God did speak to me that day

[skyblue888]

For many years I read many books, and got involved in many theological discussions and debates, at the theological seminary, in church, at home, and finally on the internet. Everything seemed so complicated and obscure until one day the Lord really opened my blind eyes as I was agonizing over my helpless condition. I had read the book Patriarchs and Prophets more than once over the years and there I was reading it again but this time with a deep sense of despair. The more I read the more I felt helpless and the more I felt like giving up. But giving up was not an option. I kept on reading until I read these wrods: "We can do nothing of ourselves. In all our helpless unworthiness we must trust in the merits of the crucified and risen Saviour. None will ever perish while they do this." p.203.

The moment I read these words, I knew the Lord has just spoken to me, in a still, small voice, and yet it was like He had spoken to me with a trumpet giving no uncertain sound! I knew there and then that this was the true religion, the only religion of the Bible, that these words were the Gospel in just a very few words but it was the Bible message in a nutshell!~ I had read these words before but I had read them with a veil. I had been desperately searching for the answer and I knew, when I read these words, that I had found it. I kept on reading without skipping until the same message was brought to my attention again:

"If we are conscious of our needs, we should not devote all our powers to mourning over them. While we realize our helpless condition without Christ, we are not to yield to discouragement, but rely upon the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour. Look and live. Jesus has pledged His word. He will save all who come unto Him. Though millions who need to be healed will reject the offered mercy, not one who trusts in His merits will be left to perish." p.432.

Not one who trusts in the merits of the crucified and risen Saviour will be left to perish! I realized as never before, as I was reading these words, that this was the key that unlocks all the treasures of God's grace, that my part was simply to trust in the merits of Christ and that God's part was to accomplish the rest, that He Himself would work in me both to will and to do His good pleasure if I would only believe Him, believe that the merits of His sacrifice were sufficient to present to the Father in my behalf.

It was not long after this experience that this statement was brought to my attention:

"The merits of Christ's sacrifice are sufficient to present to the Father in our behalf." S.C.36.

This was what I needed to know and to hear. I was puzzled that in 20 years I had never heard these words from the pulpit or read them from the Sabbath School Lesson, let alone discussed!

Later I was in a position to better appreciate these words:

"The matter of salvation is just as simple as ABC. But we don't understand it." F.W.64.

sky

[Twilight]

Thank you for that testimony Sky. :-)

[Steve Billiter]

For many years I read many books, and got involved in many theological discussions and debates, at the theological seminary, in church, at home, and finally on the internet. Everything seemed so complicated and obscure until one day the Lord really opened my blind eyes as I was agonizing over my helpless condition. I had read the book Patriarchs and Prophets more than once over the years and there I was reading it again but this time with a deep sense of despair. The more I read the more I felt helpless and the more I felt like giving up. But giving up was not an option. I kept on reading until I read these wrods: "We can do nothing of ourselves. In all our helpless unworthiness we must trust in the merits of the crucified and risen Saviour. None will ever perish while they do this." p.203.

The moment I read these words, I knew the Lord has just spoken to me, in a still, small voice, and yet it was like He had spoken to me with a trumpet giving no uncertain sound! I knew there and then that this was the true religion, the only religion of the Bible, that these words were the Gospel in just a very few words but it was the Bible message in a nutshell!~ I had read these words before but I had read them with a veil. I had been desperately searching for the answer and I knew, when I read these words, that I had found it. I kept on reading without skipping until the same message was brought to my attention again:

"If we are conscious of our needs, we should not devote all our powers to mourning over them. While we realize our helpless condition without Christ, we are not to yield to discouragement, but rely upon the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour. Look and live. Jesus has pledged His word. He will save all who come unto Him. Though millions who need to be healed will reject the offered mercy, not one who trusts in His merits will be left to perish." p.432.

Not one who trusts in the merits of the crucified and risen Saviour will be left to perish! I realized as never before, as I was reading these words, that this was the key that unlocks all the treasures of God's grace, that my part was simply to trust in the merits of Christ and that God's part was to accomplish the rest, that He Himself would work in me both to will and to do His good pleasure if I would only believe Him, believe that the merits of His sacrifice were sufficient to present to the Father in my behalf.

It was not long after this experience that this statement was brought to my attention:

"The merits of Christ's sacrifice are sufficient to present to the Father in our behalf." S.C.36.

This was what I needed to know and to hear. I was puzzled that in 20 years I had never heard these words from the pulpit or read them from the Sabbath School Lesson, let alone discussed!

Later I was in a position to better appreciate these words:

"The matter of salvation is just as simple as ABC. But we don't understand it." F.W.64.

sky

Sky, I had a different experience, As I struggled with my sin, the devil told me I was helpless, I had gone too far. Many years earlier in a previous commitment to Christ,I remembered what the Bible said, Accept Jesus as savior,(Matt.11:28) confess your sins to Him and turn away from them with His power and your choice, and the promise is that your sins would go into remission. (Acts. 2:38)I then became renewed again through the shed blood of Christ, His merits.Baptism is necessary if one has never done that.

Then I continued on in Christ, (John 15)the True Vine. He told me to obey His commandments, (John 14:15) and hold to all His faith.(The Bible and EGW) That I must die daily to self, praying always, studying to show myself approved. Also to remove myself from the world and its ways, yet while remaining in the world to be an example and teach others the Way. Many times that "teaching" of others was just hanging a Steps to Christ on door nobs, and praying someone would read it; and or to send in the Bible study card for VOP, or going to laundromats barely ahead of or behind the Jehovah's Witnesses handing out their literature.

Sometimes it was working in conjunction with other church members putting out the word.

No, I was not reading the Spirit of Prophecy, the day I surrendered to Christ; I was not reading anything, the Word of God was already written in my mind, I just needed to obey it!

In the preceding year or so, the SOP was to become very prominent in my life as I read the Desire of Ages about 8 times in a year and a half, before this commitment, so it must have had some influence.

The Conflict of the Ages Readathon starts Jan. 1, on Facebook. We start with PP and read one chapter a day for 10 months and all 5 books are read, and one can log in to the site and blog. It is led by Sandra Entermann, the Australian SDA recording artist.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=185208356614&ref=share

[oldsailor29]

Sky - Your testimony reminds me of William Miller's dream of the box of jewels. As we study and pray, the Lord gives us insights into knowledge which has been hidden from our view. We pick up these jewels of understanding, brush off the dust, and show them to others. This has happened to me several times, but usually I am disappointed that no one else seems to appreciate the beauty of the jewel I have discovered. However, the jewels shown to us by the Lord are precious to us, and that is the important thing. The Lord leads all of us in different ways, each way tailored just for us. I can imagine how Hiram Edson felt when the heavenly sanctuary dawned upon him. But it was even more satisfying I'm sure, that his discovery of that jewel became the answer to the great disappointment of the Millerites. It isn't often that others see the value of the jewels we discover. But encouragement may be found in the story of Hiram Edson. Hiram Edson