That I May Know Him

Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. John 15:14. {TMK 296.1} Those who live in close fellowship with Christ will be promoted by Him to positions of trust. The servant who does the best he can for his Master is admitted to familiar intercourse with the One whose commands he loves to obey. In the faithful discharge of duty we may become one with Christ, for those who are obeying God...

But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. James 1:25. {TMK 295.1} At Dusseldorf we changed cars, [WRITTEN DURING A JOURNEY IN EUROPE.] and were obliged to wait two hours in the depot. Here we had an opportunity to study human nature. The ladies came in, changed their out...

The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. Psalm 19:7. {TMK 294.1} How wonderful in its simplicity, its comprehensiveness and perfection, is the law of Jehovah! In the purposes and dealings of God there are mysteries which the finite mind is unable to comprehend. . . . {TMK 294.2} But there is no mystery in the law of God. The fe...

If ye love me, keep my commandments. John 14:15. {TMK 293.1} Let this point be fully settled in every mind: If we accept Christ as a Redeemer we must accept Him as a Ruler. We cannot have the assurance, the perfect, confiding trust in Christ as our Saviour, until we acknowledge Him and are obedient to His commandments. Thus we evidence our allegiance to God. We have then the genuine ring in our fa...

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. John 15:10. {TMK 292.1} Some who claim to believe in Jesus Christ as their Saviour have said, "No one can keep the law." On this point the words of Christ are decisive. He states, "I have kept my Father's commandments." And He is our example in all things. . . . {TMK 292.2} I...

Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son. Colossians 1:12, 13. {TMK 291.1} Our future eternal happiness depends upon having our humanity, with all its capabilities and powers, brought into obedience to God and placed unde...

Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established. Proverbs 16:3. {TMK 290.1} Let us feel thankful that we have the privilege of committing our works to God. We are to remember that we are not pieces of inanimate mechanism, but intelligent beings, able to choose the right and refuse the wrong, with a clear conscience and a pure purpose. We are to aim at consistency in all our w...

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Matthew 5:17, 18. TMK 289.1 If Satan’s work had succeeded in heaven the law of God would have been changed, but this could not be, for His law was a transcript o...

Neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. Matthew 11:27. TMK 288.1 Jesus came to represent the character of God in living out the holy law of Jehovah. In every lesson He gave to His disciples and to the people He sought to define clearly its principles. By personal obedience to the law He invested the common duties of life with a holy significa...

For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. Hebrews 2:10. {TMK 287.1} Christ's invitation to us all is a call to a life of peace and rest--a life of liberty and love, and to a rich inheritance in the future immortal life. . . . We need not be alarmed if this path of libe...

I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not. Luke 22:32. {TMK 286.1} To every Christian comes the word that was addressed to Peter, "Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not" (Luke 22:31, 32). Thank God we are not left alone. This is our safety. Satan can never touch with eternal disaster one whom Christ has prepared for...

The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them. Psalm 145:18, 19. {TMK 285.1} I would call your attention to the precious promises in the Word of God. All who are children of God have not the same powers, the same temperaments, the same confidence and boldness. I...

He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. Hebrews 13:5, 6. {TMK 284.1} We must fight every day, every hour, the good fight of faith. You will meet with many trials, but if you bear them patiently they will refine and purify, ennoble and elevate you spiritually. . . . Very great troubles...

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Corinthians 12:9. TMK 283.1 Through all my sickness the last eight months,*Written during Ellen White's long illness in Australia. I have had during my sleepless hours the most precious contempla...

lessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. James 1:12. {TMK 282.1} In seasons of temptation we seem to lose sight of the fact that God tests us that our faith may be tried and be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus. The Lord places us in different positions to...

Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you. Hosea 10:12. {TMK 281.1} Let every church member consider the breaking up of the fallow ground, the careful cleansing of the soil, and the depositing and harrowing of the seed, which is the laborious work of the husbandman. It is a rough and...

I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me; thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God. Psalm 40:17. TMK 280.1 Do not let your great need discourage you. The Saviour of sinners, the Friend of the friendless, with compassion infinitely greater than that of a tender mother for a loved and afflicted child, is inviting, “Look unto me, and be ye saved” (Isaiah 45:22). “He was...

My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. James 1:2-4. {TMK 279.1} The Word does not say that we are to count it all joy when we fall under temptation, but when we fall into temptation. It is not necessary to fall under...

It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes. Psalm 119:71. {TMK 278.1} We must not think when we are afflicted that the anger of the Lord is upon us. God brings us into trials in order that we may be drawn near to Him. The psalmist says, "Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all" (Psalm 34:19). He does not desire us to...

That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:7. {TMK 277.1} Let us believe in Jesus, trusting Him implicitly, although we may be tried as by fire. . . . We may love Christ more and increase our capacity for loving Him by contemplating and...

For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried. Psalm 66:10. {TMK 276.1} Untried character is not reliable. We are to be tried by temptation in order that we may learn to seek wisdom from God and to flee to the stronghold in time of trouble. He alone will be successful in resisting temptation who finds help and grace from God. Individually we stand as did our first parents...

Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you. John 15:20. TMK 275.1 What will the human agent do to have the privilege of cooperating with God? Will he forsake all that he has rather than forsake Christ? ... Will he suffer persecution for the truth's sake? Reproach and persecution have separated many soul...

And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long. Psalm 35:28. {TMK 274.1} While I was in England, one day there was a great parade in the streets. It was the Queen's Jubilee. Everyone was talking about it. The shop windows were filled with her pictures, and all were extolling the queen of England. Could we have taken from the shop windows the pictures of the queen...

It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: to shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night. Psalm 92:1, 2. {TMK 273.1} When the truth is appreciated, . . . we have a sense of the great mercy and loving-kindness of God. While we review not the dark chapters in our experience to complain, but the manifestations o...

Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Psalm 62:8. {TMK 272.1} A deep sense of our need and a great desire for the things for which we ask must characterize our prayers, else they will not be heard. But we are not to become weary and cease our petitions because the answer is not immediately received. "The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence,...