That I May Know Him

For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands. O Lord, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep. Psalm 92:4, 5. {TMK 146.1} The scenery through which we passed [ELLEN WHITE IS HERE DESCRIBING A CARRIAGE JOURNEY IN SWITZERLAND.] was altogether too majestic, too awfully grand, to give anything like a description that can compare to the sc...

For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else. Isaiah 45:18. TMK 145.1 Through the goodness of God we have been surrounded with innumerable blessings. There are tokens of His love on every hand. Nature seems to be rejoicing before...

And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. Genesis 1:31. {TMK 144.1} God does not design that we shall take no pleasure in the things of His creation. . . . He watches with a Father's joy the delight of His children in the beautiful things around them. While on earth the Redeemer of the world sought to make His lessons of instruction plain and simple, that all might c...

Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. . . . The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. Psalm 121:4-7. {TMK 143.1} July 16, 1897. I awakened this morning at three o'clock and lifted my heart in prayer and thanksgiving to God for His watchful care over the household. I pray the L...

Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. 1 Peter 1:8. {TMK 142.1} He [Christ] says, "If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be fu...

Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things. Proverbs 8:6. {TMK 141.1} I ask that the Holy Spirit shall control my thoughts through the day. I plead for wisdom in judgment, clearness of brain, and understanding, that I may see the treasures in the Word of God and bring out the precious truth in the simplest language. Thus did the greatest Teacher th...

My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit. . . . My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live. Job 27:4-6. {TMK 140.1} We should preserve the strictest chastity in thought, and word, and deportment. Let us remember that God sets our secret sins in the light of His countenance. There are thoughts and feelings suggested a...

Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously. 1 Peter 2:22, 23. {TMK 139.1} ] The highest evidence of nobility in a Christian is self-control. We should copy the example of Jesus, for when He was reviled, He reviled not again, but "committed himself to hi...

There is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. Psalm 139:4. {TMK 138.1} Every hour of the day we should realize that the Lord is near, that He sees all we do, and hears every word we utter. . . . Cheap, earthly, unchristian words may be represented as "strange fire," and with this God can have nothing to do. The loud, boisterous laugh is a denial of God in the soul,...

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. Colossians 3:17. TMK 137.1 Men are greatly under the influence of their own words. You are not conscious how much you are affected by your words. You accustom yourself to speak in a certain way, and your thoughts and actions follow your words. One accustoms himself to assert cert...

His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. Song of Solomon 5:16. {TMK 136.1} We should bring the attractiveness of Christ into our Christian service. The soft beams of the Sun of Righteousness should shine into our hearts, that we may be pleasant and cheerful and have a strong and blessed influence on all around us. The truth of Jesus Christ does not tend to gloom and sadness. . . . We...

Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:13. TMK 135.1 “Gird up the loins of your mind,” says the apostle; then control your thoughts, not allowing them to have full scope. The thoughts may be guarded and controlled by your own determined efforts. Think right thoughts and you wi...

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Philippians 2:5. {TMK 134.1} How glorious are the possibilities set before the fallen race! Through His Son, God has revealed the excellency to which man is capable of attaining. Through the merits of Christ man is lifted from his depraved state, purified, and made more precious than the golden wedge of Ophir. It is possible for him to becom...

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. John 15:5. TMK 133.1 Said Christ, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.” “I am the vine, ye are the branches.” “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring f...

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. John 15:4. TMK 132.1 “Abide in me” are words of great significance. Abiding in Christ means a living, earnest, refreshing faith that works by love and purifies the soul. It means a constant receiving of the spirit of Christ, a life of unreserved surrender to His...

The Science of Holiness, May 5 To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints. 1 Thessalonians 3:13. TMK 131.1 The ethics inculcated by the gospel acknowledge no standard but the perfection of God's mind, God's will. God requires from His creatures conformity to His will. Imperfection of charact...

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Matthew 5:48. {TMK 130.1} Christ presents before us the highest perfection of Christian character, which throughout our lifetime we should aim to reach. . . . Concerning this perfection Paul writes: "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after. . . . I press toward the mark for the...

As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Colossians 2:6, 7. {TMK 129.1} If ever there was a time when those who claim to be Christians should be all that the name comprehends, it is now. Are we following Christ in very reality? . . . This is an indivi...

I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called. Ephesians 4:1. TMK 128.1 Christ demands that those who take His name honor that name in spirit and word and deportment. In thought, word, and deed they are to be Christlike. Those who claim to be Christians and yet do not reveal in the life the virtues of Christ’s character bear witness...

Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the Lord. Psalm 144:15. {TMK 127.1} I will thank the Lord my God for His great goodness and mercy and love expressed to the human family. I am impressed we should cultivate cheerfulness; and what does this do? It reveals to the world the peace and comfort that it is our privilege to claim. It is not honoring our...

Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord. Jeremiah 9:23, 24. {TMK 126.1...

My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. Psalm 34:2. {TMK 125.1} He {the true Christian} realizes that an infinite sacrifice has been made for him, and that his life is of inestimable value through the merits of Jesus' blood, intercession, and righteousness. But while he comprehends the exalted privileges of the sons of God, his soul is filled with humi...

The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way. Psalm 25:9. {TMK 124.1} Anything like pride in learning and dependence upon scientific knowledge which you place between your soul and the word of the Bible will most effectually close the door of your heart to the sweet, humble religion of the meek and lowly Jesus. . . . {TMK 124.2} It is the humble in heart that receive the...

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. 1 Peter 5:6. TMK 123.1 All heaven enters into copartnership 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...

Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. Isaiah 57:15. TMK 122.1 The grace of humility should be cherished by every one who names the name of Christ, for self-exaltation can find no place...