For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:11.
The Lord will not accept the work of any man that is not done in tenderness and love and kindness. He has not set us as rulers, to lord it over His heritage. Let others be moved by Christ, just as we desire to be moved by Him. Night after night, scenes have been presented to me of little companies pleading with God. He would show them some idol they had been cherishing. Some would give this up, and some would not. But the light of heaven shone from the faces of those who would put away their idol. Then other idols would be shown to them, and again some would put these away. But the light of heaven shone upon all who would give up all for Christ. We want to receive everything that God has for us in these days when wickedness is increasing so rapidly. Are we learning the lesson, as we see the increase of wickedness, that we must just as verily increase in righteousness? Do we understand that we must be growing in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, that we must be living upon the plan of addition? “Add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. “For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:5-11). Here is brought to view our eternal life insurance policy. We had better make sure that we are living on this plan of addition, and God will work for us on the plan of multiplication. He will multiply unto us grace and peace. Let us fix our eyes on the cross of Calvary, and behold the sacrifice of Christ to secure for us this life insurance policy—“If ye do these things, ye shall never fall; for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (verses 10, 11).—Manuscript 73, September 10, 1906, “The Work in Mountain View.”
The Upward Look p. 267
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for Lorna as she is having cataract surgery tomorrow. Pray that God will guide the doctor’s hand and all will go well. Rose
—-Please pray for me to discern God’s guitar and direction in my life . God has given me a dream and I want to move forward in bringing it to fruition! Cindy
—-My husband has been verbally and emotionally abusive for years and now he is threatening to physically harm me and my family. Please pray that God will protect us. A
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Dear Friends,
I was talking to Esther Marie one day as I was waiting for an elevator. Suddenly from behind me, I felt a slight touch on my shoulder as a rather loud voice boomed a cheery, “Hi Rose.” I let out a gasp and nearly jumped out of my skin. When this lady that knows me saw that she startled me, she apologized.
I told her that she was lucky that I had only gasped and not screamed like I had the last time someone had come up from behind, spoke, and touched me. (That happened in a hospital. You should have seen all of the unwanted attention that brought!) It is very easy for me to get so absorbed in thought or in whatever I am doing that I startle easily. When busy, I don’t notice my surroundings or anyone in them. That can sometimes be dangerous. In my younger years, I’ve almost been hit by a car while reading a book on the way to the library, been thinking so hard that I walked into the side of a taxi that was parked at the curb, driven miles out of my way, etc.
How easy to get so busy that we become totally absorbed in our own little world. Time passes quickly. Days, months, years roll by. When we get older, we look back and wonder where our life has gone.
Because of this, our Loving Heavenly Father must sometimes allow unpleasant things to happen to us to startle us back to reality. Paul tells us, “My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.” Heb 12:5-14
Sometimes when we are wrapped up in our own little world, He turns events so we will run into His outstretched arms to receive His loving embrace much like a hurt child runs to his parent for comfort. How deep is the ache in God’s Great Heart of Love, when we turn away from His chastening rod and wallow in self-pity and do not come to Him for the very help and comfort He wants so much to give us. How He longs for us to allow Him to do His work within us.
How He yearns for our fellowship, to have us commune with Him as we go about our daily duties. By praying “without ceasing” we can have that closeness that He desires for us to have. 1 Thes 5:17 We have the great privilege of laying our burdens at the feet of the Great Burden-bearer. He, alone, can untangle our troubled life. He, alone, can bring good out of all perplexity. May we never get so busy that we forget the One Who gave His life for us. May we “practice the Presence” daily. May we, by our thoughts, our words, our actions, bring joy to our Blessed Redeemer is my prayer.
Rose
The Life of Continual Victory