And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. Revelation 18:1.
I saw another mighty angel commissioned to descend to the earth, to unite his voice with the third angel, and give power and force to his message.
A work of worldwide extent and unwonted power is here foretold.
Great power and glory were imparted to the angel, and as he descended, the earth was lightened with his glory. The light which attended this angel penetrated everywhere, as he cried mightily, with a strong voice, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.” Revelation 18:2. The message of the fall of Babylon, as given by the second angel, is repeated, with the additional mention of the corruptions which have been entering the churches since 1844. The work of this angel comes in at the right time to join in the last great work of the third angel’s message as it swells to a loud cry. And the people of God are thus prepared to stand in the hour of temptation, which they are soon to meet. I saw a great light resting upon them, and they united to fearlessly proclaim the third angel’s message.
Angels were sent to aid the mighty angel from heaven, and I heard voices which seemed to sound everywhere, “Come out of her, my people.” … The glory of God rested upon the patient, waiting saints, and they fearlessly gave the last solemn warning, proclaiming the fall of Babylon and calling upon God’s people to come out of her that they might escape her fearful doom.
The light that was shed upon the waiting ones penetrated everywhere, and those in the churches who had any light, who had not heard and rejected the three messages, obeyed the call and left the fallen churches.
The Faith I Live By p. 335
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Prayer Requests
—-praise—Ronnie Jay and Wanangwa got home safely. Rose
—-Please pray for Shannon who is in the hospital. Rose
—-My coworker has asked me to pray for her to overcome addiction and for God to take away the temptation by changing her heart. I’ve already been praying for her for about 2 years. Would you please pray for her, too? Jesse
—-Yesterday my youngest son was at my granddaughter Emily’s birthday party. All the kids were playing with Nerf guns and one of the older kids shot my son in the eye with a nerd ” bullet.” Since this happened he has lost a large part of his vision in that eye. He says all He can see is a large gray shadow on the top part of his vision in that eye. He thought it would get better over night but it hasn’t. He is going to the Emergency room or an eye Dr. this morning. He is really upset over this happening and he is very depressed. Please pray that God will give him his vision back in this eye and heal him. Connie
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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 squirrel 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
Loud Cry of the Third Angel