And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him. Genesis 5:24.
God had a church when Adam and Eve and Abel accepted and hailed with joy the good news that Jesus was their Redeemer. These realized as fully then as we realize now the promise of the presence of God in their midst. Wherever Enoch found one or two who were willing to hear the message he had for them, Jesus joined with them in their worship of God. In Enoch’s day there were some among the wicked inhabitants of earth who believed. The Lord never yet has left His faithful few without His presence nor the world without a witness.
Enoch was a public teacher of the truth in the age in which he lived. He taught the truth; he lived the truth; and the character of the teacher who walked with God was in every way harmonious with the greatness and sacredness of his mission. Enoch was a prophet who spake as he was moved by the Holy Ghost. He was a light amid the moral darkness, a pattern man, a man who walked with God, being obedient to God’s law—that law which Satan had refused to obey, which Adam had transgressed, which Abel obeyed, and because of his obedience was murdered. And now God would demonstrate to the universe the falsity of Satan’s charge that man cannot keep God’s law. He would demonstrate that though man had sinned, he could so relate himself to God that he would have the mind and spirit of God and would be a representative symbol of Christ. This holy man was selected of God to denounce the wickedness of the world, and to evidence to the world that it is possible for men to keep all the law of God….
Enoch not only meditated and prayed, and put on the armor of watchfulness, but he came forth from his pleadings with God to plead with his fellow men. He did not mask the truth to find favor with unbelievers, thus neglecting their souls. This close connection with God gave him courage to work the works of God. Enoch walked with God and “had the testimony that his ways pleased God.” This is the privilege of every believer today. It is man dwelling with God, and God taking up His abode with man. “I in them, and thou in me,” says Jesus. To walk with God and have the witness that their ways please Him is an experience not to be confined to Enoch, to Elijah, to patriarchs, to prophets, to apostles, and to martyrs. It is not only the privilege but the duty of every follower of Christ to have Jesus enshrined in the heart, to carry Him with them in their lives; and they will indeed be fruit-bearing trees.—Manuscript 43, August 2, 1900, “The Prophet Enoch.”
The Upward Look p. 228
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Prayer Requests
—-This is an update on the status of my Mother, Evelyn. And it is not good news …They WERE talking about sending her to a unit that does stroke rehabilitation. But now they are saying that she doesn’t have enough movement in her limbs to “qualify” for that. It sounds to me like thy have pretty well made up their minds that they are going to send her to Palliative Care. I think you all probably know what that means.That said, I still believe that God can perform a miracle. All I can think of to say now is, I ask you all to please keep praying for her. Mark
—-Thank you for all the prayers for my friends daughter who was going into labor at 20 weeks. Today Jane lost her baby boy Oliver. Connie
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Dear Friends,
This time of year, I always have problems with my eustation tubes getting plugged up because of allergies. There’s not much that can be done but endure it. It reminds me of a program I used to watch that followed an emergency room doctor as he saw patients. Having worked in a hospital many years ago, this sparked my interest. One of the patients that was shown was a man who had a very large bug in his ear. It had caused the man much pain and discomfort. His only thought was to be rid of that creature that was hanging on with its pinchers. As the doctor worked to remove the insect, the man moaned and howled loudly. (At least I don’t have that happening.)
Sin is like that bug in that man’s ear. Once it gets inside us, it holds on even tighter than that bug did. Once we allow sin even a tiny entrance, it takes over everything. We can fool ourselves into believing that we can stop sinning any time we want to. But when we try to get rid of it, we cannot. We can only say as did the apostle Paul, “O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Rom 7:24
Praise God! We have Someone Who is waiting to help us. He longs to save us from our sins. He wants to cleanse us before it is too late. He pleads, “As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die?” Eze 33:11 “Turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness. Joel 2:12, 13 He is “the way, the truth, and the life.” John 14:6 He “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. Amen.” Gal 1:4 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 Therefore “we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Titus 2:12-14
May we allow the Great Physician to rid us of every sin even though it is sometimes painful to us is my prayer.
Rose