Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. Luke 19:17.
If our active temperament gathers in a large amount of work that we have not strength nor the grace of Christ to do understandingly and with order and exactitude, everything we undertake shows imperfection, and the work is constantly marred. God is not glorified, however good the motive….
God would have us pay heed to His words. The carefully wrought service in the sight of God is of value although easily overlooked by human eyes, yet indispensable in this world where we are doing our work. God wants intelligent workers, doing their work not hurriedly, but carefully, and thoroughly, always preserving the humility of Jesus. Those who put thought and painstaking into the higher duties should put care and thought into the smaller duties, showing exactitude and diligence.
Oh, how much neglected work is done, how much leaving things at loose ends because there is a constant desire to take on greater work. The work is slurred over that relates to the service of God, because they pull so much work before them that there is nothing done thoroughly. But all the work must bear the scrutiny of the Judge of all the earth. The smaller duties connected with the service of the Master assume importance because it is Christ’s service. Selfishness and self-esteem should be guarded against as your bitterest enemy. But how easily self finds opportunities to exhibit itself, and how Satan exults at the exhibitions, and how sorrowful and ashamed are the angels of God of man’s foolishness. How unlike Jesus Christ; in what contrast to the example He has given us in His own life. How far removed from His requirements, to crucify self with the affections and lusts….
What will be our feelings when we shall stand on the sea of glass? Shall we look back on the hours of our impatience here? Shall we stand upon the eternal hills of paradise and take in the events of our past life and see how many unnecessary trials we had because we thought God was dependent upon us to do everything? God help us to see our own littleness and God’s greatness. God forbid that we should have exalted ideas of our own greatness, and exalt self. Magnitude of experience is no measure of worth. God has a standard so unlike human standards, and if we see God’s estimate of us, we would see value where we supposed was littleness, and littleness where we supposed was greatness.—Letter 48, August 24, 1886, to “Dear Brethren Engaged in Labor in Nimes” [France].
The Upward Look p. 250
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for a young lady who has covid 19 she is in her late 20’s. M
—-Please pray for the people affected by the wildfires. Lisa
—-Please pray for Judy whose brother passed yesterday. Rose
—-Please pray for the McQuiston family. Maya is back in PICU and they need to decide if she will have a trach to help her breathe. Pray doctors get some answers and her parents have some peace right now. Her big sister has a spot on ehr ankle that they can see on the x-rays it doesn’t look like a break, btu it coudl be some sort of cyst or bone spur or possibly a tumor. She will go under general anesthetic to have an MRI tomorrow. Let us pray for answers, peace and wisdom.
I have a dear friend named Dawn who lost her husband last week after a long battle with cancer.
I have a relative (my ex-stepfather’s cousin, but we were raised as cousins and we are close in age, about 5 years apart) lost her dad yesterday. She nearly lost him back in January, so I think she was mentally ready, but probably not mentally ready. Her name is Jolean. Jennifer
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Dear Friends,
When Ronnie Jay and Esther Marie were children, it was necessary at times to leave them alone for a few hours. In Washington state it was legal for a child as young as 10 to babysit a sibling. Carefully I would explain to them that Eileen was working just down the hill and made sure that they had phone numbers for all three of us in case their were any problems. I also instructed them that they were not to let anyone inside the house. That rule included friends.
Their best friend, Travis, lived about 1/4 mile away and the three of them enjoyed playing together. Travis would often come over to our house while I was gone. Ronnie Jay and Esther Marie would not let him in, but the three friends still wanted to play together. They thought and thought of a solution to their problem.
Finally one of them had an idea. Travis would stay on the screened porch and Ronnie Jay would open the window. He would not let Travis inside, but they could still play together. In this way they kept themselves entertained for hours. Of course, they were very careful not to tell me of this arrangement until years later.
How often we want desperately to do something we know we shouldn’t, so we rationalize it away. How often we get just as close to our pet sins as we dare, thinking that we are strong enough not to fall again. Should we get just as close to sin as we can possibly get? No! We are told “Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.” Prov 4:27 “flee fornication”1 Cor 6:18 “flee idolatry” 10:14 “Remove from … the way of lying:” Ps 119:29 Paul charged Timothy, “Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” 2 Tim 2:22 “But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: Which in his times he shall show, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting.” 1 Tim 6:11-17
Our Great Creator and Redeemer pleads with us now, “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 He is waiting with longing desire for us to turn away from our “darling sins” and say as did David, ” Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.” He has His arms open wide. He is “merciful and gracious and abundant in goodness and truth.” Ex 34: 6 He is ready to receive us. May we come to Him now.
Rose