Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 2 Timothy 3:12.
As the time comes for it [the third angel’s message] to be given with greatest power, the Lord will work through humble instruments, leading the minds of those who consecrate themselves to His service. The laborers will be qualified rather by the unction of His Spirit than by the training of literary institutions. Men of faith and prayer will be constrained to go forth with holy zeal, declaring the words which God gives them. The sins of Babylon will be laid open. The fearful results of enforcing the observances of the church by civil authority, the inroads of spiritualism, the stealthy but rapid progress of the papal power—all will be unmasked. By these solemn warnings the people will be stirred….
The power attending the message will only madden those who oppose it…. The church appeals to the strong arm of civil power, and in this work, papists and Protestants unite. As the movement for Sunday enforcement becomes more bold and decided, the law will be invoked against commandment keepers….
The words of Paul will be literally fulfilled, “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” As the defenders of truth refuse to honor the Sunday-sabbath, some of them will be thrust into prison, some will be exiled, some will be treated as slaves. To human wisdom, all this now seems impossible; but as the restraining Spirit of God shall be withdrawn from men, and they shall be under the control of Satan, … there will be strange developments….
No man can serve God without enlisting against himself the opposition of the hosts of darkness.
What was the strength of those who in the past have suffered persecution for Christ’s sake? It was union with God, union with the Holy Spirit, union with Christ. It is this fellowship with the Saviour that will enable God’s people to endure to the end.
The Faith I Live By p. 330
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray earnestly for my son’s safety as he is not saved and a biker gang is after him. Pray that he will stop using drugs and alcohol. Connie
—-Prayer requests from last night’s prayer meeting: safe travel for S and B. ; Jesus’ guidance of Samuel’s upcoming marriage; Nathan’s needs; teacher/principle interview; the Lord’s Pantry Friday; Chec Wellness this Sunday; our pastor; Steve; Jeanette; Martin’s travel; Kay’s interest in health; Glow ministry; Ann’s court case today.
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Dear Friends,
My mother was very good with animals. Even wild animals considered her a friend. She even had a wild sqirrel that she would call and he would come running down the tree by our house and come right up to her. She would put a nut in her teeth and he would carefully take it and sit there and eat it. Even dogs that were usually mean, would allow my mother to pet them. Often times she did not know that the dog was normally vicious until the amazed owner would tell her.
One day, however, when I was about six, we were walking to a pet store that was about a half mile to the east north east of us. We often went there, but this day was different. Suddenly a large boxer came running up and attacked and bit my mother. She was shocked! The owner came running and apologized and assured her that the dog had had all its shots. Shakily, my mother walked the rest of the way to the pet store. There they let her sit down for awhile and they tended to the bite. From that moment, I never trusted strange dogs.
My mother’s experience makes me think of a much more common experience we often face. That is gossip. Paul says, “If ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.” Gal 5:15 How gossip hurts! How gossip consumes! James tells us, “If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. James 3:2-10
How easily we can wound a friend by a careless word spoken to another. That little word can grow and become twisted in the repeating until the friend has been devoured. Never again can the friendship be so close. Never again can the fellowship be as sweet. The trust is no longer there. The scars remain.
Let us be careful not to wound with our words. Let us determine not to repeat gossip, but instead to pray. Let us pray as did David, “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” Ps 19:14
Rose

Hard Days of Persecution