December 1, 2022 | Silver Spring, Maryland, United States | Ted N.C. Wilson, President, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
Hello, friends. Today, let’s consider some of the simplest, yet profound principles for living a happy, successful life. These principles come from Jesus Himself, who outlined them in His Sermon on the Mount, and were an expression of His own life.
“Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them,” He said in Matthew 6:1. Here, Christ strikes at the core of human nature itself—the desire for self-glory. How often do we perform some act of charity, hoping to receive praise and honor for our good deeds? And yet, as Christ’s followers, we are to bring glory to God whose grace and power gives us the ability to do good.
“We are to give in sincerity, not to make a show of our good deeds, but from pity and love to the suffering ones,” wrote Ellen White. “Sincerity of purpose, real kindness of heart, is the motive that Heaven values” (p. 81).
Jesus then urges His followers to be sincere in spiritual activities, rather than putting on a show. In contrast to the Pharisees who, with loud voices, recited long prayers in public places for self-glorification, Jesus instructed, “. . . when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly” (Matt. 6:6).
Jesus had certain places for communion with God, and so should we—a place where only He can hear, and where we can pour out our hearts to Him.
Prayer is an absolute necessity for all who desire to follow Jesus. Listen to this incredible promise:
“The soul that turns to God for its help, its support, its power, by daily, earnest prayer, will have noble aspirations, clear perceptions of truth and duty, lofty purposes of action, and a continual hungering and thirsting after righteousness. By maintaining a connection with God, we shall be enabled to diffuse to others . . . the light, the peace, the serenity, that rule in our hearts” (MB, p. 85). So, prayer not only benefits us, but enables us to help others as well.
Continuing on, Jesus urges us to “not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth . . . but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven . . . for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt. 6:19-21).
Here, Christ instructs us not to make the pursuit of earthly treasure the main goal of our lives. How much better to recognize all resources come from Him as we return a faithful tithe and generously support His work with financial offerings and gifts of our time and talents.
Jesus encourages whole-hearted devotion to God, warning that “No man can serve two masters” (Matt. 6:24). Notice He doesn’t say we “will not” or “shall not” serve two masters, but that we cannot. There is no neutral position—we either allow Christ to live in our hearts, or the enemy of righteousness will dwell there.
“Do not worry,” Jesus says (vs. 25), reminding us He takes care of even the smallest creatures and how much more He cares for us. Rather than anxiously worrying, He invites us to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to you” (vs. 33).
In summarizing these life-giving principles, Ellen White writes:
“When we take into our hands the management of things with which we have to do, and depend upon our own wisdom for success, we are taking a burden which God has not given us, and are trying to bear it without His aid. We are taking upon ourselves the responsibility that belongs to God, and thus are really putting ourselves in His place. We may well have anxiety and anticipate danger and loss, for it is certain to befall us. But when we really believe that God loves us and means to do us good we shall cease to worry about the future. We shall trust God as a child trusts a loving parent. Then our troubles and torments will disappear, for our will is swallowed up in the will of God” (MB, p. 100).
This, friends, is the key to satisfaction, peace, and happiness. I invite you to place your life, your will, in God’s mighty and trustworthy hands today.
Let’s pray together. Father in heaven, we thank You for the provisions which You accord to each of us. And so that many other things that we worry about and are concerned about actually are not things which are our responsibility. Help us to depend completely upon You, recognizing that if we’re in Your hands, You’ll guide, You’ll direct and You’ll provide. So Lord, accept us today as Your servants, as Your sons and daughters, people who are willing to proclaim a message directly from You, and to truly understand that You’re the provider of all that we need. Thank You for hearing us, in Jesus name. Amen.