Betrayed by Friends and Relatives

When the law of God is made void, and the church is sifted by the fiery trials that are to try all that live upon the earth, a great proportion of those who are supposed to be genuine will give heed to seducing spirits, and will turn traitors and betray sacred trusts. They will prove our very worst persecutors. “Of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them;” and many will give heed to seducing spirits.

Those who apostatize in time of trial will bear false witness and betray their brethren, to secure their own safety. They will tell where their brethren are concealed, putting the wolves on their track. Christ has warned us of this, that we may not be surprised at the cruel, unnatural course pursued by friends and relatives.

We shall find that we must let loose of all hands except the hand of Jesus Christ. Friends will prove treacherous, and will betray us. Relatives, deceived by the enemy, will think they do God service in opposing us and putting forth the utmost efforts to bring us into hard places, hoping we will deny our faith. But we may trust our hand in the hand of Christ amid darkness and peril.

The followers of Christ must expect to encounter sneers. They will be reviled; their words and their faith will be misrepresented. Coldness and contempt may be harder to endure than martyrdom….

Parents will turn harshly against their children who accept unpopular truth. Those who conscientiously serve God will be accused of rebellion. Property that was willed to children or other relatives who believe the present truth will be given into other hands. Guardians will rob orphans and widows of their just dues. Those who depart from evil will make themselves a prey through laws enacted to compel the conscience. Men will take to themselves property to which they have no right. The words of the apostle will be verified in the near future: “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”

Maranatha p. 197

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Prayer Requests

—–Please pray for Amber who is hospitalized with extremely high blood pressure. She recently had a baby and has two other children so she needs to be home.

—–Please pray for Christine, a young mother of three small children, who has a tumor (osteosarcoma) in her leg bone. Pray that God will heal her physically and spiritually. Esther

—–Please pray for my Cousin Marie who is having pain and stiffness in her back. She has been to the Dr and they are running tests Monday. Please pray they come back clean and that it is something easy to fix and that there is nothing seriously wrong. God knows what is wrong with her and he is still in the healing business. Also pray for my friend Mary and her sick dog. Fran

—–update—My great nephew is in critical care just a step below ICU The infection is growing and he will have a 3rd tube put in is right lung. He is in a lot of pain. Cindi

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Dear Friends,

When Ron’s grandmother died, we fell heir to a pocket-sized church hymnal. It is the old one that our church used to have and I sometimes enjoy playing and singing some of my favorites that are not in the new one although the print is so tiny that I can’t do it for long. I thought I would share one that years ago I often used during the offering at church. It’s words are full of meaning. It is entitled, “They Brought Their Gifts to Jesus.”

They brought their gifts to Jesus,

And laid them at His feet,

And love for this dear Saviour,

Made every offering sweet;

Good deeds and words of kindness,

Help for the poor of earth, And not a gift among them

Was thought of little worth.

Apart from other givers

A poor wayfarer stood;

He saw the gifts they offered,

The poorest counted good;

And he was filled with longing,

A gift, though poor, to bring;

Alas! all empty handed

He stood before the King.

“Dear Lord,” he cried in sorrow,

“I know how kind Thou art,

Take all I have to give Thee,

My sinful wayward heart.”

Then Jesus answered softly,

“Count not the gift as small,

Though all of them are precious,

Thine is the best of all.”

Wouldst bring a gift to Jesus,

That He will count most sweet?

Sab, “Lord, my heart I give Thee,”

And lay it at His feet.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Rom 12:1,2