because never man prayed as He prayed.

Prayer us more powerful than habits, heredity, and natural tendencies. It is more powerful than the forces that hold the planets in place. Prayer, though it comes from the heart of an unlearned child of God, can suspend the laws of the universe, if such be God's will, just as the sun stood still when Joshua prayed. There is no other power on earth that the enemy of souls hates and fears as he does prayer. We are told that "Satan trembles when he sees the weakest saint upon his knees."

Set this down as a settled fact: It is entirely vain for you and me to try to live the life that wins, in any other way than the way in which the Master lived it.

Chapter Three: Planning With the Master from the book The Life That Winds by Matilda E. Andross

Happy Sabbath

"The importance of the Sabbath as the memorial of creation is that it keeps ever present the true reason why worship is due to God"--because He is the Creator, and we are His creatures. "The Sabbath therefore lies at the very foundation of divine worship, for it teaches this great truth in the most impressive manner, and no other institution does this. The true ground of divine worship, not of that on the seventh day merely, but of all worship, is found in the distinction between the Creator and His creatures. This great fact can never become obsolete, and must never be forgotten."--J. N. Andrews, History of the Sabbath,
--quote from Great Controversy Ch. 25

Christian in name or in character?

I saw a very large company professing the name of Christ, but God did not recognize them as His. He had no pleasure in them. Satan seemed to assume a religious character and was very willing that the people should think they were Christians. He was even anxious that they should believe in Jesus, His crucifixion, and His resurrection. Satan and his angels fully believe all this themselves, and tremble. But if this faith does not provoke to good works, and lead those who profess it to imitate the self-denying life of Christ, Satan is not disturbed; for they merely assume the Christian name, while their hearts are still carnal, and he can use them in his service even better than if they made no profession. Hiding their deformity under the name of Christian, they pass along with their unsanctified natures, and their evil passions unsubdued. This gives occasion for the unbeliever to reproach Christ with their imperfections, and causes those who do possess pure and undefiled religion to be brought into disrepute.

The ministers preach smooth things to suit carnal professors. They dare not preach Jesus and the cutting truths of the Bible; for if they should, these carnal professors would not remain in the church. But as many of them are wealthy, they must be retained, although they are no more fit to be there than Satan and his angels. This is just as Satan would have it. The religion of Jesus is made to appear popular and honorable in the eyes of the world. The people are told that those who profess religion will be more honored by the world. Such teachings differ very widely from the teachings of Christ. His doctrine and the world could not be at peace. Those who followed Him had to renounce the world. These smooth things originated with Satan and his angels. They formed the plan, and nominal professors carried it out. Pleasing fables were taught and readily received, and hypocrites and open sinners united with the church. If the truth had been preached in its purity, it would soon have shut out this class. But there was no difference between the professed followers of Christ and the world. I saw that if the false covering had been torn off from the members of the churches, there would have been revealed such iniquity, vileness, and corruption that the most diffident child of God would have had no hesitancy in calling these professed Christians by their right name, children of their father, the devil; for his works they did.

Jesus and all the heavenly host looked with disgust upon the scene; yet God had a message for the church that was sacred and important. If received, it would make a thorough reformation in the church, revive the living testimony that would purge out hypocrites and sinners, and bring the church again into favor with God.


Early Writings, pg. 227, 228

Job 22:21-30

21: Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.
22: Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart.
23: If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.
24: Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.
25: Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver.
26: For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God.
27: Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows.
28: Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.
29: When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.
30: He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands.

Ephesians 4

11: And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12: For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:
14: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15: But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

"Keep on encouraging each other, especially since you know that the day of the Lord's coming is getting closer." Hebrews 10:25

Do you ever wonder, "what am I doing?!"

Do you ever wish you could stop/change/redirect you passions and obsessions?

Do you ever wish you would prioritize your life the right way?

Do you ever feel totally inadequate and completely lost?

Yeah, me too.

It's a good thing Jesus is coming soon!

Singleness of Purpose

In the life of Christ, everything was made subordinate to His work, the great work of redemption which He came to accomplish. And the same devotion, the same self-denial and sacrifice, the same subjection to the claims of the word of God, is to be manifest in His disciples.
Everyone who accepts Christ as his personal Saviour will long for the privilege of serving God. Contemplating what heaven has done for him, his heart is moved with boundless love and adoring gratitude. He is eager to signalize his gratitude by devoting his abilities to God's service. He longs to show his love for Christ and for His purchased possession. He covets toil, hardship, sacrifice.
The true worker for God will do his best, because in so doing he can glorify his Master. He will do right in order to regard the requirements of God. He will endeavor to improve all his faculties. He will perform every duty as unto God. His one desire will be that Christ may receive homage and perfect service.
There is a picture representing a bullock standing between a plow and an altar, with the inscription, "Ready for either," ready to toil in the furrow or to be offered on the altar of sacrifice. This is the position of the true child of God--willing to go where duty calls, to deny self, to sacrifice for the Redeemer's cause.

--The Ministry of Healing, pg. 502
(a manifesto for the coming year)

I posted this on facebook awhile back, but in case you've missed it:





From http://amazingdiscoveries.org/AD-Header-Pub-Journ-WNews-09.07.13-The-Michael-Jackson-Cover-Up-Part-1-and-2.html

The Christian life is not a modification or improvement of the old, but a transformation of nature. There is death to self and sin, and a new life altogether. This change can be brought about only by the effectual working of the Holy Spirit. --Desire of Ages, pg. 172

Stir Me!

Stir me, oh, stir me, Lord! I care not how.
But stir my heart in passion for the world.
Stir me to give, to go-but most to pray.
Stir till Thy blood-red banner be unfurled
O'er lands that still in heathen darkness lie
over deserts where no cross is lifted high.

Stir me, oh, stir me, Lord till all my heart.
Is filled with strong compassion for these souls.
Till Thy compelling “must” drive me to prayer.
Till Thy constraining love reach to the poles,
Far north and south, in burning, deep desire.
Till east and west are caught in love's great fire!

Stir me, oh, stir me, Lord, till prayer is pain.
Till prayer is joy-till prayer turns into praise!
Stir me till heart and mind and will-yea,
all is wholly Your, to use through all the days.
Stir till I learn to pray “exceedingly.”
Stir till I learn to wait expectantly.

Stir me, oh, stir me Lord! Thy heart was stirred.
By love's intense fire, till Thou did give
Your only Son, Thy best-beloved One.
Even to the dreadful cross that I might live.
Stir me to give myself so back to Thee
That Thou can give Thyself again through me.

Stir me, oh, stir me, Lord! For I can see.
Thy glorious triumph day begin to break.
The dawn already gilds the eastern sky.
Oh, church of Christ, arise! Awake! Awake!
Oh, stir us, Lord, as heralds of that day!
The night is past-our King is on His way!

Bessie Porter Head.

Alone with God

Sociability is good, but there may be too much of it. The instinct of gregariousness oftentimes leads us away from the solitude that is needed. Solitude is woven into every character truly strong. Not solitude with one's self alone. That may be in part profitable; but solely, it is a source of weakness. All that it may yield us is no better, stronger, higher, than ourselves.

Let the solitary moments be with God; for "God to man doth talk in solitude." Converse with Him connects us with the great fountain of life and power, a source-supply inexhaustible, and makes the soul a sprig of crystal sweetness, "whose waters fail not."

From the intro of Alone with God, by Matilda Erickson Andross

Thirsty?

God quenches our thirst better than lemonade on a hot sunny day.


A thirsty prayer:

Longing For God

1 O God, you are my God, and I long for you. My whole being desires you; like a dry, worn-out, and waterless land, my soul is thirsty for you. 2 Let me see you in the sanctuary; let me see how mighty and glorious you are.

3 Your constant love is better than life itself, and so I will praise you. 4 I will give you thanks as long as I live; I will raise my hands to you in prayer. 5 My soul will feast and be satisfied, and I will sing glad songs of praise to you. 6 As I lie in bed, I remember you; all night long I think of you,

7 because you have always been my help. In the shadow of your wings I sing for joy. 8 I cling to you, and your hand keeps me safe. 9 Those who are trying to kill me will go down into the world of the dead. 10 They will be killed in battle, and their bodies eaten by wolves. 11 Because God gives him victory, the king will rejoice. Those who make promises in God's name will praise him, but the mouths of liars will be shut.

Psalms 63

This is my prayer

"As we meditate upon the perfections of the Saviour, we shall desire to be wholly transformed, and renewed in the image of his purity. There will be a hungering and thirsting of soul to become like him whom we adore. The more our thoughts are upon Christ, the more we shall speak of him to others, and represent him to the world in the last days, pointing out the dangers that will threaten God's people."

Christian Education, 57

Happy Sabbath!

"For only a penny you can buy two sparrows, yet not one sparrow falls to the ground without your Father's consent. As for you, even the hairs on your head have all been counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth much more than many sparrows."

Not Live By Bread Alone by James Terry

If thou of fortune be bereft
And in thy store there be but left
Two loaves--sell one, and with the dole
Buy hyacinths to feed thy soul.


I came across this short poem today and I wanted to share it with you. I love how not only does it imply that our souls need soul food, but that soul food comes not only from the word of God, but from nature as well. How many times has a gentle wind blown through the entangled branches stirred my soul? How many times has a bold hued blossom made me contemplate the great works of His hand?

"God does not come to us in the abstract; He comes to us through flesh and blood. We do not initially fall in love with God as a principle; rather, we first fall in love with human beings whose lives radiate friendship with the divine. It is only then that we seek out God on our own."

--Taken from "Meditation in a Minor Key", a short story by Joseph L. Wheeler

Thought from our morning worship

"The children of God are those who are partakers of His nature. It is not earthly rank, nor birth, nor nationality, nor religious privilege, which proves that we are members of the family of God; it is love, a love that embraces all humanity. Even sinners whose hearts are not utterly closed to God's Spirit, will respond to kindness; while they may give hate for hate, they will also give love for love. But it is only the Spirit of God that gives love for hatred. To be kind to the unthankful and to the evil, to do good hoping for nothing again, is the insignia of the royalty of heaven, the sure token by which the children of the Highest reveal their high estate."

--Taken from Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, Ellen G. White, pg. 75.

"Many have fainted and become discouraged in the great struggle of life, whom one word of kindly courage would have strengthened to overcome. Never, never become heartless, cold, unsympathetic, and censorious. Never lose an opportunity to say a word to encourage and inspire hope. We cannot tell how far-reaching may be our tender words of kindness, our Christ-like efforts to lighten some burden. The erring can be restored in no other way than in the spirit of meekness, gentleness, and tender love.

Wouldst thou an erring soul redeem,
And lead a lost one back to God?
Wouldst thou a guardian angel seem
To one who long in guilt has trod?
Go kindly to him, take his hand,
With gentle words, within thine own,
And by his side a brother stand,
Till thou the demon sin dethrone.

Scorn not the guilty then, but plead
With him in kindest, gentlest mood,
And back the lost one thou mayst lead
To God, humanity, and good.
Thou art thyself but man, and thou
Art weak, perchance to fall as he;
Then mercy to the fallen show,
That mercy may be shown to thee."

--Testimonies for the Church Vol. 5, pg. 613.

"Why is it so hard to lead a self-denying, humble life? Because professed Christians are not dead to the world. It is easy living after we are dead. But many are longing for the leeks and onions of Egypt. They have a disposition to dress the part and act as much like the world as possible and yet go to heaven. Such climb up some other way. They do not enter through the strait and narrow way."

--Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 1, pg. 131

We have heard from the bright, the holy land;
We have heard, and our hearts are glad;
For we were a lonely pilgrim band,
And weary, and worn, and sad.
They tell us the saints have a dwelling there--
No longer are homeless ones;
And we know that the goodly land is fair,
Where life's pure river runs.

They say green fields are waving there,
That never a blight shall know;
And deserts wild are blooming fair,
And the roses of Sharon grow.
There are lovely birds in the bowers green,
Their songs are blithe and sweet;
And their warblings, gushing ever new,
The angels' harpings greet.

We have heard of the palms, the robes, the crowns,
And the silvery band in white;
Of the city fair, with pearly gates,
All radiant with light.
We have heard of the angels there, and saints,
With their harps of gold, how they sing;
Of the mount, with the fruitful tree of life,
Of the leaves that healing bring.

The King of that country, He is fair,
He's the joy and light of the place;
In His beauty we shall behold Him there,
And bask in His smiling face.
We'll be there, we'll be there in a little while,
We'll join the pure and the blest;
We'll have the palm, the robe, the crown,
And forever be at rest.

--Written by Brother Hyde, who was present during Ellen White's vision of the New Earth. Taken from Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 1, pg. 70.