He raises the poor,,,

[skyblue888]

I find the following from E.J. Waggoner worth reading, time and time again.

"What is man that you are mindful of him? or the son of man that you visit him? You have made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honour." Ps.8:5.

A crown signifies a kingdom; therefore when God made man He made him a king. He wore a crown of glory, signifying a kingdom of glory. O, the whole earth was full of the glory of God undimmed.

The man was a king of glory, and his kingdom was the earth. All things were put under him. There was nothing that was not put under him. Every living thing was put under him, and he was the ruler over all, and the earth itself was in subjection to him. But the power back of and in it all was God's power, for God alone has power. "Power belongeth unto God." Psalm 62:11; "All power is of God." Romans 13:1.

Man was made in the image of God, of the dust of the earth. "The Lord God formed man dust," literally, not formed him of the dust, but formed him dust. He then breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul. But the man was dust, and after he was crowned with glory and honor he was nothing but dust.

Now this dust that God took and formed into this shape, and crowned with glory and honor, he put over the works of his hands, put under all things, gave him dominion over all things and so it was dust that had dominion over all things. He was still dust; and how much more power had this dust that was formed into this figure than that dust that still lay on the ground?--It had no more power. And that is demonstrated in the fact that when the breath which God puts in there is gone, it is just as helpless as it was before, or as that other dust. Then the power is not in the dust; and here is just where the world,--all mankind--make the mistake. Man sees his face and form in the mirror, and admires himself, and he will not believe that he is dust; or, if he does acknowledge that he is dust, it is a different kind of dust than any other kind.

The failure to recognize this is what makes man assume lordship over another, to think himself better than another man; and the Lord wants us to keep to the first principles all the time. Man at the best is nothing but dust. We cannot dwell upon that too much, because the forgetting of it is what led to all sin in the beginning. Satan said to Eve that she would become like God. Now, if she had remembered the Word, and her origin, could she have supposed that that would be true?--No. It is the forgetting of it that lifts up man and makes him proud. Man in his highest state is nothing but dust.

What is the difference between that dust out there, and this here? God has chosen to use this dust in a little different way from what He uses that dust. God had a purpose in that dust; it is worth something; it will produce fruit. Here is dust that God has caused to bring forth another kind of fruit. How much more right has this dust that can walk about instead of being blown about by the wind, to boast of what it does than that dust out there in the field has? Out there you will see some beautiful, fine, rosy-cheeked apples. But it is not supposable that that dust in the field should begin to boast; Why, I am better that that dust in the road; that dust in the road does not do any good, but lies there day after day, and does not accomplish anything. See what I have done. And yet it has just as much right to do that as we have to boast of anything we have done.

Here is a lesson of encouragement of what God can do. Man, placed over the works of God's hands, crowned with glory and honor--only still dust--is an evidence of the power of God. When God made Adam by His Word, the Word was made flesh. There we see the Word manifested as flesh. The power by which this was done was God's power, and so God was in the Word, and the Word was in Adam, so that this power could be manifested in him, God dwelling in him and working in him; God taking this dust and using it to do these wonderful things. "It is God that worketh in you both to will and to do His good pleasure." Phil.2:13.

Now, if God is there, and I am here, that is altogether too far away. It is God that worketh in me. The Word was made flesh, and the life of Adam was the life of God. He has no other life. Acts 17:28. Now the blessedness of this is, when man fell, the word was made flesh. But suppose God had forsaken him, and had not been willing to make the Word flesh, what would have become of him?--He would have returned to dust. But God continues his life to man. So when man fell, God goes right down there with him. Is that so, or is it some fancy? Did God continue life to man, notwithstanding he had sinned? We are here, are we not? We are sinners. We are living, are we not? Whose life is it manifested in us?--It is God's life. Then God continues his life to sinful men. When sin entered, death came; so when man sinned, death came upon him. God stayed with him; therefore, in that he stayed with man, although man had sinned, God took upon Himself sinful flesh. And so He took upon Himself death, for death had passed upon all the world.

Now, let us see further. All creation is continued until now "by the same Word." Everything is this world is kept by the same Word. Although everything is cursed, and everybody can see that, it is yet a fact that everything continues; it is an evidence that God is there, Christ is there, the divine Word is there bearing the curse. Wherever there is sin, there is the Savior, bearing it. Wherever there is anything, there is the curse.

Nevertheless, wherever there is anything, there is Christ. But where Christ has the curse upon Him, He bears the cross. Then do you see the truthfulness of that statement which appeared about a year ago, that "the cross of Christ is stamped upon every leaf in the forest?" And a little later than a year ago there appeared another statement that the very bread we eat is stamped with the cross. There is something wonderful in that. Perhaps when you read that in every blade, and every leaf, there is the cross of Christ, some of us read it over without thinking about it, and some of us simply said, with Nicodemus, How can this be? How soon do we find Christ crucified, then?--Just as soon as there was any curse. And He is risen again as well, because if you preach Christ crucified, His resurrection necessarily goes with that.

God was manifest in the flesh, in human flesh in the beginning, because the power that worked in Adam was God's power.

Then when man sinned, and repudiated God, God did not take him at his word, and leave him alone, but went down with him as low as he fell, and said, Poor man, I will help you; and He stayed with him. So "we see Jesus" lower than the angels; that is we see him as man. So in the pursuance of God's original plan, the dominion being lost by man, man must win it back, because if some other being than man wins it back, then the plan is not carried out. But we say it is God in man. Of course it is, because it was God in man in the beginning. It is God in man all the time. Who could rule the world in the beginning? Man could not rule it; dust could not lift itself up to do anything; but God in man could do all things.

So as by man came death, by man came also the resurrection from the dead. O, there is a wonderful honor God has placed upon man, but man must not think that He is God. He is dust, but God's presence in him glorifies him. "If anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing--but dust--he deceives himself." Gal.6:3.

Mark those words, "when he is nothing". It does not say that we should not think ourselves to be something until we are something. No; it is a statement of the fact that we are nothing. Not merely a single individual, but all nations, are nothing before the Lord. Isaiah 40:15.

If we ever at any time think ourselves to be something, we deceive ourselves. And we often do deceive ourselves, and thus mar the work of the Lord. Remember the law of Christ. Although He was everything, He emptied Himself. Philippians 2:5. He obliterated Himself, that the work of God might be done. "The servant is not greater than His Lord." Man is nothing--dust--and God is everything. When we acknowledge this, and live in consciousness of it, then we are where the Holy Spirit of God can fill us, and then God can work through us. The "man of sin" is he that exalteth himself. 2 Thess.2:3.

E.J. Waggoner, 1897 General Conference Buleetin; Studies in the book of Hebrews.

The child of God is the one who humbles himself.

"Before honor is humility." Proverbs 18:12;15:33. "He sets on high those who are lowly." Job 5:11.

"He raises the poor from the dust, and lifts the beggar from the ash heap, to set them among princes and make them inherit the throne of glory." 1 Samuel 2:8.

[skyblue888]

So human beings are NOTHING you say? Christ died for nothing? Might be a tad of error there?

mel

___________

In and of ourselves we are nothing. And that is our hope because God makes everything out of nothing. "If any man thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself." Gal.6:3.

Whoever deals with God must deal with Him on His own terms, that is, on a basis of fact--that we have nothing and are nothing, and He has everything and is everything, and gives everything.

We give Him ourselves, that is, nothing, and He gives us Himself, that is, everything! Eph.3:14-19.

Please read 2 Cor.12:11.

"The creation belongs to God. The Lord could, by neglecting man, stop his breath at once. All that he is and all that he has pertains to God. The entire world is God's. Man's houses, his personal acquirements, whatever is valuable or brilliant, is God's own endowment. It is all His gift to be returned back to God in helping to cultivate the heart of men. The most splendid offerings may be laid upon the altar of God, and men will praise, exalt, and laud the giver because of his liberality. In what? 'All things come of Thee, and of Thine own hand have we given Thee.' 1 Chron.29:14." E.G. White, Faith and Works, p.22,23.

However, Christ passes no one by as worthless! This is a beautiful paradox! On the contrary, He sees in every human being a pearl of price.

"The parable of the merchantman seeking goodly pearls has a double significance; it applies not only to men as seeking the Kingdom of Heaven, but to Christ as seeking His lost inheritance. Christ, the heavenly merchantman seeking goodly pearls, saw in lost humanity the pearl of price. In man, defiled and ruined by sin, He saw the possibilities of redemption. Hearts that have been the battleground of the conflict with Satan, and that have been rescued by the power of love, are more precious to the Redeemer than are those who have never fallen. God looked upon humanity, not as vile and worthless; He looked upon it in Christ, saw it as it might become through redeeming love. He collected all the riches of the universe, and laid them down in order to buy the pearl. And Jesus having found it, resets it in His own diadem. 'For they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon His land.' Zech.9:16." C.O.L. p.118.

sky

[Gibs]

Every last one is precious in His sight.

"The Work Not in Vain.--When some, their human efforts united with the divine, endeavor to reach to the very depths of human woe and misery, God's blessing will rest richly upon them. Even though but few accept the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, their work will not be in vain; for one soul is precious, very precious, in the sight of God. Christ would have died for one soul in order that that one might live through the eternal ages. . . .

Many souls are being rescued, wrenched from Satan's hand, by faithful workers. Someone must have a burden of soul to find those who have been lost to Christ. The rescue of one soul over whom Satan has triumphed causes joy among the heavenly angels. {WM 249.4}

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

[skyblue888]

Thanks Gibs for your last post.

Ever read the following?

A LESSON FROM THE GRASS

"And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so." And God saw that it was good! Genesis 1:11,12.

"God said, 'Let it be so,' and it was so. 'He spake, and it was: He commanded, and it stood fast.' Psalm 33:9. And that word lives and abides for ever. 1 Peter 1:23,25. It never loses any of its force. The lapse of time does not diminish its power. The word which created all things, upholds all things. Hebrews 1:3.

Consequently that command, 'Let the earth bring forth grass,' is still causing the earth to bring forth grass and herbs and trees. If the effect of that word had ceased as soon as it was spoken, then there never would have been any more grass. The grass that was brought forth would have ceased to exist. And especially after the fall of man had brought the curse upon the earth, and death had come not only to man, but to animals and plants; if the word by which the grass was brought forth in the beginning had not been in full force, the earth would speedily have become a barren waste. But that word still lives, and therefore we have the earth clothed with grass, and abundance of fruit for the food of man.

This is not a mere theory, but it is a practical fact. That which is so common a thing as the growth of grass, ceases to call forth our wonder, and we get to thinking that it simply grows of itself without any interposition on the part of God. Indeed, most people would think that it is beneath the dignity of God to pay any attention to so small a thing as the growing of grass. That is just the reason why so few people derive any practical benefit from their professed faith in God. Their idea of God is of some being far off, who has so much to do with attending to His own affairs of state that He has no time to look after the details of His kingdom. They forget that looking after and caring for His creatures, from the greatest to the smallest, is the especial work of God. They forget that His greatness consists in His ability to manage the most stupendous affairs, and at the same time to pay attention to the smallest details!

But let us note some simple facts that will justify one, even in this scientific age, in believing that the word of the Lord, which in the beginning said, 'Let the earth bring forth grass,' is still causing the earth to bring forth grass. Who has not watched the springing forth of the tender blade of grass or corn? Have you not at times passed along by the field of corn, and noticed a tiny blade pushing its way to the surface, in spite of heavy clods of earth? Have you not seen a portion of the baked earth heaved up, and, looking beneath, have seen that it was held up by a tiny spire, so tender that it could not support its own weight if released from its position? The blade had as yet scarcely any color, and was but little more than water, for if you had crushed it in your fingers, there would have been scarcely anything but moisture on your hand. Yet this tiny thing was pushing away from before it a clod of earth ten thousand times its own weight!

Whence comes that power? Is it something that is inherent in the grass? No. It has no power of itself. Scarcely anything can be thought of that is weaker. And yet but a few moments before, it was standing erect, and bearing a burden infinitely heavier than itself. Here is a miracle that is wrought hundreds of millions of times every year, and yet there are those who say that the age of miracles is past.

Will any scientist tell what is the source of the marvelous power exhibited in the grass, or in the bursting of the hard shell of the peach stone by the little germ within? There is something there that no microscope can detect. We can see the manifestation of power, but cannot see the power itself. Skeptics may sneer if they please, but we are content to believe that the power is nothing else than the power of God's word. The word of the Lord said in the beginning, ‘Let the earth bring forth grass,’ and the power of that word causes the grass to spring forth in spite of all the clods of earth. There is no power in the grass, but that most feeble instrument is used to exhibit to man the mighty power of God. In that every man may learn a lesson if he will!

Did I say that we were content to believe that it is the power of the word of God that is manifested in the blade of grass? Nay, not content merely, but glad that we can recognize God's power in small things. In that we see the assurance that God is able to do for us 'exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.' Ephesians 3:20. For the same power that works in the grass of the field also works in the man who puts his trust in the word of God. 'All flesh is grass.' Isaiah 40:6. Man is as weak and frail as the grass, having absolutely no power in himself. He is ‘without strength.’ Romans 5:6. Yet he is able to do all things through the Word of God, who strengthens him. Christ says, ‘Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.’ Ephesians 6:10.

Recall again the 'voice pictures.' The voice of man can produce the forms of living things, but the voice of God produces the very living things themselves. Not only do the grass, the trees, and the myriad forms of fruits and flowers, grow in obedience to the command of the Lord, but they are the visible representation of His voice. In nature we see the voice of God and that is the basis for our trust in that word when we read it in the Scriptures. It was not an accident that the eleventh chapter of Hebrews, which is a record of some of the mighty works that have been wrought in feeble men by simple faith in the word of God, begins with the statement that 'by faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God.'" E.J. Waggoner, The Gospel in Creation, p. 91-94.

And this the word which by the Gospel is preached unto us!

[Gibs]

Sky, to me there is no room to ever be an Atheist. Just the wonderous beauty of all the myrids of beautiful flowers, their nectar on top of their beauty, and pollen and then seeds to continue and multiply the beauty. The bees and the humming birds and all who spread the pollenization isn't happenstance. Nothing better than the different honies from the different ones with nectar and the healing properties of Honey.

It all spells a great and wonderous loving creator! There is no end to His wonders even down here near the end when so much is polluted and destroyed of the beauty and wonders He has given us.

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

[skyblue888]

Very well said.

"Nature in her work testifies of the intelligence presence and active Agency of a Being who moves in all things according to His will." Ministry of Healing,416.

This Agency, of course, is the Holy Spirit.

Here is something I find very interesting from the same source:

In the Century Magazine of many years ago, there was a very interesting description of the production of voice-figures. The article was entitled "Visible Sounds." A simple device was used to test the intensities of vocal sounds. It was an elastic membrane stretched over the mouth of a receiver into which receiver the voice was introduced by means of a wide-mouthed tube. On this membrane a fine powder was sprinkled. It was found that upon singing into the tube the powder was gently agitated by the vibrations of the membrane, which vibrations corresponded to those of the voice, differing according to the pitch and intensity of the sound.

This, of course, is what might be expected. But the wonder was that in every instance the agitation produced the shape of some plant or flower, or even of some of the lower forms of animal life! Something similar to this may be seen when one breathes upon the window pane in frosty weather.

It was found that when the powder was dry, it would not retain the form after the vibration of the voice ceased. So the expedient was adopted of slightly moisterizing it, when the various shapes could be retained and photographed.

This shows that the breath, as it comes from the lungs has the shape of living things, and to the singer suggested a thought which she thus expressed:

"Closing now my brief sketch of these voice-figures, as I have observed them, using my own voice as the instrument of investigation, question after question has presented itself to me, until I have continually felt myself standing before mystery, in great part hidden, although some glimpses seem revealed. And I must say, besides, that as day by day I have gone on singing into shape these peculiar forms, and, stepping out of doors, have seen their parallels living in the flowers, ferns, and trees around me, and, again, as I have watched the little heaps in the formation of the floral figures gather themselves up, and then shoot out their petals, just as a flower springs from the swollen bud, the hope has come to me that these humble experiments may afford some suggestions in regard to nature's production of her own beautiful forms, and may thereby aid, in some degree, the revelation of yet another link in the great chain of the organized universe that, we are told in Holy Writ, took its shape at the voice of God!” Century Magazine of May 1891.

From the book The Gospel In Creation by E.J. Waggoner.