Satan … shall go out to deceive the nations … to gather them together to battle. Revelation 20:7, 8.
In that vast throng are multitudes of the long-lived race that existed before the Flood; men of lofty stature and giant intellect, who, yielding to the control of fallen angels, devoted all their skill and knowledge to the exaltation of themselves; men whose wonderful works of art led the world to idolize their genius, but whose cruelty and evil inventions, defiling the earth and defacing the image of God, caused Him to blot them from the face of His creation. There are kings and generals who conquered nations, valiant men who never lost a battle, proud, ambitious warriors whose approach made kingdoms tremble. In death these experienced no change. As they come up from the grave, they resume the current of their thoughts just where it ceased. They are actuated by the same desire to conquer that ruled them when they fell.
Satan consults with his angels, and then with these kings and conquerors and mighty men. They look upon the strength and numbers on their side, and declare that the army within the city is small in comparison with theirs, and that it can be overcome. They lay their plans to take possession of the riches and glory of the New Jerusalem. All immediately begin to prepare for battle. Skillful artisans construct implements of war. Military leaders, famed for their success, marshal the throngs of warlike men into companies and divisions.
At last the order to advance is given, and the countless host moves on—an army such as was never summoned by earthly conquerors, such as the combined forces of all ages since war began on earth could never equal. Satan, the mightiest of warriors, leads the van, and his angels unite their forces for this final struggle. Kings and warriors are in his train, and the multitudes follow in vast companies, each under its appointed leader. With military precision the serried ranks advance over the earth’s broken and uneven surface to the City of God. By command of Jesus, the gates of the New Jerusalem are closed, and the armies of Satan surround the city and make ready for the onset.
Maranatha p. 338
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Prayer Requests
—–I’m asking for prayer. I’m not feeling well with my back and have no strength in my legs at all. I seem to be getting worse. Please pray that I will get w soon so I can return to work. Thanks. LS
——My neighbor left a message for me to put the following relatives on prayer list.. seems like she is getting hit on all sides . here are the request her brother Jerry congestive heart failure in hospital and brother in law Grover ,and other brother in law Wayne and Bruce they have cancer and other issues. and my other neighbor her mother Diane is failing from her cancer treatments. thank you M.
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Dear Friends,
It seems like there is a steep increase in violent crime of all kinds these days especially killings. We wonder how someone can get to the point where they can attack one another. As we read of details of many of the crimes, I have to agree with what my mother used to say, “It’s a scary old world.”
Yet how often do we are guilty of killing our fellow Christians with venomous words. How many times we wound someone by spreading rumors about them. Paul warns, “if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.” Gal 5:15
James speaks of the need of guarding our tongue. “If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us, and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame, it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.” James 3:2-8
The wise man observes, ?The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.? He admonishes us, “Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.” “Hear, for I will speak of excellent things, and the opening of my lips shall be right things. For my mouth shall speak truth, and wickedness is an abomination to my lips. All the words of my mouth are in righteousness, there is nothing froward or perverse in them. They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge. Prov 18:8, 31:9, 8:6-9
May we put in practice the admonition of Jesus, ?as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.? Luke 6:31 May we ask our Loving Saviour to speak through us to those around us. May we pray as did David, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” Ps 19:14
Rose
The Wicked Prepare to Attack the New Jerusalem