That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. Ephesians 5:27.
The Lord God is a jealous God; yet He bears long with the sins and transgressions of His people in this generation. If the people of God had walked in His counsel, the work of God would have advanced, the messages of truth would have been borne to all people that dwell on the face of the whole earth…. But because the people are disobedient, unthankful, unholy, as were ancient Israel, time is prolonged that all may hear the last message of mercy proclaimed with a loud voice. The Lord’s work has been hindered, the sealing time delayed. Many have not heard the truth. But the Lord will give them a chance to hear and be converted.
What are you doing … in the great work of preparation? Those who are uniting with the world are receiving the worldly mold and preparing for the mark of the beast. Those who are distrustful of self, who are humbling themselves before God and purifying their souls by obeying the truth—these are receiving the heavenly mold and preparing for the seal of God in their foreheads. When the decree goes forth and the stamp is impressed, their character will remain pure and spotless for eternity. Now is the time to prepare. The seal of God will never be placed upon the forehead of an impure man or woman. It will never be placed upon the forehead of the ambitious, world-loving man or woman. It will never be placed upon the forehead of men or women of false tongues or deceitful hearts. All who receive the seal must be without spot before God—candidates for heaven.
Every individual soul, if he would receive the seal of the living God, must hear the Word of the Lord, and do it with exactitude. There must be no such thing as haphazard religion if men would have a place in the family of God.
Now is the time, while the four angels are holding the four winds, to make our calling and election sure.
The Faith I Live By p. 288
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Prayer Requests
—-Please help me pray for my daughter’s passport to be found she needs it to travel soon. Rosemary
—-Please pray for my sister Barbara! She will need her leg amputated in hopes of saving her life from the cancer she has been battling. Please, let us pray that this will be the beginning of the end of all her suffering. Pray the cancer hasn’t spread and this is the means of the end of this ordeal. Connie
—-pray for a brother name Ray, he has throat cancer, he sign himself for experiment medicine but it backfire and now he’s dying. He don’t want to die yet, so please help me pray for our brorher Ray. SR
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Dear Friends,
When Eileen was a little girl, the story of Queen Esther was her favorite Bible story. Often she would crawl up on my lap and listen to me read the story of Esther to her. She never tired of it. She often played that she was that Bible character. We had great fun together as we would work around the house. Sometimes she was in Mordacai’s house helping with the work, sometimes she was the queen lounging on the sofa and I was the servant cleaning or cooking.
The book of Esther is full of lessons for us who live today. We have an enemy far stronger and wiser than that wicked Haman, who wanted to destroy God’s people from the earth. Mordacai felt so responsible for this coming destruction. He humbled himself, dressing in sackcloth and ashes. He and his people prayed night and day for deliverance according to Queen Esther’s command. Perhaps they prayed as did David, “Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: defend me from them that rise up against me. Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloody men. For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul: the mighty are gathered against me; not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O LORD. They run and prepare themselves without my fault: awake to help me, and behold. . . . I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble. Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defence, and the God of my mercy.” Ps 59:1-4, 16,17 The Great King of the Universe heard their prayers and wrought a great deliverance for them.
Just so, He will deliver us from the evil one, when we cry unto Him. There are dangers on every hand “for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Eph 6:12 As did Queen Esther and her people, we can claim the promise, “Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.” Psa 91:3-10 Moreover, in the future, when the world is in great distress, when it crashes in upon us, when all are against us, we are told, “Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob‘s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.” Jer 30:7 We shall be delivered! Jesus will come and rescue us from the power of the evil one! Precious promises!
Peter assures us, “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished.” 2 Peter 2:9 Throughout his writings, Paul speaks of this great love and deliverance of “our Lord Jesus Christ, Who 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.”Gal 1:3-5 “Take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication. Eph 6:13-18
Our Loving Saviour offers us His righteousness, His protection. It has cost him everything, but it is worth it to Him because of the great love wherewith He loves us. Indeed, He has graven us upon the palms of His hands. (Isa 49:16) Isaiah tells us that “He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied.” Isa 53:11 Think of it! We are so precious to our Dear Saviour, that He counted it a joy to suffer and die for us! What wondrous love! It is beyond our comprehension!
May we freely return His love, serving Him with joy and gladness throughout our life. May the Lord, Who is faithful, keep us moment by moment from all evil. (2 Th 3:3) May we declare as did Paul, “And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” 2 Tim 4:18
Rose
God’s Ideal for His Church