The Christian’s Safeguard
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. Ephesians 6:18.
There is a feverish love of pleasure at this time, a fearful increase of licentiousness, a contempt for all authority. Not only worldlings but professed Christians also are governed by inclination rather than duty. The words of Christ are sounding down through the ages, “Watch and pray” (Matthew 26:41).
Watchfulness and vigilance are needed now as never before in the history of the race. The eye must be turned off from beholding vanity. Lawlessness, the prevailing spirit of the age, must be met with a decided rebuke. Let none feel that they are in no danger. As long as Satan lives, his efforts will be constant and untiring to make the world as wicked as before the Flood and as licentious as were the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah. The prayer may well be offered daily by those who have the fear of God before them, that He will preserve their hearts from evil desires and strengthen their souls to resist temptation. Those who in their self-confidence feel no need of watchfulness and unceasing prayer are near some humiliating fall. All who do not feel the importance of resolutely guarding their affections will be captivated by those who practice their arts to ensnare and lead astray the unwary. Men may have a knowledge of divine things and an ability to fill an important place in the work of God, yet, unless they cherish a simple faith in their Redeemer they will be ensnared and overcome by the enemy.
It is because the duties of watchfulness and prayer have been so sadly neglected that there is so great a lack of moral power. This is why so many who have a form of godliness bring forth no corresponding works. A careless indifference, a carnal security concerning religious duties and eternal things, prevails to an alarming extent. The Word of God exhorts us to be found “praying always . . . , and watching thereunto with all perseverance. . . .” Here is the Christian’s safeguard, his protection amid the perils that surround his pathway.
That I May Know Him p. 267
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Prayer Requests
—– Please continue to pray for revival & reformation, evangelism, and for our pastors and leaders. Diane
—– I have a friend who is need of some prayers. Her name is Samantha and she is 30 weeks pregnant with baby girl Madison. Madison is determined to come early. Samantha has had a very rough go of it and has been on bed rest more than once during her pregnancy. She was airlifted to the hospital in _____ yesterday where she will likely stay until Madison makes her arrival. Stephanie
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Dear Friends
Some years ago when we had to go to western Montana, we took the extra time to go to the Spokane, Washington area to see my best friend, Darlene, who had terminal cancer. As we were traveling in the late evening over Lookout Pass, a high pass in the mountains, we ran into snow. Now this snow was not a few lazy flakes. It was a blizzard! We could not see anything but the thick, white flakes coming down like a curtain around us. Esther Marie was driving. She could not see anything but white. To make matters worse, the windshield wipers were not clearing the snow off the windshield because of the rapidity of the snowfall. She could see the barrier between the eastbound and the westbound lanes out her side window, so she stayed very close to that. We knew we were in trouble. We started praying to the only One Who could help us. The wipers started working right and just then a pickup truck passed us like we were standing still and then slowed down right in front of us. We were able to follow him by keeping our eyes on his very bright tail lights. We continued to pray and after about two hours we were back in good weather again. We never saw the truck once we got over the pass.
Sometimes our lives are like that mountain pass. The troubles and trials of life surround us until we are overwhelmed. We cannot see the way out. We cannot find the path to travel. It is easy to be in despair. We feel like David, who prayed, “Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly. For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed. I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but especially among my neighbours, and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that did see me without fled from me. I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel. For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life. Ps 31:9-13 “Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee. Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily.” Ps 102:1, 2
Our Great Creator does not leave us to go through our trials alone. He wants us to look to Him. He says, “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.” Isa 45:22 “Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. 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.” Isa. 43:1-3 “Call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.” Ps 50:15
May we cling to Him with all our being no matter what “mountain pass” we are traveling. My we glorify Him by following His commands. May we love the Lord our God with all our heart, and with all our soul, and with our entire being” is my prayer.
Rose