As Father Miller made a practical application of Scripture truth to the hearts of his hearers, the rage of professed Christians was kindled against him, even as the anger of the Jews was excited against Christ and his apostles. Church-members stirred up the baser classes, and upon several occasions enemies plotted to take his life as he should leave the place of meeting. But holy angels were in the throng, and one of these, in the form of a man, took the arm of this servant of the Lord, and led him in safety from the angry mob. His work was not yet done, and Satan and his emissaries were disappointed in their purpose. . 4SP 219.2
In the form of men, angels are often in the assemblies of the righteous; and they visit the assemblies of the wicked, as they went to Sodom, to make a record of their deeds, to determine whether they have passed the boundary of God's forbearance. The Lord delights in mercy; and for the sake of a few who really serve Him, He restrains calamities and prolongs the tranquillity of multitudes. Little do sinners against God realize that they are indebted for their own lives to the faithful few whom they delight to ridicule and oppress. {GC 631.3}
DA says the same thing about evil angels as men were in the crowd that yelled to crucify Jesus.
Like the bellowing of wild beasts came the answer of the mob, "Release unto us Barabbas!" Louder and louder swelled the cry, Barabbas! Barabbas! Thinking that the people had not understood his question, Pilate asked, "Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews?" But they cried out again, "Away with this Man, and release unto us Barabbas"! "What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?" Pilate asked. Again the surging multitude roared like demons. Demons themselves, in human form, were in the crowd, and what could be expected but the answer, "Let Him be crucified"? {DA 733.2}
Satanic agencies in human form will take part in this last great conflict to oppose the building up of the kingdom of God. And heavenly angels in human guise will be on the field of action. The two opposing parties will continue to exist till the closing up of the last great chapter in this world's history. Satanic agencies are in every city. We can not afford to be off our guard for one moment. The true, stanch believers will pray more and more, and will talk less of matters of little consequence. More and more decided testimonies will come from their lips to encourage the weak and the needy. This is no time for the people of God to be weaklings, neither one thing nor the other. Let all be diligent students of the Word. We must be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. We can not live haphazard lives and be true Christians. {RH, August 5, 1909 par. 8}
How do you turn a haphazard life into a methodical life? There is an endless list of self-help books to bring order to life. I'm convincedcthat it requires a lot of prayer on bended knee. Human will + heavenly will. :)
How do you turn a haphazard life into a methodical life? There is an endless list of self-help books to bring order to life. I'm convincedcthat it requires a lot of prayer on bended knee. Human will + heavenly will. :)
In my personal experience, the answer to this question centers around opening my heart to Christ, and entering into an ongoing life that centers around divine-human cooperation and copartnership.
There is no possible way that I will ever become good by myself, and yet I have an active work to do in cooperating with Christ as He comes in and transforms me.
I like what Colossians 1:29 says, about striving according to the divine, that is working in me mightily.
I like what the quote below says about this.
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The work of gaining salvation is one of copartnership, a joint operation. There is to be co-operation between God and the repentant sinner. This is necessary for the formation of right principles in the character. Man is to make earnest efforts to overcome that which hinders him from attaining to perfection. But he is wholly dependent upon God for success. Human effort of itself is not sufficient. Without the aid of divine power it avails nothing. God works and man works. Resistance of temptation must come from man, who must draw his power from God. On the one side there is infinite wisdom, compassion, and power; on the other, weakness, sinfulness, absolute helplessness. {AA 482.2}
God gives us a choice. We must choose Christ or Satan. There is no in-between. Think about the choice.
If someone asks you to choose either this dress or that one, you make the choice. It's easy. Adam and Eve had an easy choice: choose this tree or 'that one". Unfortunately for us they chose the wrong tree.
Now in our fallen condition our choice is not simple. It comes with tests to show our loyalty. We must be willing to die for our choice to prove we are sincere. And, this power to reject sin and to choose Christ is from the heavenly storehouse. We have to realize our need, and pray for help. We must be sincere.
How do you turn a haphazard life into a methodical life? There is an endless list of self-help books to bring order to life. I'm convincedcthat it requires a lot of prayer on bended knee. Human will + heavenly will. :)
There are two grand forces at work in the salvation of the human soul. It requires the cooperation of man with the divine agencies -- divine influences, and a strong, living, working faith. It is in this way only that the human agent can become a laborer together with God. The Lord does not sanction in any one of us a blind, stupid credulity. He does not dishonor the human understanding, but, far from this, He calls for the human will to be brought into connection with the divine will. He calls for the ingenuity of the human mind, the tact, the skill, to be strenuously exercised in searching out the truth as it is in Jesus ... Ye are labourers together with God. {OHC 310.5}
