Behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain. Isaiah 26:21.
There is coming rapidly and surely an almost universal guilt upon the inhabitants of the cities, because of the steady increase of determined wickedness. The corruption that prevails, is beyond the power of the human pen to describe. Every day brings fresh revelations of strife, bribery, and fraud; every day brings its heart-sickening record of violence and lawlessness, of indifference to human suffering, of brutal, fiendish destruction of human life. . . .
Our God is a God of mercy. With long-sufferance and tender compassion He deals with the transgressors of His law. . . . The Lord bears long with men, and with cities, mercifully giving warnings to save them from divine wrath; but a time will come when pleadings for mercy will no longer be heard. . . .
The conditions prevailing in society, and especially in the great cities of the nations, proclaim in thunder tones that the hour of God’s judgment is come and that the end of all things earthly is at hand. We are standing on the threshold of the crisis of the ages. In quick succession the judgments of God will follow one another–fire, and flood, and earthquake, with war and bloodshed. . . .
The storm of God’s wrath is gathering; and those only will stand who respond to the invitations of mercy, . . . and become sanctified through obedience to the laws of the divine Ruler. The righteous alone will be hid with Christ in God till the desolation be overpast. Let the language of the soul be: “Other refuge have I none; Hangs my helpless soul on Thee; Leave, Oh leave me not alone! Still support and comfort me. “Hide me, O my Saviour, hide, Till the storm of life is past; Safe into the haven guide; Oh, receive my soul at last!”
Maranatha p. 67
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Prayer Requests
—– Soliciting prayers for my Son and Grandson’s safety as they head out to climb Mt. Rainier. They will be gone for 6 days. Maxine
——update—Craig passed away this weekend. Please pray for his family. Mary also needs prayer as she is struggling with loneliness after Tom’s death and now this on top of it. Rose
—– Just found out a dear family friend died yesterday. He was out mowing on a tractor his shop and rolled down an embankment. The tractor landed on top of him. His son found him and said it took an hour and a half to get equipment there to get the tractor off of him. . . . He and his wife and my folks have been friends for over 60 years. Please keep the family and my folks in your prayers. Thank you. Cheryl
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Dear Friends,
On long winter evenings, as a special treat, my grandmother would unpack her stereopticon. How I looked forward to that! Each card had two identical photographs printed side by side. When placed in the stereopticon’s slot and viewed through the eyepiece, a three-dimensional picture would appear. It was such a wonderment for me to view far off places and people in old-fashioned clothes doing old-fashioned things. I would look at these wonders with awe. I knew that I had to handle these objects with the utmost care, as they were very old and irreplaceable.
God’s Holy Word is like looking through that stereopticon. It, too, is irreplaceable and should be handled with reverence and awe. As we compare what each of the Bible writers had to say upon a certain subject, we get the depth of meaning that a simple reading through of Scrpture cannot give—much like my grandmother and my getting a three dimensional picture when we put the specially prepared card into the stereopticon. Isaiah tells us that in studying the Bible, “precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little.” Isa 28:10 The Holy Spirit revealed to patriarchs and prophets great messages for those around them. These great messages were not only for them but for us as well.
What a treasure the Scriptures are! Through them, we find the only true answers to life’s questions. Through them we find “the Way the Truth and the Life.” John 14:6 The psalmist exclaims, “I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts. I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word. I have not departed from thy judgments: for thou hast taught me. How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Ps 119:99-105
Peter, when comparing his experience upon the mount of transfiguration to the Word of God, tells us that in God’s Word “we have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto [we] do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” 2 Peter 1:19-21 Think of it! The Scriptures are more sure than what we see around us, more sure than what we hear, more solid than what we feel, more real than the experiences of our life.
Paul tells us that the holy scriptures “are able to make [us] wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” 2 Tim 3:15-17; Rom 10:17; Heb 4:12
How important it is, therefore, that we diligently study God’s Great Love Letter to us. It is the “sword of the Spirit.” Eph 6:17 By it, our Dear Saviour defeated the devil during the wilderness temptations. Over and over again He answered, “It is written.” (Matt 4:1-11 ) How His Great Heart of Love longs for us to follow His example of using the Scriptures to defeat the foe. He tells us, “blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.” Luke 11:28 David sang, “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.” Ps 19:7-10
Let us each day “study to show [ourselves] approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Tim 2:15 Let us meditate upon the Scriptures and “give [ourselves] wholly to them; that [our] profiting may appear to all, [taking] heed unto [ourselves], and unto the doctrine; [continuing] in them: for in doing this [we] shall both save [ourselves,] and them that hear [us.]” 1 Tim 4:15,16 Let us daily pray “let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” Ps 19:14
Rose