Thus saith the Lord, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children. Isaiah 49:25.
When the protection of human laws shall be withdrawn from those who honor the law of God, there will be, in different lands, a simultaneous movement for their destruction. As the time appointed in the decree draws near, the people will conspire to root out the hated sect. It will be determined to strike in one night a decisive blow, which shall utterly silence the voice of dissent and reproof.
The people of God–some in prison cells, some hidden in solitary retreats in the forests and the mountains–still plead for divine protection, while in every quarter companies of armed men, urged on by hosts of evil angels, are preparing for the work of death. It is now, in the hour of utmost extremity, that the God of Israel will interpose for the deliverance of His chosen. . . .
With shouts of triumph, jeering, and imprecation, throngs of evil men are about to rush upon their prey, when, lo, a dense blackness, deeper than the darkness of the night, falls upon the earth. Then a rainbow, shining with the glory from the throne of God, spans the heavens and seems to encircle each praying company. The angry multitudes are suddenly arrested. Their mocking cries die away. The objects of their murderous rage are forgotten. With fearful forebodings they gaze upon the symbol of God’s covenant and long to be shielded from its overpowering brightness.
By the people of God a voice, clear and melodious, is heard saying, “Look up,” and lifting their eyes to the heavens, they behold the bow of promise. The black, angry clouds that covered the firmament are parted, and like Stephen they look up steadfastly into heaven and see the glory of God and the Son of man seated upon His throne.
While all the world is plunged in darkness, there will be light in every dwelling of the saints. They will catch the first light of His second appearing.
Maranatha p. 278
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Prayer Requests
—–Please pray for me. I pulled something in my back and am miserable. Pray that it gets well quickly as I babysit my grandchildren ages 2 and 3. R
—–I would appreciate your prayer today for a special matter. Rich
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Dear Friends,
When my children were small, we lived in North Carolina. One spring day we noticed that some birds were building a nest in the decorative trim on the front of our trailer. It was an ideal place to raise babies for there was no way they could not fall out of the nest. We welcomed them as a learning experience for the children as it was low enough that we could lift them up and they could look at the eggs in the nest. Soon the babies hatched, and from inside the trailer we could hear their cheeps every time the parent bird came with a bug or a worm for them to eat. As they grew larger, the cheeps became louder, but it did not bother us. We would sneak outside when both parents were gone hunting for food and look at the baby birds.
One day, as I sat down on the sofa that was against the wall that was directly behind the bird’s nest, I noticed some tiny insects swarming on the back of the sofa. Whatever could they be? I suddenly realized that these were bird mites! I checked the wall and it also was covered with mites. I was horrified! Now the thought of having those birds so close was not at all pleasant. I wanted those mites out of my house.
Immediately, I went to the store and bought some spray that could be used to rid pet birds of mites. I sprayed the sofa, the wall, and the baby birds. That helped, but since I could not spray the parent birds, the problem soon returned. Finally, the only thing that could be done was to get rid of the nest.
How often we become infested with the “mites” of this world. By listening to music that leads us away from Christ, by watching TV programs that fill our mind with the wrong thoughts, by the friends we have become like what we have allowed into our minds. One day we realize that we have become like those about whom Paul speaks, “Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.” Titus 1:15
This discovery alarms us so we try to change, but soon find that we cannot. The allurement of the music and of the program pulls us in once again. How much we need help from Above, for the One Who “was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” Heb 4:15 How desparately we need His cleansing power. Our prayer should be, “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: . . . Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. . . . Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. Ps 51:1-13
Here is the key. We need cleansing just as much as did the front of my trailer. We can’t just clean up the outside, we must get rid of the sin entirely. We must never do it again or we will become reinfected. As Paul declared, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Rom 7:18-25 ” We have a Saviour Who has promised, “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.” Exe 36:26,27
Let us ask our loving Saviour for that new heart which He so freely offers. Let us allow Him to rid us from the “mites” of sin. Let us, declare as did Paul, “I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.” Amen. Phil 3:8-15
Rose
God’s People Delivered