It is one thing to read, it is another to decide to believe, act when belief says act, and rest and trust when belief says rest in and trust upon.

"By looking constantly to Jesus, from morn till eve, with the eye of faith, we shall be strengthened. God will make the most precious revelations to His hungering, thirsting people. They will find that Christ is a personal Savior. They feed upon His word, for it is spirit and life. This word kills the natural, earthly nature, and a new life in Christ Jesus is created. The Holy Spirit comes as a Comforter to them. Love takes the place of hatred, and the heart receives the mold of the divine similitude. The image of Christ is reproduced in the human agent, and by the transforming efficacy of the grace of Christ he becomes a new creature. "As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:12, 13). This is the new birth.  {10MR 166.1}

By looking constantly to Jesus, from morn till eve, with the eye of faith, we shall be strengthened.

God will make the most precious revelations to His hungering, thirsting people.

They will find that Christ is a personal Savior.

They feed upon His word, for it is spirit and life. This word kills the natural, earthly nature, and a new life in Christ Jesus is created.

The Holy Spirit comes as a Comforter to them.

Love takes the place of hatred, and the heart receives the mold of the divine similitude.

The image of Christ is reproduced in the human agent, and by the transforming efficacy of the grace of Christ he becomes a new creature.

"As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:12, 13).

This is the new birth.  {10MR 166.1}

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Look up these Bible texts in SOP, find the explanations then just do it. Jesus will lift the load with His OWN HANDS, for your name is engraved in the palms of those hands, your name is upon the jeweled breastplate over His heart,....... the thorn scars upon and within His brow whisper your name continually ..... you are never absent from His mind.

Matthew 16:24  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Mark 8:34  And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Mark 10:21  Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

Luke 9:23  And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

A cross in SOP ='s what  ?  lifting that cross ='s what ?   ( SOP says )

What are idols ?  Jesus pointed to the rich young ruler's idol. 

"A union with Christ by living faith is enduring; every other union must perish. Christ first chose us, paying an infinite price for our redemption; and the true believer chooses Christ as first and last and best in everything. But this union costs us something. It is a union of utter dependence, to be entered into by a proud being. All who form this union must feel their need of the atoning blood of Christ. They must have a change of heart. They must submit their own will to the will of God. There will be a struggle with outward and internal obstacles. There must be a painful work of detachment as well as a work of attachment. Pride, selfishness, vanity, worldliness--sin in all its forms--must be overcome if we would enter into a union with Christ. The reason why many find the Christian life so deplorably hard, why they are so fickle, so variable, is that they try to attach themselves to Christ without first detaching themselves from these cherished idols. {NL 46.1}  

     After the union with Christ has been formed, it can be preserved only by earnest prayer and untiring effort. We must resist, we must deny, we must conquer self. Through the grace of Christ, by courage, by faith, by watchfulness, we may gain the victory. [TESTIMONIES, VOL. 5, PP. 228-231.] {NL 46.2} "

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Come to Jesus, and receive rest and peace. You may have the blessing even now. Satan suggests that you are helpless and cannot bless yourself. It is true; you are helpless. But lift up Jesus before him: "I have a risen Saviour. In Him I trust, and He will never suffer me to be confounded. In His name I triumph. He is my righteousness and my crown of rejoicing." Let no one here feel that his case is hopeless, for it is not. You may see that you are sinful and undone, but it is just on this account that you need a Saviour. If you have sins to confess, lose no time. These moments are golden. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" 1 John 1:9. Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness will be filled, for Jesus has promised it. Precious Saviour! His arms are open to receive us, and His great heart of love is waiting to bless us. {CCh 48.4}

Some seem to feel that they must be on probation and must prove to the Lord that they are reformed, before they can claim His blessing. But these dear souls may claim the blessing even now. They must have His grace, the Spirit of Christ, to help their infirmities, or they cannot form a Christian character. Jesus loves to have us come to Him, just as we aresinful, helpless, dependent. {CCh 48.5}

Repentance, as well as forgiveness, is the gift of God through Christ. It is through the influence of the Holy Spirit that we are convicted of sin and feel our need of pardon. None but the contrite are forgiven; but it is the grace of God that makes the heart penitent. He is acquainted with all our weaknesses and infirmities, and He will help us. {CCh 49.1}

Some who come to God by repentance and confession, and even believe that their sins are forgiven, still fail of claiming, as they should, the promises of God. They do not see that Jesus is an ever-present Saviour; and they are not ready to commit the keeping of their souls to Him, relying upon Him to perfect the work of grace begun in their hearts. While they think they are committing themselves to God, there is a great deal of self-dependence. There are conscientious souls that trust partly to God and partly to themselves. They do not look to God, to be kept by His power, but depend upon watchfulness against temptation and the performance of certain duties for acceptance with Him. There are no victories in this kind of faith. Such persons toil to no purpose; their souls are in continual bondage, and they find no rest until their burdens are laid at the feet of Jesus. {CCh 49.2}

There is need of constant watchfulness and of earnest, loving devotion, but these will come naturally when the soul is kept by the power of God through faith. We can do nothing, absolutely nothing, to commend ourselves to divine favor. We must not trust at all to ourselves or to our good works; but when as erring, sinful beings we come to Christ, we may find rest in His love. God will accept every one that comes to Him trusting wholly in the merits of a crucified Saviour. Love springs up in the heart. There may be no ecstasy of feeling, but there is an abiding, peaceful trust. Every burden is light; for the yoke which Christ imposes is easy. Duty becomes a delight, and sacrifice a pleasure. The path that before seemed shrouded in darkness becomes bright with beams from the Sun of Righteousness. This is walking in the light as Christ is in the light. 11 {CCh 49.3}

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 The Lord will not leave his afflicted, tried children to be the sport of Satan's temptations. It is our privilege to trust in Jesus.

The heavens are full of rich blessings, and it is our privilege to have the joy of Christ in us that our joy may be full.

We have not because we ask not, or because we do not pray in faith, believing that we shall be blessed with the special influence of the Holy Spirit.

To the true seeker through the mediation of Christ the gracious influences of the Holy Spirit are imparted in order that the receiver may impart a knowledge of saving truth.

Why do we not believe the plain "Thus saith the Lord"? Do not cease to pray under any circumstances.

The spirit may be willing but the flesh may be weak, but Jesus knows all about that.

In your weakness you are not to be anxious; for anxiety means doubt and distrust.

You are simply to believe that Christ is able to save unto the uttermost all who come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for us.

What does intercession comprehend?--It is the golden chain which binds finite man to the throne of the infinite God.

The human agent whom Christ has died to save importunes the throne of God, and his petition is taken up by Jesus, who has purchased him with his own blood.

Our great High Priest places his righteousness on the side of the sincere suppliant, and the prayer of Christ blends with that of the human petitioner.

Christ has urged that his people pray without ceasing. This does not mean that we should always be upon our knees, but that prayer is to be as the breath of the soul.

Our silent requests, wherever we may be, are to be ascending unto God, and Jesus, our Advocate, pleads in our behalf, bearing up with the incense of his righteousness our requests to the Father.

The Lord Jesus loves his people, and when they put their trust in him, depending wholly upon him, he strengthens them. He will live through them, giving them the inspiration of his sanctifying Spirit, imparting to the soul a vital transfusion of himself.

He acts through their faculties, and causes them to choose his will and to act out his character.

With the apostle Paul they then may say. "I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."

Christ impresses upon the mind of believers the fact that they are to have the glory which the Father has given him, in order that all who love and serve him may be one with God.

"For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. . . . And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory [character], which thou hast given me; for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world."  {SSW, February 1, 1896 par. 3} 

Choose, decide, read and cross reference, understand, choose to believe that with God all things are possible, act upon His calling, act upon His promises, believe, decide to rest decide to trust................. "GOD HOLDS THE CORD ."

 James 1:25  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.

Decide to rest in Christ's merits alone, and He promises you will have the peace He speaks of.

Matthew 11:

28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

"The love of Christ constraineth me." Moving upon minds with the force of the grace of Christ, this love casts aside all hindrances and barriers, exerting upon souls a compelling influence that leads them to give themselves to God in unreserved consecration. {RY 49.1}

"All should constantly seek for the true faith that works, not by an earth-born, emotional element, but by love that purifies the soul. This love cleanses the soul-temple from pride, and expels every idol from the throne of the heart. {RH, March 11, 1902 par. 3}

September 23, 1909 "That They All May Be One"....................................September 30, 1909 "That They All may be One" (Concluded) Mrs. E. G. White. .................................................................................. " All men have a certain kind of faith; but it is that faith which works by love that purifies the soul. ........................ {RH, September 30, 1909 par. 3}

How do I surrender myself to Him ?

I decide to surrender and believe that because He promised promises in Scripture that say so, He knows I am trying to respond to Him, come to Him and all I can bring is me with all my needs.

I can not dis-entangle from the thorns and climb the cliffs I have fallen over.

  But He says He seeks me with all HIS Heart, and has allowed conviction to awaken and wound my complacency, now He will reach into the thorns at the bottom of the cliffs where I fell, and cover me with His hands as He forces the thorns apart barehanded, and put me on His shoulders binding me close to His heart and in contact with His stripes that can heal me, then with the unbreakable cables of His own faith still anchored to His Throne above, He will carrying me start climbing with me back up over the heights I fell from and will take me higher and to a safer place than I fell from. .

To Jesus WE are the pearl of great price, to us Jesus is the pearl of great price.

www.onlinebible.net Download freeware and start in Psalms 32 & onward and lookup what my word picture is talking about.

Micah 7:19  He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

The implanting of Agape, Agapous, philio, is not just a theory.  Read COL p-384-385, talk to God about each sentence, as Christ to cause you to be tutored as He sees fit, to enable you to fulfill the stated conditions in COL p-384-385, and receive Him and all He brings and then use what He promises as though it was alreadty felt.    Claim 2nd Corinthians 10;4,5,6 - research it, starting in DA p-181

2nd Corinthians 10:

3  For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
4  (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
5  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
6  And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

" The soul of the prophet, emptied of self, was filled with the light of the divine. As he witnessed to the Saviour's glory, his words were almost a counterpart of those that Christ Himself had spoken in His interview with Nicodemus. John said, "He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: He that cometh from heaven is above all. . . . For He whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto Him." Christ could say, "I seek not Mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent Me." John 5:30. To Him it is declared, "Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even Thy God, hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above Thy fellows." Hebrews 1:9. The Father "giveth not the Spirit by measure unto Him."  {DA 180.1} 

     So with the followers of Christ. We can receive of heaven's light only as we are willing to be emptied of self. We cannot discern the character of God, or accept Christ by faith, unless we consent to the bringing into captivity of every thought to the obedience of Christ. To all who do this the Holy Spirit is given without measure. In Christ "dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and in Him ye are made full." Colossians 2:9, 10, R. V.  {DA 181.1} "

"By no selfish practices can the cause of Christ be served. His cause is the cause of the oppressed and the poor. In the hearts of His professed followers there is need of the tender sympathy of Christ--a deeper love for those whom He has so valued as to give His own life for their salvation. These souls are precious, infinitely more precious than any other offering we can bring to God. To bend every energy toward some apparently great work, while we neglect the needy or turn the stranger from his right, is not a service that will meet His approval.  {COL 383.3} 

     The sanctification of the soul by the working of the Holy Spirit is the implanting of Christ's nature in humanity. Gospel religion is Christ in the life--a living, active principle. It is the grace of Christ revealed in character and wrought out in good works. The principles of the gospel cannot be disconnected from any department of practical life. Every line of Christian experience and labor is to be a representation of the life of Christ.  {COL 384.1} 

     Love is the basis of godliness. Whatever the profession, no man has pure love to God unless he has unselfish love for his brother. But we can never come into possession of this spirit by trying to love others. What is needed is the love of Christ in the heart. When self is merged in Christ, love springs forth spontaneously. The completeness of Christian character is attained when the impulse to help and bless others springs constantly from within--when the sunshine of heaven fills the heart and is revealed in the countenance.  {COL 384.2}

     It is not possible for the heart in which Christ abides to be destitute of love. If we love God because He first loved us, we shall love all for whom Christ died. We cannot come in touch with divinity without coming in touch with humanity; for in Him who sits upon the throne of the universe, divinity and humanity are combined. Connected with Christ, we are connected with our fellow men by the golden links of the chain of love. Then the pity and compassion of Christ will be manifest in our life. We shall not wait to have the needy and unfortunate brought to us. We shall not need to be entreated to feel for the woes of others. It will be as natural for us to minister to the needy and suffering as it was for Christ to go about doing good.  {COL 384.3}  "