August 31:  Delight and Goodwill.

A New Heart and a New Spirit.
"Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.  For why should you die, O house of Israel?  For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,: says the Lord God.  "Therefore turn and live!"--Ezekiel 18:31, 32, NKJV

EVERY TRUE TURNING to the Lord brings abiding joy into the life.--Prophet and Kings, 668.

Many have a twilight perception of Christ's excellence, and their hearts thrill with joy.  They long for a fuller, deeper sense of the Saviour's love.  Let these cherish every desire of the soul after God.  The Holy Spirit works with those who will be worked, molds those who will be molded, fashion those who will be fashioned.  Give yourselves the culture of spiritual thoughts and holy communings.  You have seen but the first rays of the early dawn of His glory.  As you follow on to know the Lord, you will know that "the path of the righteous is as the light dawn, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day."  Proverbs 4:18, R.V., margin.--The Ministry of Healing, 503.

In Christ is fullness of joy forevermore.--Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 390.

If we know God, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent, unspeakable gladness will come to the soul.--Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 169.

            Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
         For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers,
         nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing,
             shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
                                                                                            --Romans 8:37-39, NKJV

                                     "And this is eternal life, that they may know You,
                                the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent."
                              
                                                               --John 17:3, NKJV

August 30:  Delight and Goodwill.

The Sinner Is Not Happy in God's Presence.
"For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he may gain much, if God takes away his life?....Will he delight himself in the Almighty?  Will he always call upon God?"--Job 27:8, 10, NKJV

IN HIS SINLESS STATE, man held joyful communion with Him "in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."  Colossians 2:3.  But after his sin, he could no longer find joy in holiness, and he sought to hide from the presence of God.  Such is still the condition of the unrenewed heart.  It is not in harmony with God, and finds no joy in communion with Him.  The sinner could not be happy in God's presence; he would shrink from the companionship of holy beings.  Could he be permitted to enter heaven it would have no joy for him.  The spirit of unselfish love that reigns there--every heart responding to the heart of Infinite Love--would touch no answering chord in his soul.  His thoughts, his interests, his motives, would be alien to those that actuate the sinless dwellers there.  He would be a discordant note in the melody of heaven.  Heaven would be to him a place of torture; he would long to be hidden from Him who is light, and the center of its joy.  It is no arbitrary decree on the part of God that excludes the wicked from heaven; they are shut out by their own unfitness for its companionship.  The glory of God would be to them a consuming fire.  They would welcome destruction, that they might be hidden from the face of Him who died to redeem them.--Steps to Christ, 17.

August 29:  Delight and Goodwill.

The "Gifts" of the World.
Remember your creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come, and the years draw near when you will say, "I have no pleasure in them."--Ecclesiastes 12:1, NRSV

HAVE YOU SOUGHT to feast upon the fruits of transgression, only to find them turn to ashes upon your lips?  And now, your substance spent, your life-plans thwarted, and your hopes dead, do you sit alone and desolate?  Now that voice which had long been speaking to your heart but to which you would not listen comes to you distinct and clear, "Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest; because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction."  Micah 2:10.  Return to your Father's house. He invites you, saying, "Return unto Me; for I have redeemed thee." Isaiah 44:22.--Christ's Object Lessons, 205.

As men set forth the best wine first, then afterward that which is worse, so does the world with its gifts.  That which it offers may please the eye and fascinate the senses, but it proves to be unsatisfying.  The wine turns to bitterness, the gaiety to gloom.  That which was begun with songs and mirth ends in weariness and disgust.  But the gifts of Jesus are ever fresh and new.  The feast that He provides for the soul never fails to give satisfaction and joy.  Each new gift increases the capacity of the receiver to appreciate and enjoy the blessings of the Lord.  He gives grace for grace.  There can be no failure of supply.  If you abide in Him, the fact that you receive a rich gift today insures the reception of a richer gift tomorrow.--The Desire of Ages, 148.

                         I have swept away your transgressions like a cloud,
                                            and your sins like mist;
                                  return to me, for I have redeemed you.
                              
                                            --Isaiah 44:22, NRSV

August 28:  Delight and Goodwill.

Short-Lived Laughter and Mirth.
Even in laughter the heart may ache, and rejoicing may end in grief.--Proverbs 14:13, NIV

NO REAL JOY can be found in the path forbidden by Him who knows what is best, and who plans for the good of His creatures.  The path of transgression leads to misery and destruction.--Patriarchs and Prophets, 600.

Happiness that is sought from selfish motives, outside of the path of duty, is ill-balanced, fitful, and transitory; it passes away, and the soul is filled with loneliness and sorrow.--Steps to Christ, 124.

The continual craving for pleasurable amusements reveal the deep longings of the soul.  But those who drink at this fountain of worldly pleasure will find their soul-thirst still unsatisfied.  They are deceived; they mistake mirth for happiness; and when the excitement ceases many sink down into the depths of despondency and despair.  O what madness, what folly, to forsake the "Fountain of living waters" for the "broken cisterns" of worldly pleasure!--Messages to Young People, 370.

                                       For my people have committed two evils:
                                                    they have forsaken me,
                                                the fountain of living water,
                                           and dug out cisterns for themselves,
                                                          cracked cisterns
                                                  that can hold no water.
                              
                                         --Jeremiah 2:13, NRSV

August 27:  Delight and Goodwill.

Only Bitter Regrets Remain.
The joy of our heart has ceased; our dance has turned into mourning.  The crown has fallen from our head.  Woe to us, for we have sinned!--Lamentations 5:15, 16, NKJV

MULTITUDES ARE ATTRACTED by a life of selfish pleasure.  They cannot discern the hidden dangers or the fearful ending of the path that seems to them the way of happiness.  Through the indulgence of appetite and passion, their energies are wasted, and millions are ruined for this world and for the world to come.--The Ministry of Healing, 371.

The true Christian will not desire to enter any place of amusement or engage in any diversion upon which he cannot ask the blessing of God.  He will not be found at the theater, the billiard hall, or the bowling saloon.  He will not unite with the gay waltzers, or indulge in any other bewitching pleasure that will banish Christ from the mind....

When we come to the final hour, and stand face to face with the record of our lives, shall we regret that we have attended so few parties of pleasure? that we have participated in so few scenes of thoughtless mirth?  Shall we not, rather, bitterly regret that so many precious hours have been wasted in self-gratification--so many opportunities neglected, which, rightly improved, would have secured for us immortal treasures?--Messages to Young People, 398.

                       See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,
                                    redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
                    Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
                              
                                                              --Ephesians 5:15-17, NKJV

August 26:  Delight and Goodwill.

Treasures That Will be Lost.
" 'And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry."  But God said to him, 'Fool!  This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?' "--Luke 12:19, 20, NKJV

THE LENGTH AND HAPPINESS OF LIFE does not consist in the amount of our earthly possessions.  This foolish rich man in his supreme selfishness had laid up for himself treasures that he could not use.  He had lived only for himself.  He had over-reached in trade, had made sharp bargains, and had  not exercised mercy or the love of God.  He had robbed the fatherless and widow, and defrauded his fellow men, to add to his increasing stock of worldly possessions.  He might have laid up his treasure in heaven in bags that wax not old; but through his covetousness he lost both worlds.--Testimonies for the Church, vol. 3, 402.

The man who finds pleasure at the gaming table, the man who loves to indulge perverted appetite, the amusement lover, the frequenters of the theater and the ballroom, put eternity out of their reckoning.  The whole burden of their life is: what shall we eat? what shall we drink? and wherewithal shall we be clothed? They are not in the procession that is moving heavenward.  They are led by the great apostate, and with him will be destroyed.--Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, 406.

                             "That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life--
                       whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear.
                           Isn't life more than food, and your body more than clothing?"
                                                                                               --Matthew 6:25, NLT

August 25:  Delight and Goodwill.

Worldly Pleasure Will Pass Away.
Do not love the world or anything in the world.  If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them....The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.--1 John 2:15, 17, NIV

THERE ARE LOVERS of the world even among those who profess to be waiting for the Lord.  There is ambition for riches and honor.  Christ describes this class when He declares that the day of God is to come as a snare upon all that dwell upon the earth.  This world is their home.  They make it their business to secure earthly treasures.  They erect costly dwellings and furnish them with every good thing; they find pleasure in dress and the indulgence of appetite.  The things of the world are their idols.  These interpose between the soul and Christ, and the solemn and awful realities that are crowding upon us are but dimly seen and faintly realized.--Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, 456.

If we would permit our minds to dwell more upon Christ and the heavenly world, we should find a powerful stimulus and support in fighting the battles of the Lord.  Pride and love of the world will lose their power as we contemplate the glories of that better land so soon to be our home.  Beside the loveliness of Christ, all earthly attractions will seem of little worth.--Messages to Young People, 113.

Better than all the friendship of the world is the friendship of Christ's redeemed.  Better than a title to the noblest palace on earth is a title to the mansions our Lord has gone to prepare.  And better than all the words of earthly praise will be the Saviour's words to His faithful servants, "Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."  Matthew 25:34.--Christ's Object Lessons, 374.

                       And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave.
                                   But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.
                                                                                                    --1 John 2:17, NLT

August 24:  Delight and Goodwill.

The Triumph of the Wicked Is Temporary.
"Don't you realize that from the beginning of time, ever since people were first placed on the earth, the triumph of the wicked has been short lived and the joy of the godless has been only temporary?"--Job 20:4, 5, NLT

THINK, OH, THINK, in your pleasure-seeking hours, that all these things have an end.  Did you have correct views of life, endless life with God, how quickly would you turn from a life of pleasure and sin.  How quickly would you  change your mind, your course, and your company, and turn the strength of your affection to God and heavenly things.  How resolutely would you scorn to yield to temptations which have deceived and captivated you.  How zealous would be your efforts for the blessed life; how earnest and preserving your prayers to God for His grace to abide upon you, for His power to sustain you and help you resist the devil.  How diligent would you be to improve every religious privilege to learn the ways and will of God.  How careful would you be in meditating upon the law of God, and in comparing your life with its claims.  How fearful would you be lest you sin in word or deed, and how earnest to grow in grace and true holiness.  Your conversation would not be on trifling things, but in heaven.  Then glorious and eternal things would open before you, and you would not rest until you should increase more and more in spirituality.  But earthly things claim your attention, and God is forgotten.  I implore you to face rightabout, and to seek the Lord, that He may be found of you; call upon Him while He is near.--Testimonies for the Church, vol. 2, 290.

                                       Seek the Lord while He may be found,
                                             Call upon Him while He is near.
                                             Let the wicked forsake his way,
                                         And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
                                                 Let him return to the Lord,
                                             And He will have mercy on him;
                                                          And to our God,
                                               For He will abundantly pardon.
                                                                             --Isaiah 55:6, 7, NKJV

August 23:  Delight and Goodwill.

Distasteful Jests and Jokes.
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.  For like the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool.  This is also vanity.--Ecclesiastes 7:5, 6, NKJV

JESTING, JOKING, AND WORLDLY CONVERSATION belong to the world.  Christians who have the peace of God in their hearts will be cheerful and happy without indulging in lightness and frivolity.  While watching unto prayer they will have a serenity and peace which will elevate them above all superfluities.--Testimonies for the Church, vol. 3, 241.

Lightness, jesting, and joking will result in barrenness of soul and the loss of the favor of God.--Testimonies for the Church, vol. 2, 236.

A mind that is intent upon having the prize, upon securing heaven, will reject with firm, determined purpose every attempt at wit and jest concerning religious things.--Messages to Young People, 266.

Let no low witticism escape your lips.--The Ministry of Healing, 491.

All frivolous words, all lightness and trifling, and enticements of the enemy to deprive you of spiritual strength.  Brace yourselves against this evil, in the name of the God of Israel....Trim your lamps, and keep them burning, that wherever you may go you may reveal in speech and action precious rays of light.--Testimonies for the Church, vol. 9, 133.

                           Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes--these are not for you.
                                                 Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.
                              
                                                                 --Ephesians 5:4, NLT

August 22:  Delight and Goodwill.

Folly, Foolishness, Nonsense.
Folly is joy to him who is destitute of discernment, but a man of understanding walks uprightly.--Proverbs 15:21, NKJV

OUR RECREATIONS should not be scenes of senseless mirth, taking the form of the nonsensical.  We can conduct them in such a manner as will benefit and elevate those with whom we associate, and better qualify us and them to more successfully attend to the duties devolving upon us as Christians.

We cannot be excusable in the sight of God if we engage in amusements which have a tendency to unfit us for the faithful performance of the ordinary duties of life, and thus lessen our relish for the contemplation of God and heavenly things.  The religion of Christ is cheering and elevating in its influence.  It is above everything like foolish jesting and joking, vain and frivolous chit-chat.--Messages to Young People, 364.

It is by leading the followers of Christ to associate with the ungodly and unite in their amusements that Satan is most successful in alluring them into sin....

...Through the drama he has worked for ages to excite passion and glorify vice.  The opera, with its fascinating display and bewildering music, the masquerade, the dance, the card table, Satan employs to break down the barriers of principle and open the door to sensual indulgence.  In every gathering for pleasure where pride is fostered or appetite indulged, where one is led to forget God and lose sight of eternal interests, there Satan is binding his chains about the soul.--Patriarchs and Prophets, 458, 459

                          Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith,
                      love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
                              
                                                                  --2 Timothy 2:22, NKJV