Faith Is the Victory

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 1 John 5:4.
The Christian’s life should be one of faith, of victory, and joy in God. “Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” Truly spake God’s servant Nehemiah, “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10. And Paul says: “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.” Philippians 4:4. “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks….” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.
God is able and willing to bestow upon His servants all the strength they need, and to give them the wisdom that their varied necessities demand. He will more than fulfill the highest expectations of those who put their trust in Him.
Jesus does not call on us to follow Him, and then forsake us. If we surrender our lives to His service, we can never be placed in a position for which God has not made provision. Whatever may be our situation, we have a Guide to direct our way; whatever our perplexities, we have a sure Counselor; whatever our sorrow, bereavement, or loneliness, we have a sympathizing Friend. If in our ignorance we make missteps, Christ does not leave us…. “He shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.” Psalm 72:12.
Faith … enables us to look beyond the present, with its burdens and cares, to the great hereafter, where all that now perplexes us shall be made plain. Faith sees Jesus standing as our Mediator at the right hand of God. Faith beholds the mansions that Christ has gone to prepare for those who love Him. Faith sees the robe and crown prepared for the overcomer, and hears the song of the redeemed.
We may claim much of our kind heavenly Father…. We may believe in God, we may trust Him, and by so doing glorify His name.
The strength of those who, in faith, love and serve God, will be renewed day by day.
The Faith I Live By p. 126
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer Requests
—-Prayer Request: Tom who is in burn care with 85% of his body burned an a 10% survival chance. he was Baptized about 2 weeks before the Explosion and fire of his home. Brian
—-Please pray for Ariel, he’s my cousin’s father and he tried to kill himself and he might die now he lose a lot of blood. Please pray for him. Giosue
—-update—Praise the Lord for answering your prayers for Rebecca, my grand daughter!
No surgery and out of the hospital! Joyce
—-Please pray for Debbie, my husband’s granddaughter. Yesterday, at age 44, she collapsed at work from a cardiac arrest. CPR was done, and paramedics transported her to the hospital. Tests showed it was not the usual heart attack. She was placed in a chemical coma for a few days, and more tests to follow. Please pray for wisdom for her doctors to diagnose and provide proper treatment, and for God’s intervention to save this young mom’s life. She has teenage twins. Alice
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Friends,
When Ronnie Jay was age 2, he had pneumonia. At first I thought he had a cold, but it kept getting worse and worse until it became very difficult for him to breathe. I took him to a doctor that went to our church. He knew that we had no insurance and no money to pay for a hospital stay; so he told me that if I would follow his instructions exactly, he would not put Ronnie Jay in the hospital. I agreed. The instructions were simple: Make sure he took the four different kinds of medicine at exactly the right times, watch him carefully to make sure he wasn’t getting worse, and keep him in bed, make sure that he was quiet and didn’t cry . I kept a strict schedule for the medicine by keeping a chart and following it exactly. Keeping him quiet and in bed was not a problem as was so sick that he didn’t even want to get up .
Gradually, he got better. By the time Sabbath came, I decided to go to church since I was the Primary leader and the church organist. Ron stayed home to watch Ronnie Jay. Even though I went to church that day, my thoughts were home with my sick little one. It seemed like the service would never end.
I rushed home as fast as I dared to drive. Imagine my shock when I found Ron reading a book and Ronnie Jay on the floor playing happily with his toy cars. That scared me and I became very angry with my husband! How could he disobey the doctor’s orders like that?
Finally, when I would let him explain, he told me that when Ronnie Jay woke up, he felt so much better that he had wanted to get out of bed. Ron had made him stay there just like he was supposed to, until Ronnie Jay had started crying very hard. So Ron felt it was better to let him get up than to let him cry. Then I understood. Then I was sorry I had gotten so upset with my husband.
How easy it is to misjudge another person’s motives. How often we look up on the outward act and judge according to our perceptions. How many times we are so sure that we know the situation, but the reality is far from what we think it is. Much later, when we have all the facts, we find that we would have done the same thing as the person we are condemning.
Our Dear Saviour warns us, “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” Matt 7:1,2 Judging is a serious matter. James advises, “Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?” “Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.” James 4:11,12; 5:9 Paul adds, “Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.” Rom 2:1
There is only One Who judges with perfect judgment. There is only One Who knows everything about us. Indeed, He knows us better than we know ourselves. He takes into consideration our surroundings, the opportunities we have had, how others have treated us, the severe trials and disappointments that have caused us to despair, the motives for our actions, as David tells us, “The LORD shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there.” Ps 87:6
May we be very careful in our dealings with others, for we know not what may cause them to dishearten and turn from our Loving Saviour. May we remember that we also must ” give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.” 1 Peter 4:5
May we so live that we may be able to say with confidence as did Paul, “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” 2 Tim 4:8
Rose