The Religion of Little Things
His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Matthew 25:23.
Said Christ, “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much” (Luke 16:10). In the little matters some do not think it necessary to be so very exact, but this is the deception of Satan.
Selfishness is at the root of all unfairness and all lack of fidelity. . . . There is with many of the youth who profess to believe the truth a vanity, pride, profligacy, and carelessness that are making them reckless and disqualifying them for a noble and elevated life here, and unfitting them for the future life hereafter. . . . There is not with all a careful improvement of the time for which they are paid. Those who fritter away their time or fail to put it to the best use are robbing God. Some . . . have a very favorable opinion of those who are careless, reckless of money and reckless of time, but God regards all these things in their true character–frauds which He will avenge.
Time, talents, and skill are to be brought into use and put to the very best account. . . . Let every one be true to principle, as if the eye of the Infinite was upon him. You may, young men and women, make of yourselves what you will, by the grace of God combined with earnest efforts and determined will to resist inclination to indulgence. . . .
Christ gave to man a perfect example, but those who move out on what they call a liberal plan, and become careless in the little matters, will soon show a wide deviation from Christ’s example, the only true pattern. Young men and women, will you study more closely and prayerfully the life of Christ, and make that life your criterion, your standard?
Practical religion must be carried into the lowly duties of daily life. And in the performance of these duties you are forming characters that will stand the test of the judgment. Then, in whatever position you may be placed, whatever your duties may be, do them nobly and faithfully, realizing that all heaven is beholding your work.
That I May Know Him p. 325
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Prayer Requests
—– God blessed me with a safe trip home from _____ and I praise His name and am thankful to be here. I had a severe flare of lupus when I arrived in _____ and had forgotten I just had 4 teeth filled and they used ultra violet light to set the filling…. It always sets off the lupus . . . . Despite fever baths, and many natural remedies, and massage andprayers I am hardly able to use my left hand…constant pain . . . . Also pain in back and feet. . . . . Since April I have had more trouble with the lupus flares than in many years. Today at 5 PM EST, Pastor Scott, Julie, Judy and some others will come to my house . . . and I will be anointed. Please join us in prayerfor God’s mercy and healing in all areas of my life.I only want God’s will and am willing to suffer with this if He chooses not to heal me. My eyes have gotten much worse the past month and Icannot have the surgery the Doctor here wants to do. It was just a year ago we had Ron’s memorial and I thank God for carrying me thru all the pain and loss of the past year…the Holy Spirit is a mighty comforter and healer. I am praying for God to make it plain as to where He wants me to move. . . . God knows I don’t. . . .Thank you for joining us in prayer. I would love to continue God’s mission work if this is in His plan. Trusting God totally, for He is faithful and enough. Carol
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Dear Friends,
Each family has funny stories that have been passed down from generation to generation. Ours is no exception: My mother had several very good friends at the church where her parents attended. There was one girl, Margaret, that my mother didn’t like in the least. There was a definite personality clash between the two.
Eventually the girls grew up and got married. One of the girls married a man whose last name was Baer. Margaret’s married name became Payne. In the process of time, Mrs. Baer had a baby boy. As all the girls were standing around her admiring the baby, Margaret joined them. She asked the baby’s name. On hearing the answer, she exclaimed, “Oh, you should have named him Teddy.” As quick as a flash my mother spoke up. “Margaret, if that’s the way to do it, you should have named your son Achan!” The girls exploded with laughter—-all except Margaret, that is.
How important that we name our children a name that will not make them a laughingstock. When I worked in the court system, we would occasionally have a defendant who had a funny or unusual name. We would often comment that it was no wonder they became a criminal. They must have been teased and torment about their name all through their growing up years.
In the Bible, babies were named according to their characteristics or a desired characteristic. For example, Noah means rest, Peleg means division, Peres means breach, Jacob means cheat, etc. There is a name above all others. The name of Jesus, how precious it is! His name tells Who He is: the Saviour! His name was so important that an angel commanded Joseph, “thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” Matt 1:23 Truly He is the “Wonderful Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isa 9:6 “Of his kingdom there shall be no end.” Luke 1:33
Through the name of Jesus, His followers taught the people the way to eternal life, had power to heal the sick, cast out demons, even raise the dead. (Matt 10:8) Looking at the future reward of God’s people, John tells us, “And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.” Rev 22:4 Will we have a visible mark tattooed across our forehead that says “Jesus”? No! His name, His glory is His character. When Moses asked to see God’s glory, he was told, “I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee.” Ex 33:19 As Moses was in the cleft of the rock, “the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.” 34:5-7 Paul tells us that we are “the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart.” 2 Cor 3:3
When our Great Creator gave us the Ten Commandments, which is a transcript of His Character and a rule for our happiness, He proclaimed, “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” Ex 20:7 This commandment encompasses more than common swearing, for that sin can be forgiven. When we take on the name of Christ, we are to become like Him in character. Paul tells us, “Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” 2 Tim 2:19 When we fail to do so, over and over again, we become hardened in our sin, “having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof” to gain the victory. 2 Tim 3:5 Eventually, we get discouraged and turn away from our Only Hope, our Only Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. Fearful position—a position that we need not be in, for our Great Redeemer has provided us with all that we need to be saved, even giving His Most Precious Gift, His Only Begotten Son. (John 3:16)
“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, . . work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Phil 2:5-13 “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and for ever. Amen.” Jude 24, 25
Rose