Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. Jeremiah 33:3.
We do not always consider that the sanctification we so earnestly desire and for which we pray so earnestly is brought about through the truth and, by the providence of God, in a manner we least expect. When we look for joy, behold there is sorrow. When we expect peace, we frequently have distrust and doubt because we find ourselves plunged into trials we cannot avoid. In these trials we are having the answers to our prayers. In order for us to be purified, the fire of affliction must kindle upon us, and our will must be brought into conformity to the will of God. In order to be conformed to the image of our Saviour, we pass through a most painful process of refining. The very ones that we regard the most dear upon the earth may cause us the greatest sorrow and trial. They may view us in the wrong light. They may think us in error, and that we are deceiving and degrading ourselves because we follow the dictates of enlightened conscience in seeking for the truth as for hid treasures….
Our prayers for conformity to the image of Christ may not be answered exactly as we desire. We may be tested and proved, for God sees it best to put us under a course of discipline which is essential for us before we are fit subjects for the blessing we crave. We should not become discouraged and give way to doubt, and think that our prayers are not noticed. We should rely more securely upon Christ and leave our case with God to answer our prayers in His own way. God has not promised to bestow His blessings through the channels we have marked out. God is too wise to err and too regardful of our good to allow us to choose for ourselves.
The plans of God are always the best, although we may not always discern them. Perfection of Christian character can be obtained only through labor, conflict, and self-denial….
How inestimably precious are the gifts of God—the graces of His Spirit—and we shall not shrink from the trying, testing process, be it ever so painful or humiliating to us. How easy would be the way to heaven if there were no self-denial or cross! How worldlings would rush in the way, and hypocrites would travel in it without number! Thank God for the cross, the self-denial. The ignominy and shame our Saviour endured for us is none too humiliating for those saved by the purchase of His blood. Heaven will indeed be cheap enough.—Letter 9, April 5, 1873, to a “Sister Billet,” of San Francisco, California.
The Upward Look p. 108
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for me, I have eye Dr’s appointment this Thursday. I’ve been feeling uncomfortable about my eyes for quite sometime now. Samantha
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Dear Friends,
We often enjoy spending time reminiscing about years gone by. Our conversation drifts to places we’ve been, things we’ve seen, and events that have happened in our lives. It is a fun time of togetherness. We look forward to these happy times.
On one such evening a few years ago, Ron began complaining about the many plants that Eileen had growing in our house. He said he felt like he lived in a jungle. She retorted that she was going to get some Kudzu for a house plant. Then he’d really live in one!
Eileen’s comment brought protests from Ron and a funny comment from me about waking up in the morning and being trapped in our beds because the vine would have filled the house while we were sleeping. Often we had seen that vine cover large areas of ground, trees, telephone poles and wires, and attempting to “crawl” onto the roads of the Southeastern United States. The conversation continued to get funnier as each made their contribution to the scenario.
As we were talking, I began to think how much Kudzu is like sin. It is a pretty vine with fragrant purple flowers, but left unattended, it quickly takes over an area choking out the other plants. Sin is like that. One little sin cherished in our lives can take root and grow much larger than we could ever anticipate. Soon it takes over and chokes us spiritually. One little sin stubbornly held onto can separate us from God. “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.” Isa 59:1,2
What pain it brings to His great heart of love as He sees the sins grow in our lives and we will not allow Him to take them away. He pleads with us, “As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die” Eze 33:11 “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.” Isa 45:22 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” Jer 29:11-13
May we allow Him to dig out the roots of the Kudzu vines of sin that bind us, so that we may be set free. May we allow Him to untangle us from those sin-cords that have bound us for so long. May we let go of our cherished sins and cling to our Great Redeemer Who loves us so much that He gave His Life for us is my prayer.
Rose
Things Thou Knowest Not