And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. Luke 17:26.
From age to age the warnings which God has sent to the world by His servants have been received with … incredulity and unbelief. When the iniquity of the antediluvians moved Him to bring a flood of waters upon the earth, He first made known to them His purpose, that they might have opportunity to turn from their evil ways. For a hundred and twenty years was sounded in their ears the warning to repent, lest the wrath of God be manifested in their destruction. But the message seemed to them an idle tale, and they believed it not….
Scoffers pointed to the things of nature—to the unvarying succession of the seasons, to the blue skies that had never poured out rain, to the green fields refreshed by the soft dews of night—and they cried out, “Doth he not speak parables?” In contempt they declared the preacher of righteousness to be a wild enthusiast; and they went on, more eager in their pursuit of pleasure, more intent upon their evil ways, than ever before. But their unbelief did not hinder the predicted event….
Christ declares that there will exist similar unbelief concerning His second coming. As the people of Noah’s day “knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so,” in the words of our Saviour, “shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Matthew 24:39.
Solemnly there come to us down through the centuries the warning words of our Lord from the Mount of Olives: “Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares,” “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things….”
The Faith I Live By p. 341
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for Bill as he travels to ____ to be with his daughter as her husband had a heart attack. Ron
—-Please pray for my friend’s sister Barb, who was just diagnosed with Stage 1 uterine cancer. They are both strong Christians and are putting their faith in the Lord. ~ Martha
—-please pray for me. I am hurting emotionally and physically. Louise
—- I am requesting prayer for a wonderful person who recently had brain surgery. Has had a large tumor removed. He has been home now two weeks and is very depressed and is refusing to eat. Already he has lost 10#’s. His name is Larry, and he’s only in his fifties. All this find out he had a tumor was because he fell and hit his head. God works in mysterious ways. Please pray for my brother in Christ. Mary
—-Thank you everyone who prayed for my sister in law with her severe gallbladder pain. She finally called 911 and was taken to the hospital where she lives. They found a bad infection and also a hole in her gallbladder and she was scheduled for surgery she told us by phone yesterday. Now her cell phone has gone dead and we don’t know what hospital she is in. Please continue PRAYING for her healing. Connie
—-A 17 year old daughter of an African family that just moved here a week ago is missing. Please pray that she is found.
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Dear Friends,
When my children were little, I had a part time job where I worked in different homes on different days of the week. One day when I came home and was receiving my usual hugs of greeting from my children, I noticed that Esther had her nose pressed against my chest as if she were smelling my clothes. When I asked her what she was doing, she replied that she was seeing whose house I had been to. It was hard for me to believe that she could, so I challenged her to tell me whose house I had been to that day. To my surprise, she did.
Later, as I thought about what my younger daughter had done, I realized how easy it is to become polluted by the “odor” of whatever we see, whatever we hear, the places we go, and the things we do. Everything, even our own words, has a lasting effect upon us. Scientific studies have shown that we take on the characteristics of those we come in contact with, even if we are with them for as little as ten minutes. How important, then, it is to choose our friends wisely. The Bible says, “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” Amos 3:3 The influence of our associates changes us for good or for evil.
How important it is the we guard what we see and hear. Daily we should pray, “Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way.” Ps 119:37 God has promised a reward to those who are careful to turn away from the bad and cling to the good. “He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure. Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off.” Isa 33:125-17 Wonderful promise! Think of it! If we behold our Loving Saviour, meditating upon His life, His goodness, speaking with Him as we would to a dear friend, we will be changed into His likeness. “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Cor 3:18 This is to be our goal! This is to be our joy!
To be like the One Who loved us so will bring us joys beyond anything this sinful, old world has to offer. We will have a peace in our heart that cannot be shaken no matter what is transpiring around us. Then when others see this joy and peace, they will see Jesus dwelling within us. This was the disciples’ experience for even their enemies, “took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.” Acts 4:13
May we guard carefully the avenues of the soul as Paul advises, “whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Phil 4:8 May we determine as did David, “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes” Ps 101:3 May we daily study the life of our Loving Saviour “Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: To whom be glory for ever and ever.” Gal 1:4,5
Rose
As It Was in Noah’s Day