Let’s pray…

1 Corinthians 14:40 –  Let all things be done decently and in order. 

So, today we shall be looking into how to put our lives in order both spiritually and physically. We shall come to know that the disorderliness or orderliness of our lives can gravely affect our spiritual life. Our study today will be mainly based on the Spirit of prophecy {Appeal to the youth}.

     My Dear Children, Henry and Edson: We have not forgotten you, dear boys; but we often think of you, and pray that blessing of God may be with you. We are anxious that you should form correct habits. We are from you so much, and you are left so much to yourselves, that you may be in danger of falling into careless habits, which will not increase your happiness, and which may make those around you unhappy. {AY 68.3}

I have just been reading in a book entitled, “How to be a Man.”I will copy a few lines, and you can apply as your case is met. “Slovenliness. A slovenly boy makes himself a deal of needless trouble, and greatly tires the patience of his mother. If you going to his room you find it always in confusion. His things are scattered about, here and there, some on the bed, some on the chairs, and some on the floor, but none in their places. He either has no particular place for anything, or else he takes no pains to put things in their places. He leaves a thing where he uses it. Hence if he wants anything he never knows where to look for it, unless he happens to remember where he used it last. He must waste his time in hunting for it. Hence you will often hear him impatiently inquiring if anyone has seen his things, when he ought himself to know where they are. If he goes into another person’s room, whatever article he lays his hand upon is misplaced. And so it is if he uses any of his father’s tools. He never thinks of putting anything where he found it. He throws it down carelessly wherever he happens to be, or else puts it in the wrong place. With these untidy habits, is associated carelessness. He never seems to be thinking what he is about. He lays his hat on a chair, or throws it upon the floor. Thus he tries the patience of his mother, and makes himself unwelcome at his own home.” {AY 69.1}

Dear children, I do not write merely for your amusement, but for your improvement. Learn where you fail, and then commence the work of reform in earnest. You must learn order. Have set hours to work in the garden, set hours in the heat of the day to arrange your garden seeds, set hours to read and improve your minds. Spend no precious moments in bickerings and finding fault with each other. This disturbs your own happiness, and pleases the enemy. Remember the eye of God is ever upon you. Endeavor to please him in all your acts. Make your peace with him while you are in health. Your parents have a deep interest for you. Our greatest desire is that you may be subjects of grace. You will never be saved against your will. You must prize salvation, and submit to be saved in the Lord’s appointed way. Humble repentance of sin, and faith in Jesus as your Saviour, will be required on your part,and He is faithful that hath promised. He will accept you, and give you of his salvation. If you deny yourselves in many things, and refrain from sin for a season only, this will not be sufficient. It is a life of obedience which will please God and be acceptable to him. Delay not to make an entire consecration to God, that your names may be recorded in the Lamb’s book of life. {AY 70.1}

My Dear Willie: I have just finished a letter to your brothers, and will now write you a few lines. I was glad to hear that you loved to visit grandpa and grandma White. Tell them that we have

not forgotten them. We wish them to have a special care for their health. We hope they are well and happy. You must do your part to make them happy. They love you, Willie, very much, because you are not mischievous, and do not make them trouble by disarranging grandfather’s tools. You should never grieve them by being noisy, for this often annoys aged people. {AY 71.2}

Be mild and gentle. You know that you dislike very much to play with rough, noisy boys. You feel annoyed with their ways. When you notice their failures, never do what you dislike in them. You have been a great comfort to us, because you have always been so anxious to do as we wished you to. This is right. You will be happy as long as you possess this spirit, and are so obedient. Visit your grandparents often, and study to make them happy, and they will always love you. Don’t forget to pray, Willie. You love to go aside with your mother and spend a few moments in prayer. You can do the same although I am not with you. Jesus, the dear Saviour, will hear you just the same when alone. Don’t neglect these seasons of prayer, my dear boy. {AY 71.3}

Your affectionate Mother. {AY 72.1}

My Dear Children, Henry and Edson: I will now write some things which are the opposite of slovenly and careless habits, copied from the same book from which the extract in my former letter was taken:{AY 72.2}

“The neat, orderly and careful boy has an invariable rule; ‘A place for every thing, and every thing in its place.’ Go into his room at any hour, you will find everything in order. He can go in the dark and lay his hands upon anything that he wants, so that he never runs the risk of setting the house on fire by carrying a light into his bed-room. He never leaves a thing at random where he happens to be using it, but always puts it where it belongs. When he undresses, every article of his clothing is folded and laid together in the order that it will be wanted in the morning, so that he loses no time in hunting for it. He is equally careful of his person. He never considers himself dressed, till he has washed his hands and face, cleaned his teeth, and combed his hair; and he never thinks of setting down to the table with dirty hands. He learns to keep his clothes neat and clean. He never forgets to use the scraper at the door, to remove the mud from his feet, and he makes it an invariable rule never to pass a mat without wiping his shoes. He never says, like the sloven, ‘I didn’t think,’ to excuse himself. He would consider it unpardonable in him not to think; for what is the ability of thinking worth, if it never comes when it is wanted. The neat, orderly boy makes himself agreeable to his mother, or guardian, and friends, who are always glad to see him coming home. And home is a delightful place to him, because he meets with smiles and pleasant words. But the sloven exposes himself to sour looks and chiding, by his dirty habits; and he finds home a disagreeable place, because he makes it so.” {AY 72.3}

We want you, dear boys, to be patterns of neatness and order. Willie looks to you for example. He has great confidence that you do everything about right. Any wrong, careless habits in you, would be learning your youngest brother lessons which would make him unhappy, and cause us much inconvenience and grief. We are absent from you much, and you should feel that a responsibility rests upon you, my dear boys, to strictly guard yourselves from falling into wrong habits, and also save your brother Willie from doing wrong. A noble example before him, will do much to influence him to preserve correct habits. We commit you to God, earnestly praying that his angels may guard you all three, and incline your hearts to love him. {AY 73.1}

Your affectionate Mother.                           {Source: AY–Appeal to the Youth by Ellen White}

THOUGHT QUESTIONS

1. Are we to form correct habits as Christians? Oh Yes!
2. Please make a list, in simple statements, of seven (7) things at least the Sloven does which should be avoided. What are the spiritual implications?

You can add if you have any other points.

• State at least seven (7) things that we are encouraged to do which will help us to be “neat, orderly and careful”. What are the spiritual implications?

	Characters of the “neat, orderly and careful”.	Spiritual Implications
1.	Has a fixed rule (…‘A place for every thing, and every thing in its place.’…)	Orderly (1 Cor. 14:40 Let all things be done decently and in order.) Who is this one’s Mentor?
2.	Arranges his clothing(…When he undresses, every article of his clothing is folded and laid together in the order that it will be wanted in the morning …)	Careful (John 20:7 And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.) — (It was Christ Himself who had placed those graveclothes with such care…….But it was the Saviour’s hand that folded each, and laid it in its place. In His sight who guides alike the star and the atom, there is nothing unimportant. Order and perfection are seen in all His work (The Desire of Ages, pp. 788, 789).)
3.	Sufferable –He takes pains to put things in place.	Self-denying and patient
4.	Neat and tidy habits(…He never considers himself dressed, till he has washed his hands and face, cleaned his teeth, and combed his hair; and he never thinks of setting down to the table with dirty hands. He learns to keep his clothes neat and clean.…)	Clearness of mind and purpose(continent)
5.	Time management(…Have set hours …)	Enough time for Bible study, prayer and meditation.
6.	Mild, gentle and cheerful(…Be mild and gentle… The neat, orderly boy makes himself agreeable to his mother, or guardian, and friends, who are always glad to see him coming home…)	Godly atmosphere(…Psa16:11 Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence [is] fulness of joy; …)
7.	Has Foresight, responsible and plans(…, ‘I didn’t think,’ to excuse himself. He would consider it unpardonable in him not to think; for what is the ability of thinking worth, if it never comes when it is wanted…)	Faith (Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.)

• What are we encouraged to do to improve our mind?………………………………….

• What is the secret of maintaining happiness among ourselves? “Spend no precious moments in …………….and …………… with each other. This disturbs your own ……………, and pleases the enemy. Remember the eye of God is ever upon you.”

• “Don’t forget to……………., Willie. You love to go aside with your mother and spend a few moments in ………….You can do the same although I am not with you. Jesus, the dear Saviour, will hear you just the same when…………..Don’t neglect these seasons of ………………my dear boy.”

   It is impossible for a slack, disorderly person to make a good Christian. Their lives, in temporal and religious things, are just as disorderly as their dress, houses, persons, and premises.  {OHC 230.3} 

     There is order in heaven. There are rules and regulations which govern the whole heavenly host. All move in order. All there is cleanly, all in perfect harmony. And everyone who will be counted worthy to enter heaven will be thoroughly disciplined and will be without spot or wrinkle or any such thing. The uncultivated have spots and wrinkles upon them now. They had better lose no time in commencing the work of cleansing themselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord.  {OHC 230.4} 

     God loves purity, cleanliness, order, and holiness. God requires all His people who lack these qualifications to seek them and never rest until they obtain them. They must commence the work of reform and elevate their lives, so that in conversation and deportment their acts, their lives, will be a continual recommendation of their faith and will have such a winning, compelling power upon unbelievers that they will be compelled to acknowledge that they are the children of God.  {OHC 230.5} 

     The truth as it is in Jesus will not degrade but elevate the receiver, purify his life, refine his taste, sanctify his judgment.  {OHC 230.6}  Dear children, I do not write merely for your amusement, but for your improvement. Learn where you fail, and then commence the work of reform in earnest. You must learn order.

Let’s pray…