The Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7.
Often we regard as hopeless subjects the very ones whom Christ is drawing to Himself…. Many will be in heaven who their neighbors supposed would never enter there. Man judges from appearance, but God judges the heart.
Some among the redeemed will have laid hold of Christ in the last hours of life, and in heaven instruction will be given to these, who, when they died, did not understand perfectly the plan of salvation.
To Jesus in His agony on the cross there came one gleam of comfort. It was the prayer of the penitent thief…. In Jesus, bruised, mocked, and hanging upon the cross, he sees the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world. Hope is mingled with anguish in his voice as the helpless, dying soul casts himself upon a dying Saviour. “Lord, remember me,” he cries, “when thou comest into thy kingdom.” Quickly the answer came…. Verily I say unto thee today, Thou shalt be with Me in paradise.
Such faith may be represented by the eleventh hour laborers who receive as much reward as do those who have labored for many hours. The thief asked in faith, in penitence, in contrition. He asked in earnestness, as if he fully realized that Jesus could save him if He would. {Mar 320.5}
Those whom Christ commends in the judgment may have known little of theology, but they have cherished His principles…. Among the heathen are those who worship God ignorantly, those to whom the light is never brought by human instrumentality, yet they will not perish. Though ignorant of the written law of God, they have heard His voice speaking to them in nature, and have done the things that the law required. Their works are evidence that the Holy Spirit has touched their hearts, and they are recognized as the children of God.
How surprised and gladdened will be the lowly among the nations, and among the heathen, to hear from the lips of the Saviour, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me”! How glad will be the heart of Infinite Love as His followers look up with surprise and joy at His words of approval!
Maranatha p. 320
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer Requests
——Please pray for me. I have all my info like drivers license in a small little purse and went to the grocery store- I remember taking out enough cash to pay for my small purchase. i paid for my things and reached for my little change purse and it was gone. I retraced my steps and it was no where to be seen. I spoke to the manager and gave him my phone number just praying the person who took it will return it to the manager. i went back a couple hours ago and nobody had returned it but I’m praying the person who has it will take it back to the store. I’m just thankful there was no debit card…….Mary
—–Please pray for Amy’s mother who was admitted to the hospital over the weekend. RJ
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Friends,
When I was in my late teens, I worked in a factory that made children’s clothing. The working conditions were not at all good, but it was a job and I was glad to have it. Many people were out of work at that time. We got paid by how many garments we did. My mother worked there too and did much better than I because she was much faster.
It was a Monday through Friday job and that left me free to go to church on Sabbath. One week, however, our boss called a meeting for all employees. Everyone had to work on Saturdays. No one was to be excused. That was not a problem for my mother, but it was a big problem for me. (I had recently learned that the Sabbath was still God’s holy day and that He had never changed it.) I knew I could not go to work on that day. “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.” Ex 20:8 “If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.” Isa 58:13,14
At that time unemployment rates were quite high and finding a job was not that easy. This thought pressed upon my mind, but I knew God could work things out. After praying, I went to Andy, the boss, and explained to him why I could not work on Sabbath. Andy told me that I was expected to be there anyway.
God raised up someone to help me. It was my own mother, who was very much against my religion. But God moved her to help me. She talked to Andy about it and God gave her the words Andy needed to hear. She said, “Andy, you of all people, should know why she cannot work on Saturday.” Andy, who was a Jew, understood. I did not lose my job. He let me continue working just the five days a week.
I was very thankful that God used my mother to help me. She was my “way of escape.” “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” 1 Cor 10:13
Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” John 14:15 “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.” 1 John 5:3 He promises the Holy Spirit to those who are obedient. “If ye love me, keep my commandments.
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.” John 14:15, 16 Paul says, “And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.” Acts 5:32
“Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” Rev 22:14 May we keep His commandments out of our love for Him. May we we be faithful to Him Who died for us. May we soon hear Him say to us, “Well done, good and faithful servant…enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” Matt 25:23
Rose