He said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. Acts 1:7.
The times and seasons God has put in His own power. And why has not God given us this knowledge?–Because we would not make a right use of it if He did. A condition of things would result from this knowledge among our people that would greatly retard the work of God in preparing a people to stand in the great day that is to come. . . . Jesus has told His disciples to “watch,” but not for definite time. His followers are to be in the position of those who are listening for the orders of their Captain; they are to watch, wait, pray, and work, as they approach the time for the coming of the Lord; but no one will be able to predict just when that time will come; for “of that day and hour knoweth no man.” You will not be able to say that He will come in one, two, or five years, neither are you to put off His coming by stating that it may not be for ten or twenty years. . . . We are not to know the definite time either for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit or for the coming of Christ.
I was pointed to some who are in the great error of believing that it is their duty to go to Old Jerusalem, [WRITTEN IN THE EARLY 1850’S WHEN “THE AGE-TO-COME” ADVOCATES TAUGHT THAT OLD JERUSALEM WOULD BE BUILT UP AS A CENTER OF CHRISTIAN WITNESS FULFILLING CERTAIN PROPHECIES OF THE O.T.] and think they have a work to do there before the Lord comes. Such a view is calculated to take the mind and interest from the present work of the Lord, under the message of the third angel; for those who think that they are yet to go to Jerusalem will have their minds there, and their means will be withheld from the cause of present truth to get themselves and others there. I saw that such a mission would accomplish no real good, that it would take a long while to make a very few of the Jews believe even in the first advent of Christ, much more to believe in His second advent.
Maranatha p. 136
““““““““““““““““““““““
Prayer Requests
—–Please pray for Brian as he travels home from Macau. Rose
—–update—Emma is home and doing well. She will be on seizure medicine for two years and re-evaluated at that time. The doctor also wants to test Peter since his febrile seizures lasted such a long time. Thank you for your prayers. Rose
“““““““““““““““““““
Dear Friends,
We had known Sheri since she was in her middle teens. She was the daughter of our pastor when Ron and I had only been married for a few years. Years later, when we moved to within a few hours of where she and her husband were living, we went to see them and had a very nice visit. Again we lost track of one another until we reconnected on Facebook. Sheri was so full of life and had so many plans for this Christmas, yet, sadly, none of those plans will ever come to pass. She went to bed recently and never woke up. Everyone was shocked and saddened.
How short life is. How very uncertain. One moment our mind is full of plans for today, tomorrow, next year: the next moment we are as the psalmist observed, “His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.” Ps 146:4 It is no wonder that Peter quotes from Isaiah, “all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away.” 1 Peter 1:21
How much I look forward to that great resurrection day “when all that are in the graves…shall come forth.” John 5:28,29 Job asks the question, “If a man die, shall he live again?” Then he answers with assurance in God’s resurrecting power, “all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.” “So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.” “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.” Job 14:14, 12; 19:25-27
The Great Life-Giver tells us, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” 6:53,54 Precious promise! If we follow Jesus with our whole heart, love to speak of His goodness, look ever to Him, then He will raise us up at the last day, at the end of the world, when He comes to receive His own. (Mal 3:16,17) Paul speaks of this great time, “Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 1 Cor 15:51-54 “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” 1 Thes 4:16-18
Let us keep the things of this life in proper perspective know that “the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” 2 Peter 3:10 Let us put our faith and trust in the resurrecting power of the One “Who only hath immortality.” 1 Tim 6:15 Let us look forward to that time when we will see our loved ones face to face never to part again.
Rose