Instruments of Righteousness
Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. Romans 6:13.
The Lord has given you talents to use, and in using these talents as He intended they should be used, you will have increased aptitude and wisdom and clear spiritual eyesight to understand His work. Your mind and eyes must watch for His appearing, your ears open to hear the faintest whisperings of His voice. Your knees He has made; use them in kneeling in prayer. He is your strength. By faith take hold of the Unseen. Let your feet be shod with the preparation of the gospel for running obediently in the way of His commandments. Your tongue and voice are a talent given you of God to tell the story of His life, of His lessons, of His death, of His resurrection, of His ascension. Your bodily strength is to be devoted to the Master in fighting the good fight of faith on the battlefield, overcoming His enemies with “It is written.” Your sympathies and energies belong to God. Use them to glorify your Redeemer. . . .
Cultivate the thought that you are not alone. All your steps are watched by the Lord. You are encompassed with vigilant angels. . . . As the angels ministered unto Jacob, so certainly will they minister unto all of the Lord’s humble, contrite ones. . .
Reach up, higher and still higher, taking hold of one line of faith after another. Walk and work in love to God and the poor oppressed ones, and the Lord will be your helper. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man” (John 1:51). Jesus the precious Saviour, the Son of the living God, is the ladder uniting the celestial world with the terrestrial. His divinity lays hold of the throne of God. His humanity touches the earth. His human arm encircles the entire human race. Through Jesus Christ the angelic ministrations in love, in comfort, in reproof, in light, reach us. O thank the Lord, for He is good, and His mercies endure forever!
That I May Know Him p. 328
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Prayer Requests
—–Please pray for Mrs. M. who has a serious intestinal disease that few doctors are able to treat. She is going to a specialist today. Please pray that God will give the doctors wisdom to know how to treat her. Brian
—–Please pray for my daughter. She has hepatitis B and a thyroid condition. Sonia
—– Please pray for our former neighbor, Lou, who has colorectal cancer. Though he has refused traditional modern medicine, he is being bound in his mind by demonic entities to where he refuses to do anything of a natural nature to help his situation. He has been battling this for 2 years now and has been experiencing increasing pain and symptoms. He knows better, but has problems with attitude, diet and spiritual issues. Don’t know what stage he is in right now, but things do not look well at all. He is still residing in the home & is now down to 80 lbs. Please pray for his wife & 3 daughters, as well, for wisdom, courage and strength Please pray earnestly for release from demonic bondage to where he will submit to our Heavenly Father in humble submission to all things that he might be healed spiritually (and physically, too, if it be to God’s glory). Robin & Bonnie
—–I have multiple prayer requests: 1. family— CA the husband decided not to be a Christian anymore and is making it impossible for family to have any time for personal or family worship. AA (wife) having hard time –is being changed by husbands insistant she needs to be more worldly and fill his needs As a wife should. RA (daughter) is teenager and very confused and tending to follow Dad in his new fun life. Please pray for this family that Our Dear Father, merciful Son, and Holy Spirit will change hearts, open understanding, and overrule devils plans for them..—give them an obedient and surrendered hearts. 2. A Mother who has lime disease is very sick going downhill rapidly. Has children and husband. Needs healing and to understand God’s will and plan for her. And to help her to put faith in the one who loves her and will never leave her. She has been battling this disease for several years. 3. Another mother who has limes disease with children. Husband divorced her and she is alone. Needs healing, strength. Her faith is strong but health failing. The pain with this disease is horrible 24/7. Both these ladies on only treatment known to arrest the disease as there is no cure for the kind they have. 4. Another family with children struggling with errors being presented from pulpits in conference where they live. Pray they will study God’s word for answers and surrender all to Christ. 6. My sister has cancer is a fairly strong Christian and has chosen to go with chemo and radiation. Pray for her recovery and strength to bear the treatment. Thank you for your prayers for these dear people. Carol
—–Please pray for Jess, who has severe pain in her back. The doctors cannot find anything wrong so have referred her to a gynecologist. Please pray that God will give this doctor wisdom to know what is wrong and be able to fix it. Pray also for her mental state. Pray for her brother who has been out of work since he graduated from college and the mother who just lost her job. Mary
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Dear Friends
Standing in line anywhere is no fun, but it becomes enjoyable when I people watch. A few years ago, as I was standing in line waiting to renew my car license, I happened to notice a grandpa and his granddaughter (probably age four) in line a ways ahead of me. He was tall and thin, had his long yellow-gray hair tied back in a ponytail, and was covered with tattoos. Despite his hard-looking exterior, he was smiling at the little girl. Their relationship was obviously deep and happy. She showed that she had perfect love, perfect trust and confidence in him. He was squatted down and she was whispering “secrets” in his ear. When it was his turn to renew his vehicle, the little girl tried and tried to see over the counter. Again smiling tenderly at the girl, he lifted her up and sat her on the counter. When the lady behind the counter asked the little one what was her favorite animal, the girl asked her grandpa for advice. Rather than telling her outright, he helped her decide for herself by making several suggestions. She then answered the woman. When it was time to go, grandpa and child left hand in hand.
How our Heavenly Father longs to have us have perfect love, perfect trust and confidence in Him even more than that little girl had in her grandfather. We can tell Him anything and everything. We cannot weary Him. Indeed, He is even now bending over His throne listening for our prayers. He bids us, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” “Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.” Matt 7:7-11; 18:19 There is a qualification that must be met in the asking, however. We must abide in Christ for He says, “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” John 15:7
Jesus used the example of an unspoiled child to illustrate the perfect love and trust we should have in Him. “And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.” Mark 10:13-16
May we “pray without ceasing” to our Heavenly Father for He loves us with an “everlasting love.” 1 Thess 5:17; Jer 31:3 May we have strong confidence that He will do what is best for us in all circumstances. May we continually keep our hand in His Strong and Mighty Hand is my prayer.
Rose