Human Probation Closes

He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. Revelation 22:11.
When the work of the investigative judgment closes, the destiny of all will have been decided for life or death. Probation is ended a short time before the appearing of the Lord in the clouds of heaven.
Scoffers pointed to the things of nature—to the unvarying succession of the seasons, to the blue skies that had never poured out rain, to the green fields refreshed by the soft dews of night—and they cried out: “Doth he not speak parables?” In contempt they declared the preacher of righteousness to be a wild enthusiast; and they went on, more eager in their pursuit of pleasure, more intent upon their evil ways, than before. But their unbelief did not hinder the predicted event. God bore long with their wickedness, giving them ample opportunity for repentance; but at the appointed time His judgments were visited upon the rejecters of His mercy.
Christ declares that there will exist similar unbelief concerning His second coming. As the people of Noah’s day “knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so,” in the words of our Saviour, “shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Matthew 24:39. When the professed people of God are uniting with the world, living as they live, and joining with them in forbidden pleasures; when the luxury of the world becomes the luxury of the church; when the marriage bells are chiming, and all are looking forward to many years of worldly prosperity—then, suddenly as the lightning flashes from the heavens, will come the end of their bright visions and delusive hopes.
The events connected with the close of probation and the work of preparation for the time of trouble, are clearly presented. But multitudes have no more understanding of these important truths than if they had never been revealed. Satan watches to catch away every impression that would make them wise unto salvation, and the time of trouble will find them unready.
Maranatha p. 263
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Prayer Requests
—–Pray for the people in the path of the wildfires. BJ
—–Ron is now in the hospital, as he has worsened since yesterday. They don’t know if it could be heart or organ rejection, or something else. Please hold him up in prayers. Linda
—–Please pray that Abigail’s health continues to improve (to full restoration – God is able!). Pray that Abigail’s parents can continue the arduous trips for visiting their daughter over the next few weeks, plus juggle work commitments, that their hope stays alive and their faith, that a new application can be brought again quickly that will provide the medical corroboration needed to allow for Abigail to be returned to her parents within the next few weeks! Debby
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Dear Friends,
Some years ago, when Ronnie Jay a counselor in Pathfinders, the group went camping in Oklahoma. He asked his sister Eileen if she wanted to go along. Of course, she did! She was almost sorry, however, when the first night and all the next morning they had heavy rains. Eventually, the weather cleared and so did her spirits.
Sunday there was a planned canoe and rafting trip down the river which Eileen was looking forward to. Unfortunately, the river was now way above flood stage and flowed swiftly. The leader decided to go anyway. Ronnie Jay, who doesn’t like the water much, went on the raft, but Eileen wanted to canoe. The other person in the canoe had never been in one before. That was a little worrisome, but since both of my girls are excellent canoeists, Eileen felt confident. She sat in the back in order to be able to steer, and off they went. Since the other person was inexperienced, she was not paddling correctly. Eileen had to compensate for every paddle-stroke.
Later, she told me she was glad that years before when Ron had taught her how to canoe, he had paddled in such a way that was very frustrating to her. With every paddle-stroke he was working against her. Gradually, she had learned to overcome his bad paddling and to steer a canoe correctly. That had been his purpose all along. Now, she understood that even though he had appeared to be working against her, he was really helping her to become the type of canoeist that he wanted her to be.
How often it seems like everything is going wrong in our life. We struggle and fight against our situation not realizing that these trials are the very things we need to become the kind of person that our Great Creator longs for us to be. He is using these very unpleasant circumstances to help us to become stronger Christians, to help us stay on His pathway, to help us to rely upon His strength. “Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee. Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.” Deut. 8:5,6 “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.” Heb 12:11
Yet, even in the troubles He allows to come upon us, He is there mingling them with His great mercy. “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy….He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.” Ps 103:8-14 Praise God! Through it all, we have the assurance that He loves us with an everlasting love and draws us ever closer to Himself, as Paul reminds us, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” 2 Cor 4:17
May the trials that come our way strengthen us and help us to overcome the sins that so easily beset us. May we look to our great and merciful Saviour and “obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Heb 4:16 May we patiently endure these trials and heartaches that we experience now, “knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” Rom 5:3-5
Rose