Upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16:18.
Those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus will feel the ire of the dragon and his hosts. Satan numbers the world as his subjects, he has gained control of the apostate churches; but here is a little company that are resisting his supremacy. If he could blot them from the earth, his triumph would be complete. As he influenced the heathen nations to destroy Israel, so in the near future he will stir up the wicked powers of earth to destroy the people of God. . . . Their only hope is in the mercy of God; their only defense will be prayer.
The trying experiences that came to God’s people in the days of Esther were not peculiar to that age alone. The revelator, looking down the ages to the close of time, has declared, “The dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Revelation 12:17. Some who today are living on the earth will see these words fulfilled.
The wrath of Satan increases as his time grows short, and his work of deceit and destruction will reach its culmination in the time of trouble.
Satan will work his miracles to deceive; he will set up his power as supreme. The church may appear as about to fall, but it does not fall. It remains, while the sinners in Zion will be sifted out–the chaff separated from the precious wheat. This is a terrible ordeal, but nevertheless it must take place. None but those who have been overcoming by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony will be found with the loyal and true, without spot or stain of sin, without guile in their mouths.
God declares that even a mother may forget her child, “yet will I not forget thee.” . . . God thinks of His children with the tenderest solicitude and keeps a book of remembrance before Him, that He may never forget the children of His care.
Maranatha p. 32
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Prayer Requests
——I’m in terrible pain. Dear God please help me I’m so scared at times. Still waiting until July 9 the for my next set of tests. Amanda
—–NEEDING URGENT PRAYERS FOR MY MOM. Something is wrong and we don’t know what it is…. SHE IS IN EXCRUCIATING PAIN all night and this morning, now seeking EMERGENCY HELP. Thank you for joining our family in prayer. Elizabeth
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Dear Friends,
Once I read a news item about Leonardo da Vinci. My curiosity got the better of me and I read the short article which stated that the artist/inventor often left food-laden fingerprints on his work. From these fingerprints they hope to find out what he ate and even the nationality of his mother.
How often we leave “fingerprints” wherever we go, by whatever we do, upon whomever we meet. All too often, these “fingerprints” stain all that we touch just as surely as did Leonardo’s. Moreover, these stains we have left in our part of the “painting of life” are recorded in our record book in Heaven. (Rev 20:12) Once there, we cannot hide them, we cannot remove them no matter how hard we try. David sang of his experience when he tried to hide his sins, “When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer.” Ps 32:3,4 Holding on to our sin can only bring us pain. Clinging to our iniquity can only bring disaster. Indeed, if we regard iniquity in our heart, the Lord will not hear our prayers. (Ps 66:18) Isaiah tells us, “Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.” Isa 59:1,2
Praise God! We do not have to stay in this condition. The goodness of God leads us to repentance. (Rom 2:4) He has given “His Only Begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 Therefore, “seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” Isa 55:6,7 John writes, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.” 1 John 1:9-2:6
Let us confess and forsake the “fingerprints” of sin that we have left upon all we have “touched.” While the door of mercy is still open, let us come to the One Who can remove those smudges. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Cor 6:2 Let us pray as did David, “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: . . . Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.” Psa 51:1-13
Rose