O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places: the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people. Blessed be God. Psalm 68:35.
It is time we were endowed with power from on high. Satan and all his confederacy of evil are working with untiring vigilance to oppose good. Never was there a stronger combination formed to neutralize the lessons and teachings of Christ and to sow the seeds of infidelity in regard to the inspiration of the Scriptures. . . .
Satan is moving with his power from beneath to inspire men to form alliances and confederacies of evil against light and against the Word of God. Infidelity, papacy, and semi-papacy are coming in close and powerful companionship with professed Christianity. The low views of inspiration, the exalting of human ideas from men called wise, are placing human talent above the divine wisdom and forms, and science so-called above the power of vital godliness. These are the signs of the last days. Let every one who believes in Jesus Christ . . . use his talent of voice in exalting Jesus and presenting testimonies that will magnify, honor, and adore the Word of God. . . . The gospel makes itself known in its power in the consistent, holy, pure lives of those who are believers, hearers, and doers of the Word.
Do not give to the world the impression that Christ has proved to you without form and comeliness . . . and that there is no beauty in Him that you should desire Him. Reveal Christ as He is–the one “altogether lovely” and the “chiefest among ten thousand” (Song of Solomon 5:16, 10). O how His glory is dimmed by His professed followers because they are earthly-minded, disobedient, unthankful, and unholy! How shamefully is the Lord Jesus kept in the background! How is His mercy, His forbearance, His long-suffering, and His matchless love veiled, and His honor beclouded by the perversity of His professed followers! . . . Lift up Jesus. Talk of His love, tell of His power, and let self be lost behind the glory of His person and the mighty power of the cross of Calvary.
That I May Know Him p. 345
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Prayer Requests
—– Please keep those prayers for Laurie coming. The chemo is taking a toll on her and she is ready to throw in the towel. She has lost over 35# since Christmas! She has two very large abscesses with MRSA. Prayers needed please. Gail
—–Please pray for my friend Sheryl who has kidney stones and other health problems. Pray for her children who need to find jobs as well. Rose
—– I have Metastatic Melanoma (Stage IV.) At this point they have not been able to determine the primary tumor site. One positive note is that none of the metastases are located in an organ. Given these facts, they aren’t going to start with radiation therapy @ this time. Immunotherapy is considered more urgent. . . . I resolve not to place my trust in any physician, but in the Great Physician. . . . Pam
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Dear Friends,
One day some years ago, a mother and her children visited our office. Bev noticed the little girl, who was about seven at the time, eyeing that candy tin. She opened it and allowed each child to choose a piece. Delighted, the girl noticed her favorite flavor near the top, chose it, unwrapped it quickly, and popped it into her mouth. A minute or two later, Bev overheard the other little girl ask her what flavor she had chosen. Rachel replied, “It used to be butterscotch, but it isn’t any more.”
Just as that candy had been in that tin for so long that it had gotten old and flavorless, so we can lose our “flavor” as Christians. If we sit there in a do-nothing state, we will become as Jesus described, “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.” Rev 3:15-19
We must never allow ourselves to do nothing for Jesus until we are as flavorless as was Bev’s candy. How vital to our present and future happiness that we have more than just a profession of faith. We must have Christ dwelling within, working in us and through us. Our Dear Saviour tells us, “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.” “Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.” Matt 5:13 Mark 9:50 In His message to the seven churches, our Great Redeemer warns, “I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.” Rev 3:1 With tears in His voice, He proclaims, “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.” Matt 15:8
How easy it is to be like the Pharisees, who professed to be godly men, but were not right in their heart. “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.” Matt 23:25-28
Paul tells us, “Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.” Titus 1:16 James also speaks of these flavorless Christians, who say that they have faith, but do not act upon their faith. “What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” James 2:14-26
“Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” Heb 10:22-25
Rose