Tomorrow never Comes
We can so often fall into this very camp, of putting off till tomorrow things that really ought to be attended to today, we often call it “Procrastination,” and when we put off doing unkind things, bad and evil things, then that is good, but if we put off doing good things, then so often “Tomorrow often never comes,” and the tasks never get done. Hebrews 3:12-13 “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”
Sin is so deceitful, in that it is wanting you to delay, to put off till tomorrow, to live for the moment, but how does God view all of this? Quote; “There is nothing so offensive to God, or so dangerous to the human soul, as pride and self-sufficiency. Of all sins it is the most hopeless, the most incurable. {COL 154} Quote; “He [God] is just as willing to show His honest children their duty, as to show their duty to individuals upon whom He has not laid the burden of His work. {1T 207} Quote; “Let every step toward a marriage alliance be characterized by modesty, simplicity, sincerity, and an earnest purpose to please and honour God. Marriage affects the afterlife both in this world and in the world to come. A sincere Christian will make no plans that God cannot approve.” {AH 49}
Quote; “Eternal Loss – Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 1 Corinthians 2:9. Every sin, every unrighteous action, every transgression of the law of God, tells with a thousandfold more force upon the actor than the sufferer. Every time one of the glorious faculties with which God has enriched man is abused or misused, that faculty loses forever a portion of its vigour and will never be as it was before the abuse it suffered. Every abuse inflicted upon our moral nature in this life is felt not only for time but for eternity. Though God may forgive the sinner, yet eternity will not make up that voluntary loss sustained in this life.
To go forth into the next, the future life, deprived of half the power which might be carried there is a terrible thought. The days of probation lost here in acquiring a fitness for heaven, is a loss which will never be recovered. The capacities of enjoyment will be less in the future life for the misdemeanours and abuse of moral powers in this life. However high we might attain in the future life, we might have soared higher and still higher, if we had made the most of our God-given privileges and golden opportunities to improve our faculties here in this probationary existence. . . .
We are all under one or the other of two great captains. One, the Creator of man and of the whole world, is the greatest of all. All owe Him the allegiance of their whole being, the devotion of their entire affection. If the mind is given to His control, and if God has the moulding and developing of the powers of the mind, new moral power will be received daily from the Source of all wisdom and all strength. Moral blessings and divine beauties will reward the efforts of everyone whose mind is heaven bent. We may grasp revelations–heavenly beauties–that lie beyond the short vision of the worldling, that outshine the imagination of the greatest mind and the most learned philosopher who has not connected himself with infinite power. . . .
Justice, honour, love, and truth are the attributes of God’s throne. They are the principles of His government which is to be established on the earth, made pure by the fire of His retributive justice. These are the jewels to be sought after and cherished for time and for eternity. In view of these things, build your character not after the worldly standard, but for eternity. {TDG 350}
Quote; “Those who in their youth cherish a sacred regard for the will of God, and who faithfully perform the duties of their position, will be prepared for higher service in afterlife. But men cannot for years pervert the powers that God has given them, and then, when they choose to change, then they will fail to find these powers fresh and free for an entirely opposite course.” {CG 201} Quote; “”Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6. Children are sometimes tempted to chafe under restraint; but in afterlife they will bless their parents for the faithful care and strict watchfulness that guarded and guided them in their years of inexperience.” {CT 161} Quote; “The habits formed in youth will grow with the growth and strengthen with the strength, and will generally be the same in afterlife, only continually growing stronger.” {LHU 271} Quote; “The formation of character is the work of a lifetime, and it is for eternity. If all could realize this, if they would awake to the thought that we are individually deciding our own destiny for eternal life or eternal ruin, what a change would take place! How differently would this probationary time be occupied, and what different characters would fill our world!” {CG 162}
Quote; “What the child sees and hears is drawing deep lines upon the tender mind, which no after circumstances in life can entirely efface. The intellect is now taking shape and the affections receiving direction and strength. Repeated acts in a given course become habits. These may be modified by severe training in afterlife; but are seldom changed.” {1MCP 150} Quote; “Every thought, word, and act, we should bring to the test of God’s revealed will. In all things the inquiry should be, Will this please God? Will it be in accordance with the teachings of His Word? And when there is an indecision of mind in regard to duty, our natural hearts will plead for indulgence to follow inclination. But let us forever take the safe course, however much self-denial it may involve. Let us be determined to run no risks where eternal interests are involved. {TDG 174} Quote; “Choose poverty, reproach, separation from friends, or any suffering rather than to defile the soul with sin. Death before dishonour or the transgression of God’s law should be the motto of every Christian.” {5T 147}
“The way the twig is bent, the tree doth grow.” Revelation 22:11-12 “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward [is] with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” Today is the “New Tomorrow” so let us fix right now all blemishes and failings in our lives, as we will be unable to fix them in eternity. 1 John 3:2-5 “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.” Quote; “The work of Christ in the sanctuary above, presenting His own blood each moment before the mercy seat, as He makes intercession for us, should have its full impression upon the heart, that we may realize the worth of each moment. Jesus ever liveth to make intercession for us; but one moment carelessly spent can never be recovered. {FLB 205}
Hebrews 3:13-15 “But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end; while it is said, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.” Today is the “New Tomorrow,” so let us heed this scripture Hebrews 2:1-2 “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” We have been thus far, and are right now, building our “Eternal unchanging Character,” so are you happy to live forever in your current “Character,” or do you need to quickly “Repent” and remove faulty works and to re-build with God’s help, an “Eternal Character?” Quote; “But those who hunger and thirst after righteousness will purify their souls through obeying the truth. It is by beholding that we become changed into the likeness of Christ. By looking unto Jesus, by talking with Jesus, by fashioning the life after Christ’s example, we become meet for the inheritance of the saints in light, for our taste is perfected for the purity of heaven.” {ST 5/9/1895}
