Morning Manna

Lately, I've been reading through Testimonies for the Church, Volume 5. It's a power-packed book!

One morning while reading, I came across these pertinent thoughts: "The preaching of the gospel is God's chosen agency for the salvation of souls. But our first work should be to bring our own hearts into harmony with God, and then we are prepared to labor for others." {5T 87, 88}  

We know that we need Christ before we can share Christ; we need to be converted, etc. But this is a little different slant...it says we need to be in harmony with God. Being "in harmony" means having the same thoughts and opinions and living as He does. (It's a step beyond simply being forgiven!)

Then there's an example of a man who thought he was "with God"—who considered himself to be on God's side—but who wasn't in harmony. "When rebuked by the Lord through His prophet, Saul stoutly asserted that he had obeyed the voice of God; but the bleating sheep and lowing oxen testified that he had not."

Saul claimed to be an obedient believer, but his claims didn't make it true. He claimed to be loyal, but his actions denied it. How might we "assert" that we are loyal to God, that we are in His army, when we're not actually in harmony with Him? Here are some answers which aren't too hard to apply to our private lives: "In the same manner do many today assert their loyalty to God, but their concerts and other pleasure gatherings, their worldly associations, their glorifying of self, and their eager desire for popularity all testify that they have not obeyed His voice. . . . The consistent Christian is not only a new but a noble creature in Christ Jesus." {5T 88}  

I want my Christianity to be more than an assertion. I want to live in harmony, obedient. I want Him to make me not only new, but noble! Then, I'm prepared to labor for others!

Blessings to one and all,

Cheyenne Reiswig

From a post in YD's Morning Manna devotional sharing group.