Wednesday, April 4th, 2018 Testimony Meeting

John 12: 23, 26, 32, 49-50

23 And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.
26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.
32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
49 For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.
50 And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.

Joshua 24: 1-2(​to ​people), 14-24

1 And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God.
2​ And Joshua said unto all the people
14 Now therefore fear the ​Lord​, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the ​Lord​.
15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the ​Lord​, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the ​Lord​.
16 And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the Lord​, to serve other gods;
17 For the ​Lord​ our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the people through whom we passed:
18 And the ​Lord​ drave out from before us all the people, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land: therefore will we also serve the ​Lord​; for he is our God.
19 And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the ​Lord:​ for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins.
20 If ye forsake the ​Lord​, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good.
21 And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the ​Lord​.
22 And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the ​Lord,​ to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses.
23 Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the ​Lord​ God of Israel.
24 And the people said unto Joshua, The ​Lord​ our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey.

Hebrews 13:7-8

7​ Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.
8​ Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

1 Timothy 4: 2 (be), 13-14 (to prophecy),-16

2​ … be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy
15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.
16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

37:16-31

When will Jesus’ professed followers learn to emulate him in all his ways and to imitate his mighty works?Those who procured the martyrdom of that righteous man would gladly have turned his sacred career into a mutilated doctrinal platform.

May the Christians of to-day take up the more practical import of that career! It is possible, — yea, it is the duty and privilege of every child, man, and woman, — to follow in some degree the example of the Master by the demonstration of Truth and Life, of health and holiness.

Christians claim to be his followers, but do they follow him in the way that he commanded? Hear these imperative commands: “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect!” “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature!” “Heal the sick!”

7:7-16

Great charity and humility is necessary in this work of healing. The loving patience of Jesus, we must strive to emulate. “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” has daily to be exemplified; and, although skepticism and incredulity prevail in places where one would least expect it, it harms not; for if serving Christ, Truth, of what can mortal opinion avail? Cast not your pearls before swine; but if you cannot bring peace to all, you can to many, if faithful laborers in His vineyard.

148:28-149:4

Christianity is the summons of divine Love for man to be Christlike — to emulate the words and the works of our great Master. To attain to these works,men must know somewhat of the divine Principle of Jesus’ life-work, and must prove their knowledge by doing as he bade: “Go, and do thou likewise.

34:16-35:2

Give us, dear God, again on earth the lost chord of Christ; solace us with the song of angels rejoicing with them that rejoice; that sweet charity which seeketh not her own but another’s good, yea, which knoweth no evil. Finally, brethren, wait patiently on God; return blessing for cursing; be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good; be steadfast, abide and abound in faith, understanding, and good works; study the Bible and the textbook of our denomination; obey strictly the laws that be, and follow your Leader only so far as she follows Christ.

Godliness or Christianity is a human necessity:man cannot live without it; he has no intelligence, health, hope, nor happiness without godliness. In the words of the Hebrew writers: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths;”

497:3-8, 13-19, 24-27

1. As adherents of Truth, we take the inspired Word of the Bible as our sufficient guide to eternal Life.

2. We acknowledge and adore one supreme and infinite God. We acknowledge His Son, one Christ; the Holy Ghost or divine Comforter; and man in God’s image and likeness.

4. We acknowledge Jesus’ atonement as the evidence of divine, efficacious Love, unfolding man’s unity with God through Christ Jesus the Way-shower; and we acknowledge that man is saved through Christ, through Truth, Life, and Love as demonstrated by the Galilean Prophet in healing the sick and overcoming sin and death.

6. And we solemnly promise to watch, and pray for that Mind to be in us which was also in Christ Jesus; to do unto others as we would have them do unto us; and to be merciful, just, and pure.