God Speaks to Us

After Christ’s death two disciples, on their way to Emmaus from Jerusalem, were talking over the scenes of the crucifixion. Christ Himself drew near, unrecognized by the sorrowing travelers. Their faith had died with their Lord, and their eyes, blinded by unbelief, did not recognize their risen Savior. Jesus, walking by their side, longed to reveal Himself to them, but He accosted them merely as fellow travelers, saying “What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?” Astonished at the question, they asked if He were a stranger in Jerusalem and had not heard that a prophet, mighty in word and deed, had been crucified. “We trusted that it had been He which should have redeemed Israel,” they said, sadly.

“O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken,” Christ said; “ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.” …

The disciples had lost sight of the precious promises linked with the prophecies of Christ’s death, but when these were brought to their remembrance, faith revived; and after Christ had revealed Himself to them, they exclaimed, “Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?” …

If we would search the Scriptures, our hearts would burn within us as the truths revealed therein are opened to our understanding. Our hopes would brighten as we claim the precious promises strewn like pearls through the Sacred Writings. As we study the history of patriarchs and prophets, men who loved and feared God, walking with Him, our souls would glow with the spirit that animated them….

The question is asked, What is the cause of the dearth of spiritual power in the churches? The answer is, We allow our minds to be drawn away from the Word…. The Word of the living God is not merely written, but spoken. It is God’s voice speaking to us, just as surely as if we could hear it with our ears. If we realized this, with what awe we would open God’s Word, and with what earnestness we would search its pages.—The Review and Herald, March 31, 1903.
From the Heart p. 29
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for Joyce. She is having a lot of trouble recovering from surgery. Also please pray for Fran. Rose
—-I have a friend who needs prayers because she hasn’t had a bowel movement in at least a week or so. She’s tried everything. Her Dr did a x-ray and she was told her intestines are backed up. An enigma will not be helpful in this case and could be more harmful. My friend doesn’t want to have surgery but doesn’t know what else to try. Danita
—-G needs our prayers. Buck
—-please pray for Pat who is in the hospital with the flu very bad. It is especially bad because she has COPD and kidney disease. M
—-Please pray for my daughter. Jenny, who is having a really hard time. So many things. For my daughter Jody whose husband is still not working, needs a job. For A young man named Owen, who just got a kidney transplant. That it will be successful. And he will not reject. Debra
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Dear Friends,

How often I have heard mothers say that they can hardly wait until their children are grown so they will not have so much work or worry. What a surprise they are in for! Little children are a lot of work and a little worry. Older children are less work and quite a bit of worry. Grown children pull on our heartstrings as we see them go through all the troubles and trials of adulthood. Seeing them struggle brings great pain to our heart. Then we long for the days when they were tiny ones again and we could fix their hurts.

Yet it helps us realize in a small way the pain our Heavenly Father must have as He sees His children experiencing physical or emotional pain. How His Great Heart of Love must ache as He watches us struggling. How He would love to take complete control of our situation and make it all right, but He will not force us to allow Him to do so. Instead, He waits to be asked to take control of our life. If we allow Him to do so, He can fix all our tangled problems and place our feet on the right path.

Jesus reminds us, “Without me ye can do nothing.” John 15:5 How true. Without Jesus’ dwelling within us, all our efforts against the trials and pain that beset us are in vain. Solomon experienced this. He had started out his reign so well, but through wrong influences and choices his life was a failure. How disappointed he made the True King of Israel. Looking back over his life, Solomon commented, “Vanity of vanities; all is vanity. I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit. Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.” Ecc 3:2, 14, 17

Praise God, He does not leave us to fight our battles alone! If we come to Him, He will give us the help we so desperately need! Moreover, He will change us into His image. Jesus, alone, gives our life true meaning. Jesus, alone, can save us from all of the pain the evil one heaps upon us. He is even now pleading with us, “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

May we so live that as we look back over the years of our life we will be able to declare as did Paul, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 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.” 1 Tim 4:7, 8

Rose