Author: Dahana Baxter

The LORD has graciously blessed Dahana Baxter with the privileged experience of being a fourth generation, life-time Adventist. By His grace she currently holds local church membership in the Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, and is a Co-host/Presenter on ABL. In eager anticipation of the imminent soon return of Jesus Christ, her greatest joy is found in exalting and serving Him at any post that He assigns her in His Advent-hour Vineyard. To this end she covets your earnest biblical prayers on her behalf.

WHAT A LIFE!

Without the mountains there’d be no valleys,
And rainbows are ribbons wrapped around rain;
Without life’s struggles, how’d we know vict’ry,
Or truly know joy, if we knew no pain?

Without strong winds the trees would have frail roots;
And storms must beset us e’er we know calm.
Without night’s darkness, light would not seem bright;
And clouds beget sunsets – such beautiful psalms!

Without life’s trials, how can we qualify?
Temptations come our way to test our strength.
Oft’ times, the loss we see, God makes our gain.
Through faith, eternal life is ours, at length.

What a life this would be,
If, on earth, all were ease;
Then we’d never know we’re
Victims of sin’s disease!
What a life this would be,
If our trials we’d receive
As pathways to Jesus –
To health and joy and peace.

Penned: July 27, 1985
Copyright (c) 2018 Dahana Baxter. All rights reserved.

CHEER UP!

(Dedicated to Ali)

Do you, at times, grow sad and lone
When nothing goes your way,
When those you love seem hard as stone
And friends seem far away?

Cheer up, my friend, for someone else
May need your friendship dear,
His hopes to raise, his fears to quell;
Your love and hopes to share.

True, you may feel it’s just not fair,
The Lord should permit you
Heartache and loss; that you must bear
Pain and jealousy, too.

But cheer up, sad though life may be,
And count your blessings o’er.
Someday, true love – your own – you’ll see;
So, cheer up. Pine no more.

Penned: March 11, 1973
Copyright (c) 2018 Dahana Baxter. All rights reserved.

‘TIS HEAVEN

Unearthly in every way,
Thrice brighter than earth’s brightest day;
Glory and splendour surrounding all,
With perfect beings so graceful and tall –
‘Tis heaven.

The grand reward of every saint,
The home to which our Saviour went;
The only place of lasting joy
Where ills and fears can ne’er annoy –
‘Tis heaven.

Penned: 1971
Copyright (c) 2018 Dahana Baxter. All rights reserved.

Hope

When life seems dark and faith dies away,
Hope is renewed by each breaking of day;
Each smiling flower, each petal soft,
Wakes up our drowsy hopes so oft’.
Each lofty tree and black-bird’s trill
Tells us that life means a little hope, still.
The murmuring wind in gentle tones
Whispers kindly, “Hope” to the downcast ones.
And as the dogs bark, life shows some spark;
As the sleepy babe coos and a hungry cow moos,
Hope’s fire kindles anew in the heart
And God’s love is seen playing its part –
For hope lives on.

Penned: 1976
Copyright (c) 2018 Dahana Baxter. All rights reserved.

His Hand

Never be sad – shun despairing remorse –
Jesus is ever near.
Cheer up! Just think, life could be much worse;
But Christ sees each falling tear;
Life’s trials may be many and joys but few,
But His hand will see you through.

Christ bore all this and a whole lot more –
He never did give up;
His tender head bled and His back grew sore,
Yet He drank that bitter cup;
Don’t shut Him out, whatever you do,
For His hand was pierced for you.

Penned: 1976
Copyright (c) 2018 Dahana Baxter. All rights reserved.

I’m Not Alone

Roaring, buffeting waves they come,
Pushing me farther away from home.
Downcast, I turn; I halt to think:
“Christ should be somewhere near the brink”.
My hope grows bright, my faith revives,
As, once again, I realise – I’m not alone!

Now, in Christ’s light, my fears grow dim;
My joys o’erflow my glad heart’s brim.
Boldly I tread the angry deep,
And climb the stormy banks so steep;
With Christ my Stay, my Guide, my Light –
He is my Might through every fight – I’m not alone!

Penned: 1976
Copyright (c) 2018 Dahana Baxter. All rights reserved.

MY BELOVED ADVENTISTS …

Abiding in Christ
May 6th

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.” John 15:4

” ‘Abide in me’ are words of great significance. Abiding in Christ means a living, earnest, refreshing faith that works by love and purifies the soul. It means a constant receiving of the spirit of Christ, a life of unreserved surrender to His service. Where this union exists, good works will appear. The life of the vine will manifest itself in fragrant fruit on the branches. The continual supply of the grace of Christ will bless you and make you a blessing, till you can say with Paul, ‘I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.’ (Galatians 2:20)

“The sacred union with Christ will unite the brethren in the most endearing bonds of Christian fellowship. Their hearts will be touched with divine compassion one for another. . . . Coldness, variance, strife, are entirely out of place among the disciples of Christ. They have accepted the one faith. They have joined to serve the one Lord, to endure in the same warfare, to strive for the same object, and to triumph in the same cause. They have been bought with the same precious blood, and have gone forth to preach the same message of salvation. . . .

“Those who are constantly drawing strength from Christ will possess His spirit. They will not be careless in word or deportment. An abiding sense of how much their salvation has cost in the sacrifice of the beloved Son of God will rest upon their souls. Like a fresh and vivid transaction the scenes of Calvary will present themselves to their minds and their hearts will be subdued and made tender by this wonderful manifestation of the love of Christ to them. They will look upon others as the purchase of His precious blood, and those who are united with Him will seem noble and elevated and sacred because of this connection. The death of Christ on Calvary should lead us to estimate souls as He did. His love has magnified the value of every man, woman, and child”
TMK 132.4

 

By God’s grace, may every one of us enjoy the abiding presence of His indwelling Holy Spirit in a close walk with our precious LORD, today!… even as Enoch did.

The Merits of Jesus’ Blood

April 29th

My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. Psalm 34:2. (White, E. G., That I May Know Him, pp 125.1)

He {the true Christian} realizes that an infinite sacrifice has been made for him and that his life is of inestimable value through the merits of Jesus’ blood, intercession, and righteousness. But while he comprehends the exalted privileges of the sons of God, his soul is filled with humility. There is no boasting of holiness from the lips of those who walk in the shadow of Calvary’s cross. They feel that it was their sin which caused the agony that broke the heart of the Son of God. . . . Those who live nearest to Jesus feel most deeply their own unworthiness, and their only hope is in the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour. Like Moses, they have had a view of the awful majesty of holiness and they see their own insufficiency in contrast with the purity and exalted loveliness of Jesus. (White, E. G., That I May Know Him, pp125.2)

Is there not occasion for humility? Is there not need of feeling our utter dependence upon Christ every day and hour? … He took on Him our nature, and became sin for us, that we might have “remission of sins that are past” (Romans 3:25), and through His divine strength and grace might fulfill the righteous requirements of the law. Whoever takes the position that it makes no difference whether or not we keep the commandments of God is not acquainted with Christ. Jesus says, “I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love” (John 15:10), and those who follow Jesus will do as He has done… (White, E. G., That I May Know Him, pp125.3)

Satan will seek to entice you to enter into the paths of sin, promising that some wonderful good will result from the transgression of God’s law, but he is a deceiver. He would only work your ruin. . . . Christ came to break the rule of the evil one. . . . Man was so weakened through transgression that he did not possess sufficient moral power to turn from the service of Satan to the service of the only true God; but Jesus, the prince of life, to whom is committed “all power in heaven and earth,” will impart to every soul who desires salvation the strength necessary to overcome the enemy of all righteousness. (White, E. G., That I May Know Him, pp125.4)

PAUSE TO PONDER…

April 26th

The Grace of Humility

“Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” Isaiah 57:15.

“The grace of humility should be cherished by everyone who names the name of Christ, for self-exaltation can find no place in the work of God. Those who would cooperate with the Lord of hosts must daily crucify self, placing worldly ambition in the background. They must be long-suffering and kind, full of mercy and tenderness to those around them…

True humility is the evidence that we behold God and that we are in union with Jesus Christ. Unless we are meek and lowly we cannot claim that we have any true conception of the character of God. Men may think that they are serving God faithfully; their talents, learning, eloquence, or zeal may dazzle the eye, delight the fancy, and awaken the admiration of those who cannot see beneath the surface, but unless these qualifications are humbly consecrated to God,… they are regarded by God as unprofitable servants.

God has been waiting long for His followers to manifest true humility that He may impart rich blessings to them. Those who offer Him the sacrifice of a broken and contrite spirit will be hidden in the cleft of the rock and will behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world. As Jesus, the Sin Bearer, the all-sufficient Sacrifice, is seen more distinctly, their lips are tuned to the loftiest praise. The more they see of the character of Christ the more humble they become, and the lower their estimate of themselves. . . . Self is lost sight of in their consciousness of their own unworthiness and of God’s wonderful glory…

Those who value a holy and happy walk with God, who prize the strength that a knowledge of Him brings; will leave nothing undone if only they may behold God. They will cherish the spirit that trembles at His word, and in every place and under every circumstance they will pray that they may be allowed to see His glory.” (White, E. G., That I May Know Him, pp122.5)

Under Christ’s Yoke

April 25th

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:29, 30.

“The tempter often whispers that the Christian life is one of exaction, of rigorous duties, that it is hard to be on the watch continually, and there is no need of being so particular. It was thus that he deceived and overthrew Eve in Eden, telling her that God’s commands were arbitrary and unjust… Satan’s object is the same now as then. He desires to deceive and ruin us. We should study the life of Christ and seek to cherish His spirit and copy His example, and the more we become like Him, the more clearly shall we discern the temptation of Satan, and the more successfully resist his power…

“True happiness is to be found, not in self-indulgence and self-pleasing, but in learning of Christ, taking His yoke, and bearing His burden. Those who trust to their own wisdom and follow their own ways, go complaining at every step because the burden which selfishness binds upon them is so heavy and its yoke so galling. They might change all this if they would but come to Jesus and by His grace put off the yoke that links them to Satan… take the burden which Christ gives them, and let His yoke bind them to Him in willing, happy service.

Jesus loves the young, and He longs to have them possess that peace which He alone can impart… If we have become the disciples of Christ we shall be learning of Him — *every day learning how to overcome some unlovely trait of character, every day copying His example and coming a little nearer the Pattern. If we are ever to inherit those mansions that He has gone to prepare for us we must here be forming such characters as the dwellers there are to possess.

The requirements of God are made in wisdom and goodness. In obeying them, the mind enlarges, the character improves, and the soul finds a peace and rest that the world can neither give nor take away. When the heart is fully surrendered to Jesus, His ways will be found to be ways of pleasantness and peace.” (White, E. G., That I May Know Him, pp 121.5)

So, why not “Come Into Him”?

After All, “His Yoke Is Easy”!