I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. John 15:5.
The end is near! God calls upon the church to set in order the things that remain. Workers together with God, you are empowered by the Lord to take others with you into the kingdom. You are to be God’s living agents, channels of light to the world, and round about you are angels of heaven with their commission from Christ to sustain, strengthen, and uphold you in working for the salvation of souls. . . .
Stand out separate and distinct from the world–in the world, but not of it, reflecting the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness, being pure, holy, and undefiled, and in faith carrying light into all the highways and byways of the earth.
Let the churches awake before it is everlastingly too late. Let every member take up his individual work and vindicate the name of the Lord by which he is called. Let sound faith and earnest piety take the place of slothfulness and unbelief. When faith lays hold upon Christ, the truth will bring delight to the soul, and the services of religion will not be dull and uninteresting. . . . Daily you will have a rich experience as you practice the Christianity you profess. Sinners will be converted. Oh, that all may arouse and manifest to the world that theirs is a living faith, that a vital issue is before the world, that Jesus will soon come. Let men see that we believe that we are on the borders of the eternal world.
The upbuilding of the kingdom of God is retarded or urged forward according to the unfaithfulness or fidelity of human agencies. The work is hindered by the failure of the human to cooperate with the divine. Men may pray, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven”; but if they fail of acting out this prayer in their lives, their petitions will be fruitless. But though you may be weak, erring, and sinful, the Lord holds out to you the offer of partnership with Himself. He invites you to come under divine instruction. Uniting with Christ, you may work the works of God. “Without me,” Christ said, “ye can do nothing.”
Maranatha p. 111
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Prayer Requests
—–Please pray for D who has a job interview today. This job is greatly needed. L
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Dear Friends,
When I worked in the courthouse we often enjoyed looking at the mug shots of the defendants who came into our office. Some came to court in dirty and torn clothes but most of them cleaned up and dressed in their best clothes to come to court. How different those looked on the day they were arrested. Often we would laugh together at the outward change in the person. Changing outwardly did little good when standing before the judge, for they still ended up being found guilty.
We, too, will someday stand before the Judge of all the earth Who knows us so well, that He even knows the number of hairs on our head. (Rom 14:10; Luke 12:7) We can at times, through sheer determination, appear to change outwardly, but that will do no good in front of the One Who can read the heart. (1 Sam 16:7) Only He can truly rid us of those sins that so easily beset us. Praise God! He will change our vile heart and make us pure and clean within if we will allow Him too. “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?” “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.” Eze 18:33; 36:26,27 “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isa 1:18 “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.” Isa 45:22 “And I will cleanse [you] from all [your] iniquity, whereby [you] have sinned against me; and I will pardon all [your] iniquities, whereby [you] have sinned, and whereby [you] have transgressed against me.” Jer 33:8
May we come to Him now that we may receive the pardon and cleansing we need so much. May we pray as did David, “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 51:1-4, 7, 9-13 May we daily walk with Him in newness of life, turning from the sin that so easily besets us, and grasping firmly His Guiding Hand, that we may stand before Him covered with the righteous robe of Jesus is my prayer.
Rose