I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Acts 26:9.
Many place themselves where it is difficult to maintain integrity and preserve purity. God gives to them the warning to flee out of Sodom. But they cling to their own ideas and think that they know best, and the work that they could do out of the cities, they do, for the sake of convenience, in the cities. They gather round them workers who ought to be out of the cities. Some of these workers may be unbelievers, but they might be converted if the religious interests were made first.
The Lord calls for those in positions of trust in His cause to make centers for their work out of the cities, that they may call round them believers and unbelievers, and then make every provision to give them religious advantages.
Christians will be tested and tried. But if they are sincerely trying to serve God, strength will be given them for every conflict. They are not to listen to the false reports that come to their ears, but are to go straight forward in the path of duty. They are to learn to think for themselves, and their actions are ever to be in accordance with the Word of God.
Do not go out of your way to call your enemy to account. His words of censure and malice are like sparks which, if not blown upon and fed, will go out of themselves. Live down the evil reports of those whose tongues are set on fire of hell. If you stop of dispute, you will but open the way for further abuse.
Often difficulties may be healed by silence. Let the evil talker alone. Go about your work as one who has a sacred trust to fulfill. When you are criticized, move on as one who hears not. Your heart may be wounded; nevertheless, do not allow yourself to be turned aside from your work. Give your time and attention to matters of eternal interest.
Christ is your example. He came to this world and in humanity lived the life that He desires you to live. Look to Him. Study His plans and purposes and methods. His life is our lesson book. A divine-human Saviour, He stands before us with the invitation “Come unto me, … and I will give you rest…. My yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).
Christ’s life is a perfect revelation of God’s character. What then is our duty? Paul tells us. Christ revealed Himself to Paul as he was persecuting the saints, and he declared, “I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision” (Acts 26:19).—Manuscript 159, December 15, 1902, “Fragments.”
The Upward Look p. 363
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer Requests
—-Please once again my co-worker who is back in Florida once again due to her daughter is having another surgery due to setback of her previous October surgery! Plus, continue to pray for my father as his Parkinson’s is getting worse making his speech very slurred! Tony
—-Please continue to pray for Esther. Rose
—-Please pray for my daughter in law Jody she has covid. Ana
—-Please pray for my wife tiffany to be born again and our marriage to be restored. Norm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Friends,
While Eileen and Esther Marie were still living at home, Esther decided that she wanted to make a pie. Since we did not have all of the ingredients she needed, it necessitated a trip to the grocery store. As we were walking from our car to the store to buy the needed items, I suddenly felt something hit my leg as I was being shoved along the pavement. Shocked, I looked down at my leg and saw the bumper of a white van pushing me along. The woman driving the van was not paying any attention and had rolled into me as she was checking to see if it was safe to turn from her lane.
I let out a shout to alert her to stop and see that she had hit me. She did stop, but instead of being sorry for what she had done, the woman was annoyed. Although the accident was due to her neglect, she was angry at me just as if it were my fault. I was nothing more to her than an interruption to what she was doing. She didn’t care whether she had hurt me or not, she only wanted to be about her business.
How often we are like that woman driver. How many times we injure others through our thoughtlessness, our carelessness, or by unkind words. We go along in our own selfish, little world, heedless of the pain we cause those around us. Our Dear Saviour, Who was so interested in our welfare that He gave His life for us, desires us to be interested in the welfare of others. Yet, we, like the woman in the van, are totally immersed in our own wants and desires forgetting the golden rule, forgetting that “by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” Matt 7:10; 12:37
Even if we are careful not cause direct injury to others, we often are as heedless of their needs as was the man in one of the parables Jesus told. “The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?” Luke 12:16-20 The man’s self-centeredness was his undoing: it can be ours as well.
Paul urges us, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.” Phil 2:3, 4 He, Who said, “I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me,” longs for us to have that same close relationship with Him. John 5:30
If we do maintain a living connection with our Redeemer that He yearns for us to have, we will naturally reflect His love and light to all we meet. We will be as kind and loving as was He. We will be concerned about them and want them to share in His blessings. He tells us, “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matt 5:13-16
May we reflect our Saviour’s love and kindness to all we meet. May we “keep [ourselves] in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” Jude 21 May we draw others to our Glorious Redeemer through the same lovingkindness wherewith He draws us is my prayer. (Jer 31:3)
Rose

Obedience to the Heavenly Vision