Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God. 2 Peter 3:11, 12.
It is essential that all shall know what atmosphere surrounds their own souls, whether they are in co-partnership with the enemy of righteousness, and unconsciously doing his work, or whether they are yoked up with Christ, doing His work. . . .
Satan would be pleased to have anyone and everyone become his allies in the work of weakening the confidence of brother in brother, and sowing discord among those who profess to believe the truth. Satan can accomplish his purpose most successfully through professed friends of Christ who are not walking and working in Christ’s lines. . . .
This is the day of the Lord’s preparation. We have no time now to talk unbelief or . . . to do the devil’s work. Let everyone beware of unsettling the faith of others by sowing seeds of envy, jealousy, disunion; for God hears the words, and He judges, not by assertions which are yea and nay, but by the fruit of one’s course of action. . . .
As yet the four winds are held until the servants of God shall be sealed in their foreheads. Then the powers of earth will marshal their forces for the last great battle. How carefully we should improve the little remaining period of our probation! How earnestly we should examine ourselves! . . .
It is discipline of spirit, cleanness of heart and thought that is needed. This is of more value than brilliant talent, tact, or knowledge. An ordinary mind, trained to obey a “Thus saith the Lord,” is better qualified for God’s work than are those who have capabilities, but do not employ them rightly…. Men may take pride of their knowledge of worldly things; but if they have not a knowledge of the true God, of Christ, the Way, the Truth, and the Life, they are deplorably ignorant, and their knowledge will perish with them. Secular knowledge is power; but the knowledge of the Word, which has a transforming influence upon the human mind, is imperishable.
Maranatha p.63
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Prayer Requests
—–please put my neighbor Alvin on the prayer chain he is suffering with a lot of pain in his back he sees the surgeon next week for the operation, he has a herinated disk. also His son in law Dewey came through his surgery fine and is back home here from John Hopkins . he is still having pain but not as bad as before it will get better. they said took over 12 hours to do the surgery. Melinda came through with her neck surgery,in a lot of pain .but glad to get it over with. God is good all the time. M.
—–D’s meeting has been postponed till next week. Please pray that it will work out according to God’s will. L
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Dear Friends,
When my mother was little, she and her sister, like most siblings, were always in competition. One day the two girls were watching their mother cut a slice of cake and put it on a plate. Seeing the size of the piece she was sure was for her sister, my mother exclaimed, “All that for her?” Her mother said, “No, dear, this is for you.” At that, my mother complained, “Oh what a little bit!” My grandmother thought that was so funny that she laughed about it for years. Because she heard her mother laugh about it and tell everyone about how “cute” it was, my mother thought she had done something good. Selfishness became a large part of her character and caused her to become alienated from her best friend many years later.
How easy it is to get all wrapped up in ourselves and put our needs, our desires, our pleasure before anyone or anything. We do not want the best for those around us and care not for their needs. How unlike the King of the Universe those feelings are! He, Who created all things and upholds all things by the word of His power, He, whom all the beings in all the Universe worship and adore, did not put His needs, desires, or pleasures first. No, no! His Great Heart of Love yearned to restore us to Himself. Heaven holds no joy when even one of His children is not with Him. He could not sit by and let us come under the control of the evil one but “so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” John 3:16, 17 Think of it! Jesus willingly “made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Phil 2:7, 8 For thirty-three years, Jesus came down to this dark, sinful planet and patiently suffered all of the hatred, all of the indignation, all of the contempt that the devil through wicked men could help upon Him. Moreover, He did not stop there, He brought both spiritual and physical healing to all who would come to Him. Wonderful Love! It is beyond comprehension!
Indeed, even the last night before His arrest and crucifixion, our Loving Redeemer’s thoughts were not upon Himself but upon those He loved. “These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: . . . I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do….I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. . . . For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. . . . And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. And now come I to thee; . . . I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; . . . that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world John 17:1-24
See the Dear Lamb of God being nailed to the cruel cross. Behold the Creator of the Universe, He Whom all Heaven adores giving His life that we might live. With every hammer blow, He prayed, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:34 “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Isa 53:4-6 His pain was beyond our comprehension, yet not even one thought of anger or retaliation was in His mind. His only thoughts were for the very ones who were driving the spikes into those strong and loving hands, those very hands that had formed the worlds, that had brought health and healing to so many as He walked among the multitudes, indeed, that continues to lift us up before His Father’s throne. “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.” 1 John 3:1
As our Redeemer hung in agony upon the cruel cross, every breath being taken with great difficulty, His gaze rested upon His mother bowed down with sorrow at seeing her dying Son. How His Great Heart of Love yearned to comfort her. Beside her stood John, the disciple who had allowed the Holy Spirit to change him from a “son of thunder” into the most loving of His followers. Our Dear Saviour spoke but few words, but they were words full of meaning. Looking upon Mary and then upon John, He said, “Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.” John 19:26,27 Loving Saviour! Oh, what love! What wondrous love! Always thinking of others even in His hour of agony. How good and kind He is!
May our focus ever be upon Him, Who gave His life than we might live. May we give Him our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. May we, because of our love for Him, do always those things that please Him is my prayer.
Rose