THIS IS NONE OTHER BUT THE HOUSE OF GOD, AND THIS IS THE GATE OF HEAVEN!!! ...Christs followers today should guard against the tendency to lose the spirit of reverence and godly fear. The Scriptures teach men how they should approach their Maker--with humility and awe, through faith in a divine Mediator. The psalmist has declared: The Lord is a great God, And a great King above all gods. . . . O come, let us worship and bow down:Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. Psalm 95:3-6. {PK 47.4} Well would it be for old and young to ponder those words of Scripture that show how the place marked by Gods special presence should be regarded. Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, He commanded Moses at the burning bush, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. Exodus 3:5. Jacob, after beholding the vision of the angels, exclaimed, The Lord is in this place; and I knew it not. . . . This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. Genesis 28:16, 17. 457 {CCh 252.6} ...There are those who conduct themselves in His house as they would not presume to do in the audience chamber of an earthly ruler. These should remember that they are in His sight whom seraphim adore, before whom angels veil their faces. God is greatly to be reverenced; all who truly realize His presence will bow in humility before Him, and, like Jacob beholding the vision of God, they will cry out, How dreadful is this place! This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. {PP 252.1} True reverence for God is inspired by a sense of His infinite greatness and a realization of His presence. With this sense of the Unseen, every heart should be deeply impressed. The hour and place of prayer are sacred, because God is there. And as reverence is manifested in attitude and demeanor, the feeling that inspires it will be deepened. Holy and reverend is His name, the psalmist declares. Psalm 111:9. Angels, when they speak that name, veil their faces. With what reverence, then, should we, who are fallen and sinful, take it upon our lips! {PK 48.2} Both in public and in private worship, it is our privilege to bow on our knees before the Lord when we offer our petitions to Him. Jesus, our example, kneeled down, and prayed. Luke 22:41. Of His disciples it is recorded that they, too, kneeled down, and prayed. Acts 9:40; 20:36; 21:5. Paul declared, I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 3:14. In confessing before God the sins of Israel, Ezra knelt. Ezra 9:5. Daniel kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God. Daniel 6:10. 543 {CCh 294.3}Testimonies, vol. 1, pp. 649, 650. {ChS 75.3} Reverence is greatly needed in the youth of this age. I am alarmed as I see children and youth of religious parents so heedless of the order and propriety that should be observed in the house of God. While Gods servants are presenting the words of life to the people, some will be reading, others whispering and laughing. Their eyes are sinning by diverting the attention of those around them. This habit, if allowed to remain unchecked, will grow and influence others. {MYP 265.3} The Lord desires to have in His service order and discipline, not excitement and confusion........ Those who profess to believe the third angels message often wound the cause of God by lightness, joking, and trifling. I was shown that this evil was all through our ranks. I saw that there should be a humbling before the Lord. The Israel of God should rend the heart, and not the garment. Childlike simplicity is rarely seen; the approbation of man is more thought of than the displeasure of God. {MYP 129.2} ...........If we see no necessity for harmonious action, and are disorderly, undisciplined, and disorganized in our course of action, angels, who are thoroughly organized and move in perfect order, cannot work for us successfully. They turn away in grief, for they are not authorized to bless confusion, distraction, and disorganization. All who desire the cooperation of the heavenly messengers, must work in unison with them. ......{.....} Although God dwells not in temples made with hands, yet He honors with His presence the assemblies of His people. He has promised that when they come together to seek Him, to acknowledge their sins, and to pray for one another, He will meet with them by His Spirit. But those who assemble to worship Him should put away every evil thing. Unless they worship Him in spirit and truth and in the beauty of holiness, their coming together will be of no avail. Of such the Lord declares, This people draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honoreth Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me. Matthew 15:8, 9. Those who worship God must worship Him in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him. John 4:23. {PK 50.1} When the word is spoken, you should remember, brethren, that you are listening to the voice of God through His delegated servant. Listen attentively. .........Sometimes a little child may so attract the attention of the hearers that the precious seed does not fall into good ground and bring forth fruit. Sometimes young men and women have so little reverence for the house and worship of God that they keep up a continual communication with each other during the sermon. Could these see the angels of God looking upon them and marking their doings, they would be filled with shame, with abhorrence of themselves. God wants attentive hearers. It was while men slept that Satan sowed his tares. {CCh 250.5} Compiled by:Emanuel Kunselema
Posted on: Tue, 02 Sep 2014 17:20:59 +0000
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