Even Demons Know

Demons know who Jesus is and believe His word. Can we say the same thing?

“When He had come to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way. And suddenly they cried out, saying, ‘What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?’ ” Matthew 8:28, 29

“Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

“Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, saying, ‘Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!’

“But Jesus rebuked him, saying, ‘Be quiet, and come out of him!’ And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him.” Mark 1:21–26

“Satan is the god of the world; his influence is to pervert the senses, control the human mind for evil, and drive his victims to violence and crime. He sows discord and darkens the intellect. The work of Christ is to break his power over the children of men. Yet how many in every department of life, in the home, in business transactions, and in the church, turn Jesus from their doors but let the hateful monster in.” The Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 2, 317

“You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!” James 2:19

We are sinful, evil by nature. Alone, we have no desire to put Satan out of our lives. But if we study the word of God and pray for Him to give us the willingness to believe and the power to act upon that belief, then we will come off more than conquerors, with Satan thrown out of our lives as surely as his minions were from those the Bible tells us about.

“Jesus knows the circumstances of every soul. He turns no weeping, contrite one away. He does not tell to anyone all that He might reveal, but He bids every trembling soul take courage. Freely will He pardon all who come to Him for forgiveness and restoration.” The Signs of the Times, October 25, 1905

“It is faith that connects us with heaven and brings us strength for coping with the powers of darkness. In Christ, God has provided means for subduing every sinful trait and resisting every temptation, however strong. But many feel that they lack faith, and therefore they remain away from Christ. Let these souls, in their helpless unworthiness, cast themselves upon the mercy of their compassionate Saviour. Look not to self, but to Christ. He who healed the sick and cast out demons when He walked among men is the same mighty Redeemer today. Faith comes by the word of God. Then grasp His promise, ‘Him that cometh to Me I will in nowise cast out.’ Cast yourself at His feet with the cry, ‘Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief.’ ” Ibid., January 20, 1904

Let this be our prayer:

Dear Lord, I come to You with a humbled heart to ask for Your transforming power to change my life.

Giant Troubles

“Then David said to Saul, ‘Let no man’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.’

“And Saul said to David, ‘You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. …’

“Moreover David said, ‘The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.’ And Saul said to David, ‘Go, and the Lord be with you!’ ” 1 Samuel 17:32, 33, and 37

We all know the outcome of that battle.

“ ‘You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.’ ” Verses 45, 46

We all know the outcome of that battle—a young boy, a slingshot, a stone, and a confident reliance on God that could not be swayed by size, force, or violence.

Sometimes we have troubles. The Bible says that we will. And sometimes they feel like giant troubles, too big for us to handle. But just as Goliath was no match for David and his reliance on God, your giant troubles can be overcome when you place your full reliance upon God.

God does not always remove our giants, but He does promise to always help us overcome them.

Corrie ten Boom tells of a time when she and her sister Betsie—imprisoned in a German concentration camp for hiding Jews in their home—had been thrown into a pit. While in this pit, Corrie remarked that the pit was very deep. Betsie replied, “There is no pit so deep that He is not deeper still.”

Source: jenniferdukeslee.com/deeperstill

It doesn’t matter how deeply you have sunk in sin; how big your debts might be; what personal hell you may be living in, if you want Jesus Christ in your life, if you want to have complete confidence that He always keeps His promise to help you, He will be there for you.

No mountain is so high but God is higher still; nowhere so deep but God is deeper still.

“Come to God just as you are, and let Him heal all your infirmities. Press your case to the throne of grace; let the work be thorough. Be sincere in dealing with God and your own soul. If you come to Him with a heart truly contrite, He will give you the victory.” God’s Amazing Grace, 87

Jubilee

“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.” The Review and Herald, February 11, 1890

The Royal Jubilee is the celebration of a significant milestone in a British monarch’s reign. The Silver Jubilee marks 25 years, Ruby is 40, Golden is 50, Diamond is 60, and Platinum is 70 years. Monarchs rarely lived long enough to reach most of these milestones, but since the early 1800s there have been two: Queen Victoria and her granddaughter, Queen Elizabeth.

Mrs. White’s reference to the Queen’s Jubilee is regarding the June 1887 Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria. She ruled from 1837 to 1901—64 years—the longest reign of any British monarch, until Elizabeth celebrated her Platinum Jubilee in June 2022. Elizabeth would reign for an additional three months until her death on September 8, 2022.

The Royal Jubilee is marked by celebration throughout the Commonwealth—banquets, parades through London, visiting dignitaries, and firework displays. The British public is invited to join in the celebration, lining the streets and cheering for their monarch. It is estimated that $1.4 million was spent on Queen Elizabeth’s Jubilee and that over a million of England’s citizenry participated in the event.

“If men can make so much ado over the Queen’s Jubilee, if they can manifest so much enthusiasm over a finite being, can we not speak to the glory of the Prince of Life, who is so soon to come in majesty to take His weary, worn followers to Himself … ?” Ibid.

Hark! The Jubilee is sounding
O the joyful news is come,
Free salvation is proclaimed
In and through God’s only Son.
Now we have an invitation,
To the meek and lowly Lamb,
Glory, honor, and salvation,
Christ the Lord is come to reign.
Now let each one cease from sinning,

Come and follow Christ the Way;
We shall all receive a blessing,
If from Him we do not stray;
Golden moments we’ve neglected,
O the time we’ve spent in vain.
Glory, honor, and salvation;
Christ the Lord is come to reign.

Come, dear children, praise your Jesus,
Praise Him, praise Him evermore.
May His great love now constrain us,
His great name for to adore:
O then let us join together,
Crowns of glory to obtain,
Glory, honor, and salvation;
Christ the Lord is come to reign.

Hymns and Spiritual Songs for the use of Christians, 1803

We Are Not Alone

It was October, 1938. The big question burned even then, almost 100 years ago, “Are we alone in the universe?” In those days, families would gather around the radio in the evening after supper to listen to The Mercury Theatre on the Air program—and others like it—that included an evening of music and news reports.

Orson Welles, a Hollywood actor and director, had adapted H. G. Wells’ novel The War of the Worlds to be broadcast on October 30, where he and other actors would perform the adaptation in a live radio broadcast.

The episode began with a clear introduction that what they were about to hear was based on a work of science fiction. The episode then proceeded to its regular programing of live music. The music was occasionally interrupted by news bulletins. These bulletins were fairly forgettable until a report came through that an unknown object had fallen from the sky on a farm in Grovers Mill, New Jersey. From there the live production escalated as it was reported that creatures were emerging from what was then being called an alien spacecraft. Then reports came in of more invaders in Manhattan, New York, saying that citizens were fleeing from the alien war machines as they released poisonous clouds of smoke. The production was so realistic that many in the listening audience, all across America, believed it to be a real “Martian invasion” in spite of the repeated notices throughout the production that it was fiction.

Source: Wikipedia.org/wiki/The-War-of-the-Worlds-(1938-radio-drama)

As Christians, we can with confidence answer the question “Are we alone in the universe?” The Bible tells us that we are not alone, that there are other inhabited worlds out there, but they are not Martians as described or made up in man’s fiction.

These other worlds and those who inhabit them are of God’s creation and though they do not visit our world, they are spectators in the great controversy between God and Satan.

But more than knowing that there are other inhabited worlds, we also know that we are never alone because our gracious, heavenly Father is ever with us.

“We are never alone. Whether we choose Him or not, we have a Companion. Remember that wherever you are, whatever you do, God is there.” The Ministry of Healing, 490

“Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me.” Psalm 139:7–10

“We can never find a solitude where God is not.” The Signs of the Times, July 14, 1881

“Never feel that Christ is far away. He is always near. His loving presence surrounds you.” The Faith I Live By, 62

“Even if we are compelled to stand apparently alone, we are not alone, for Christ is with us to encourage and strengthen and bless us. He is acquainted with every desire of your heart, with every purpose of your soul. He says, ‘I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you’ (John 14:18). Let us believe that God will do just as He has promised.” That I May Know Him, 203

Thank you, Father, that we can rest in the knowledge that You are but a breath or prayer away. With humbled and grateful hearts, we praise You as we are bound to Your side once again, with “ties that can never be broken.”

Longing to See the Light

At the end of June 2018, a soccer coach and his 12 players in Thailand went into the Tham Luang Nang Non cave for an hour-long excursion after practice. They took a rope, a flashlight, and some batteries. The young men ranged in age from 11–16, and their coach was just 25 years old. Their adventure was meant to be of short duration so they did not prepare for a long trip. But as it turned out, it became an 18-day nightmare when the entrance to the cave unexpectedly flooded due to monsoon rains and they were trapped with no food or warm clothing. The oxygen in the cave began to run low and eventually the light from the flashlight went out. They kept themselves alive only by drinking fresh water that dripped from stalactites in the cave.

Ultimately, over the course of three days—July 8, 9, and 10—all of the boys and their coach were rescued. During their rescue each boy was led out of the cave by two experienced divers: one leading the way and the other following behind. They emerged from the cave hungry and cold, but safe and longing to see the light.

This brought to mind the scripture found in John 8:12, where Jesus said, “ ‘I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.’ ”

We live in a world of darkness and sin—a darkness so deep that sometimes it is impossible to believe that we will ever see the light again.

“A large number of precious souls are groping in darkness, yet longing and weeping and praying for light.” Counsels to Writers and Editors, 65

“Light means revelation, and the light is to shine amid moral darkness. … Apart from Christ there is no light at all. There need not be a cloud between the soul and Jesus. … His great heart of love is longing to flood the soul with the bright beams of His righteousness.” Lift Him Up, 221

Dear Father, as Your people, You have given us great light and the opportunity to take truth and life to a world in darkness. Help us to be faithful to that charge.

Stand Firm

The Caliga “was a heavy-duty, thick-soled openwork boot, with hobnailed soles” worn by low-ranking Roman soldiers and cavalrymen. They are similar to the cleats we see today on the athletic shoes worn by baseball and football players. These hobnailed-soled sandals were designed to provide optimal grip and foot support. The sandal was secured to the foot by straps that crisscrossed and tied above the ankle, often up the calf to the knee. Not only did the sandal provide sure-footedness, but they made a horrific noise. Imagine the thunderous sound made by the thousands of feet as the Roman legions marched toward their enemy.

Lorica segmentata was the most common armor of the Roman army. It consisted of metal plates that overlapped one another, using leather straps to secure it around the soldier’s torso, covering the shoulders, chest, stomach, and back. A later form of armor the Lorica hamata or mail armor, was made using iron or bronze rings linked together, alternating closed washer-like rings with riveted rings. This made the armor very flexible, reliable, and strong. Mail armor was worn like a shirt and covered the torso from mid-back and down the front, often to the thighs. With proper maintenance, this armor could be used for several decades. Both of these types of armor were effective in repelling arrows and other sharp tools of war.

The scutum shield was used by soldiers of ancient Rome. A large, semi-cylindrical shield, rectangular in shape, with a hand-hold in the center, the shield surrounded the soldier, from approximately the shoulders to the knees (about 37”–42” tall).

The Cassis (combat helmet) was made of iron that covered the head, cheeks, and sometimes with a strip of iron fashioned to cover the nose.

In combat, Roman soldiers carried a long, double-edged sword (either a Gladius or Spatha), a Pugio dagger (a large, leaf-shaped dagger) and either a spear (Hasta) or javelin (Pilum).

Sources: Wikipedia.org/wiki/Caligae; Wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_military_personal_equipment; Wikipedia.org/wiki/Late_Roman_ridge_helmet

Standing firm in a fight, dressed in the armor that can save your life, can be the difference between winning and losing a battle.

It is the same in spiritual warfare.

“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Ephesians 6:13–17

“Our battle will not be with men, although it may appear so; we war ‘not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against wicked spirits in high places.’ …

“To every soul will come the searching test, Shall I obey God rather than man? The decisive hour is even at hand. Satan is putting forth his utmost efforts in a last despairing struggle against Christ and His followers. In this closing scene, false teachers are employing every possible device to stimulate the hardened sinner in his rebellious daring, to confirm the questioning, the doubting, the unbelieving, and by misrepresentation and falsehood to deceive, if it were possible, the very elect.

“Who are prepared to stand firmly under the banner on which is inscribed, ‘The commandments of God and the faith of Jesus’?” The Signs of the Times, February 22, 1910

“Do not fear to stand firm for the right under any and all circumstances. Do not think it uncourteous to meet with a decided ‘No,’ those who would suggest evil thoughts, or would urge you to any act which God would not approve.

“ ‘When sinners entice thee, consent thou not.’ Do they sneeringly call you a coward, tell them that if it is cowardly to fear to do wrong, then you are a coward.” Ibid., August 23, 1883

“God wants everyone to stand with the whole armor on, ready for the great review.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 20, 263

“We must put on every piece of the armor, and then stand firm. The Lord has honored us by choosing us as His soldiers. Let us fight bravely for Him, maintaining the right in every transaction. Rectitude in all things is essential to the welfare of the soul. As you strive for the victory over your own inclinations, He will help you by His Holy Spirit to be circumspect in every action, that you may give no occasion for the enemy to speak evil of the truth. Put on as your breastplate that divinely protected righteousness which it is the privilege of all to wear. This will protect your spiritual life.” The Youth’s Instructor, September 12, 1901

I’ve Waited My Whole Life

I turned to him and said, “I’ve waited my whole life to meet you.” It was 2003, and I was visiting a popular theme park for the first time. Standing there between the park’s two most famous characters to have my picture taken, I felt something was happening that I would remember forever.

And I have remembered it, and though I do remember how I felt in that moment, I now see the experience in light of something far more important.

Recently, what I said that day back in 2003 came to my mind, and I thought, there is a day coming when I should be able to look up and say to our returning Lord, “I’ve waited my whole life to meet You.”

I wish that I could meet Jesus with those words, but sadly, I—maybe you, too—have spent too much of my life involved in, busy with, enamored by the world. It was not my life’s work, early on, to develop the relationship with Jesus that would result in the formation of the character needed to meet Him on that not-so-distant morning.

There are no do-overs in this life. Time wasted with worldly things is time lost, never to be recovered, leaving less time to spend with Jesus. I have a picture of me with that theme park character, but am I ready to meet Jesus when He comes? We all have something that is part of this world that is special to us—a job, a home, family, friends, sports, internet games, social media, a picture with someone famous, or even being famous—but are we working toward the one thing we need most, a perfected character?

“If we would at last share the reward of the righteous, we must wisely improve the time of our probation. Moments are more precious than gold. …

“The coming of the Lord draweth nigh. We have but a little time in which to make ready. … We need a close connection with God. We are not safe a moment unless guided and controlled by the Holy Spirit. …

“Life, with its marvelous privileges and opportunities, will soon be ended. The time for improvement in character will be past. …

“Life is short. The things of the world must perish with the using. Let us be wise, and build for eternity. We cannot afford to idle away our precious moments, or engage in busy activities that will bring forth no fruit for eternity. Let the time hitherto devoted to idleness, frivolity, worldliness, be spent in gaining a knowledge of the Scriptures, in beautifying our life … .” Our High Calling, 187

“God has not revealed to us the time when this message [the third angel’s] will close, or when probation will have an end. …

“When Jesus rises up in the most holy place, and lays off His mediatorial garments, and clothes Himself with the garments of vengeance in place of the priestly attire, the work for sinners will be done. …

“The case of every soul will have been decided. …

“We have no time to lose. We know not how soon our probation may close. … Christ is soon to come.

“When probation ends, it will come suddenly, unexpectedly—at a time when we are least expecting it. But we can have a clean record in heaven today, and know that God accepts us; and finally, if faithful, we shall be gathered into the kingdom of heaven.” The Faith I Live By, 215

Lord, help us to see our desperate need of Your transforming power. Give us a sense of urgency, to be made ready for heaven.

On Being Perfect

The Bible tells us that God has a standard of perfection that those who would be ready for heaven will attain. I used to qualify anything I said about what that standard is by saying that we don’t know what it is because so many people have a huge problem with the idea that we can reach perfection in this life. But God knows exactly what that standard is and He promises that we will reach it.

So what is it? It’s been right in front of us the whole time—the life of Jesus Christ. Plain and simple, Jesus lived a perfect life and this is the life we are told that we are to live in the same way and by the same power that He did.

The law of God is our standard and Jesus came to this world, the embodiment of the law, perfectly obeying it, and seeking always to do the will of the Father. His life was an example for us to follow in our own lives.

“If you would have beauty and loveliness of character, the divine law must be written upon the heart and carried out in the life.” Conflict and Courage, 26

Someone might say that it would be impossible for us to live a life like Jesus. And they’d be right if we had to achieve it alone, but we don’t.

“Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6

“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror, for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.” James 1:22–25

If the law of God is written on our hearts, then everything we do and say will be a reflection of it, an outworking of that principle of righteousness which we do not have, but God promises to give.

“True beauty of character is not something that shines out only on special occasions; the grace of Christ dwelling in the soul is revealed under all circumstances. He who cherishes this grace as an abiding presence in the life will reveal beauty in character under trying as well as under easy circumstances. In the home, in the world, in the church, we are to live the life of Christ. There are souls all around in need of conversion. When the law of God is written upon the heart, and is witnessed to in a holy character, those who know not the power of the grace of Christ will be led to desire it, and will be converted.” Our Father Cares, 298

“As in water face reflects face, so a man’s heart reveals the man.” Proverbs 27:19

Dear Father, may we, by Your grace and power, work for that perfection of character that You require and promise to give.

Keys to the Storehouse – The Love of God

The Love of God

Years ago, when the Steps to Life ministry first began, it was my privilege to be a part of the Bible study program that still airs on television here in the local Wichita area every Sunday morning. At that time, I would sing a short song of appeal at the end of each program. Pastor Marshall Grosboll presented the Bible study in those days, and he had two songs that were his favorites: The Choice is Mine and The Love of God.

He used The Choice is Mine frequently for the Bible study program, but The Love of God was a favorite to close his Sabbath morning sermons. It was not unusual for him to preach a lengthy sermon and then announce that I would now sing The Love of God. My silent response was typically, “I will?” because I rarely knew I would be singing until he said so. But this song has such a beautiful message.

The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell;
It goes beyond the highest star,
And reaches to the lowest hell;

This reminds me of what David said in Psalm 139:7–10: “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me.”

The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled,
And pardoned from his sin.

 No matter where you’ve been. No matter what you’ve done, reconciliation, pardon, and restoration are available to the one who comes to Him in repentance and complete surrender.

“It is the work of conversion and sanctification to reconcile men to God by bringing them into accord with the principles of His law. … Through the merits of Christ he can be restored to harmony with his Maker. His heart must be renewed by divine grace; he must have a new life from above. This change is the new birth … .

“The law reveals to man his sins, but it provides no remedy. While it promises life to the obedient, it declares that death is the portion of the transgressor. The gospel of Christ alone can free him from the condemnation or the defilement of sin. He must exercise repentance toward God, whose law has been transgressed … .

“In the new birth, the heart is brought into harmony with God, as it is brought into accord with His law. When this mighty change has taken place in the sinner, he has passed from death unto life, from sin unto holiness, from transgression and rebellion to obedience and loyalty. …

“… The followers of Christ are to become like Him—by the grace of God to form characters in harmony with the principles of His holy law. This is Bible sanctification.” A New Life, 11–13

Oh, love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure—
The saints’ and angels’ song.

 “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38, 39

Dear God, we thank You that Your love is forever true and that Your desire is for us all to reflect Your image once again.

To Whom Am I Related?

While surfing the internet recently, I came across an article titled “All Blue-eyed People on Earth Share the Same Ancestor.” I was curious, so I clicked in to see who this ancestor might be. This is what I read:

“A group of scientists at the University of Copenhagen has determined that all blue-eyed people share one common ancestor from 6,000-10,000 years ago. ‘Originally, we all had brown eyes,’ explains Professor Hans Eiberg from the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine. ‘But a genetic mutation affecting the OCA2 gene in our chromosomes resulted in the creation of a “switch,” which literally “turned off” the ability to produce brown eyes. While this “switch” does not shut down the gene completely in blue-eyed people, … it does limit the production of melanin in the iris until brown eyes become blue.’

“Professor Eiberg and his team reached this conclusion after comparing the amount of melanin present in brown and green eyes with that in blue eyes. They found that the latter contains only a small amount of variation of melanin. ‘From this, we can conclude that all blue-eyed people are linked to the same ancestor.’ Eiberg continues. ‘They have all inherited the same switch at exactly the same spot in their DNA.’ This study began in 1996 and was conducted across a large number of blue-eyed individuals in Europe as well as in the Middle East, including Turkey and Jordan.

“Ultimately, this mutation doesn’t appear to affect anything other than the color of one’s eyes.”

Source: mymodernmet.com/are-all-blue-eyed-people-related

Of course, the Bible tells us we all have two ancestors in common—Adam and Noah. We also know from the Bible that our ancestors only go back 6,000 years. Sin, however, has had an effect on the world for these thousands of years, so man traveling throughout the world would have had to adapt to many new things—climate, environmental conditions, etc.

But then I got to thinking. It doesn’t really matter if we all had the same complexion or even the same facial features. It doesn’t matter if we all had the same color hair and eyes at some point in history. And it doesn’t matter that today we have a wide variation in facial features, skin, hair, and eye color.

What matters is what God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness … . So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” Genesis 1:26, first part, 27

My earthly ancestry may be traced back through Noah to Adam, but through my true ancestry, I am connected all the way back to God. Sin separates me from Him, but I can choose to allow Him to heal me from my sin, and once again restore His image in me. That image reflects the law of God written in my heart, and allows the world to see Jesus through me. My life will be as His was on this earth. My purpose will be to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to everyone I meet, in every way I know how.

“The giving of the gospel to the world is the work that God has committed to those who bear His name. For earth’s sin and misery the gospel is the only antidote. To make known to all mankind the message of the grace of God is the first work of those who know its healing power.” The Ministry of Healing, 141

Lord, make us new, so that we are fit to complete this work in Your name.