Martyrs in the Last Days

Every individual in our world will be arrayed under one of two banners.

The two armies will stand distinct and separate, and this distinction will be so marked that many who shall be convinced of truth will come on the side of God’s commandment-keeping people. When this grand work is to take place in the battle, prior to the last closing conflict, many will be imprisoned, many will flee for their lives from cities and towns, and many will be martyrs for Christ’s sake in standing in defense of the truth.

By the decree enforcing the institution of the papacy in violation of the law of God, our nation [the United States] will disconnect herself fully from righteousness….

As the approach of the Roman armies was a sign to the disciples of the impending destruction of Jerusalem, so may this apostasy be a sign to us that the limit of God’s forbearance is reached, that the measure of our nation’s iniquity is full, and that the angel of mercy is about to take her flight, never to return. The people of God will then be plunged into those scenes of affliction and distress which prophets have described as the time of Jacob’s trouble. The cries of the faithful, persecuted ones ascend to heaven. And as the blood of Abel cried from the ground, there are voices also crying to God from martyrs’ graves, from the sepulchers of the sea, from mountain caverns, from convents vaults: “How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

When the fifth seal was opened, John the Revelator in vision saw beneath the altar the company that were slain for the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. After this came the scenes described in the eighteenth of Revelation, when those who are faithful and true are called out from Babylon.

Christ will restore the life taken; for He is the Life-giver: He will beautify the righteous with immortal life.

Maranatha p. 199
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Prayer Requests

—–Please pray that God will give D and M wisdom and direction. L

—–update—My mother didn’t break anything and is resting at home. Thanks for your prayers. Mike

—–My best friend’s mom has brain cancer and has been taken to the cancer center in ______. Please pray for her and her family. Amy

—–Would you all please put my co workers daughter on you prayer list? Her name is Liberty she is running a high fever for about two weeks now and doctors are unsure as to why. They have admitted her into the hospital so they can run extensive test. They are thinking a bacterial infection or even leukemia. She is only 3. She is a very sick little girl. Rhonda

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Dear Friends,

When I was about six or seven, I got really upset over something I felt was unfair and decided to run away from home. In my childish mind, I felt like I had been treated unfairly and so was justified in “punishing” them by running away. Announcing my intentions loudly, I stomped out of the door and slammed it behind me. By the time I had gotten down the stairs, past the cleaners which was next door, past Mrs. Caswell’s house, past Freddie’s house and a couple of other neighbors’ residences, I began to come to my senses. What I was doing? What should I do next? How would I get food to eat? Where would I spend the night? Should I go to Bonnie Brooks’ house which was almost at the end of the very long block where we lived? Most of all, how could I get very far when I was not allowed to cross the street?

By this time, I was almost to the end of the block (which was really as long as two blocks). I hesitated while pondering what to do next. I stopped and looked around. A finger of fear crept over me. Someone was hiding behind that tree over there! At least, most of the person was hidden. As I looked harder, I realized that there was something very familiar about the skirt sticking out beyond the tree trunk. Just then a very familiar face peered out from behind the tree. It was my mother! I was so relieved that she was not a “bad guy” that all thoughts of rebellion were gone. Since she noticed that I saw her, she came out of hiding. I ran into her arms. Strangely, she did not scold me like she normally did. We just talked together as if nothing had happened as we walked home together.

Sometimes we may, in our rebellion, wander far from God; but we really cannot get away from His presence. More often we just get careless and neglect to study and pray as we should, but He is near, waiting for us to call upon Him. The Psalmist David said, “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. Ps 139:7-12 What a comforting thought! Our Great Creator is always near. He has promised, “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour.” Isa 43:2,3

How often those waters through which we pass are of our own making: sometimes they are a flood from the evil one who continually is trying to destroy us. How often we must endure fiery trials as a result of our wrong decisions, our running away, but He does not forsake us. Our friends might look upon us with disdain, but He looks upon us in pity. Our friends might ignore us, but He longs for us to ask Him for the help that He so freely offers. No matter what the origin of the situation in which we find ourselves, our Great Protector can untangle the mess we have made of our life and set our feet upon the right path. Our Loving Saviour pleads, “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?” Eze 33:11 He is our Good Shepherd Who will lead us in the right way. He assures us, “What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.” “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” Luke 15:4-7John 10:11

Let us turn to our Great Redeemer with all of our heart “for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness.” Joel 2:13 Let us run to Him now just as I ran to my mother when I saw her watching over me in my rebellion. Let us daily kneel at the foot of His cross, receive the forgiveness that He so freely offers, take hold of His nail-scarred hand, and let Him lead us to His Heavenly Home.