And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. Daniel 12:1.
When the third angel’s message closes, mercy no longer pleads for the guilty inhabitants of the earth. The people of God have accomplished their work…. The final test has been brought upon the world, and all who have proved themselves loyal to the divine precepts have received “the seal of the living God.” Then Jesus ceases His intercession in the sanctuary above. He lifts His hands, and with a loud voice says, “It is done.” …
God’s long-suffering has ended. The world has rejected His mercy, despised His love, and trampled upon His law. The wicked have passed the boundary of their probation; the Spirit of God, persistently resisted, has been at last withdrawn. Unsheltered by divine grace, they have no protection from the wicked one. Satan will then plunge the inhabitants of the earth into one great, final trouble…. The people of God will then be plunged into those scenes of affliction and distress described by the prophet as the time of Jacob’s trouble.
Those only who have clean hands and pure hearts will stand in that trying time. Now is the time for the law of God to be in our minds, foreheads, and written in our hearts…. What leisure time we have should be spent in searching the Bible, which is to judge us in the last day….
Let the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ be in your minds continually and let them crowd out worldly thoughts and cares. When you lie down and when you rise up, let them be your meditation. Live and act wholly in reference to the coming of the Son of man. The sealing time is very short, and will soon be over. Now is the time, while the four angels are holding the four winds, to make our calling and election sure.
The Faith I Live By p. 339
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for the Bennett’s family who lost their daughter in an accident and their older daughter who is on life support. Kay
—-I was just told today by one of my sons that my life is in danger too by one of the main killers of one of my son’s best friends. . . . I am asking for more prayers for my son and I for God’s protection and that these killers will be arrested and put in prison so they can’t hurt anyone else. Connie
—-Please pray for an unspoken prayer request.
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Dear Friends,
When my children were toddlers, they would often cry as all little ones do. I would take them in my arms to comfort them, but with all their hard crying, they refused to accept the comfort I offered. It didn’t matter if they were crying out of frustration, pain, anger, or sadness I learned a way of turning their crying into laughter. I would put my hand over their mouth and then quickly off their mouth. I would repeat this over and over quickly. Their crying would sound very funny! Soon as they heard the change in sound, they would look surprised. Before long, they would start to laugh. Sometimes they would still want to cry and a little cry would try to return a few more times, but the funny sound had taken all the tears away. Then, when they were quiet, they were able to get the comfort they desired. I would hold them close and rock them in the rocking chair and sing to them.
How often we have frustrations and disappointments. How often we have heartaches and sorrows hard to bear. Life just does not go the way we have planned. How often we have been hurt by the cruel things people say. We feel sorrow, anger, frustration welling up from within us. We are perplexed and do not know what to do.
In times like these, I remember His offer, “As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted.” Isa 66:13 I think of how much our loving Father in Heaven wants to comfort us, how He never forsakes us. He promises, “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.” 49:15, 16
Claiming these promises, I think of leaning my head against His chest while His Loving Arms surround me. Precious thought! The Great Creator of the Universe desires to brush away all our tears, all our heartaches, all our frustrations. “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.” 2 Cor 1:3,4
May we never fight against His purposes but run swiftly to His comforting arms. May we allow Him to “will and to do of His good pleasure” in us. Phil. 2:13 And very soon, may we dwell with Him forever more in His Heavenly kingdom where there will “be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” Rev. 21:4
Rose
“A Time of Trouble”