Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:16.
On the morning of October 23, 1879, about two o’clock, the Spirit of the Lord rested upon me, and I beheld scenes in the coming judgment…. The great day of the execution of God’s judgment seemed to have come. Ten thousand times ten thousand were assembled before a large throne, upon which was seated a person of majestic appearance. Several books were before Him, and upon the covers of each was written in letters of gold, which seemed like a burning flame of fire: “Ledger of Heaven.” One of these books, containing the names of those who claim to believe the truth, was then opened…. As these persons were named, one by one, and their good deeds mentioned, their countenances would light up with a holy joy….
Another book was opened, wherein were recorded the sins of those who profess the truth. Under the general heading of selfishness came every other sin…. As the Holy One upon the throne slowly turned the leaves of the ledger, and His eyes rested for a moment upon individuals, His glance seemed to burn into their very souls, and at the same moment every word and action of their lives passed before their minds as clearly as though traced before their vision in letters of fire….
One class were registered as cumberers of the ground…. This class had made self supreme, laboring only for selfish interests….
The question was then asked: “Why have you not washed your robes of character and made them white in the blood of the Lamb? … You would not be partaker of His sufferings, and you cannot now be partaker with Him of His glory.” … The book then closed, and the mantle fell from the Person on the throne, revealing the terrible glory of the Son of God.
The scene then passed away, and I found myself still upon the earth, inexpressibly grateful that the day of God had not yet come, and that precious probationary time is still granted us in which to prepare for eternity.
The Faith I Live By p. 214
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Prayer Requests
—-The past few weeks I’ve been experiencing REAL BAD SHARP PAINS under my Left Ribs & Lower Left Back. EXTREME PAIN hit & almost knocked me down Last Sunday. I called my Dr. office Yesterday to Try to get an EMERGENCY Appt., But as usual, He is Unavailable until November. I Requested a Different Doctor BUT was told “NO DOCTORS ARE TAKING NEW PATIENTS, at this time”! Linda
—-Jerry passed to his rest today. Please keep his wife, Leslie, and their children in prayer.
—-I have a prayer request for my sister. She is having heart and breathing problems. Heather
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Dear Friends,
When my mother was a teenager, she wanted to be like some of the wilder girls in her school. She wanted to wear short skirts and makeup and many other things that did not meet my grandmother’s approval. It hurt and perplexed my grandmother, that she would rebel like this, but she never thought of explaining to her daughters the reason why they should not do these things. Oh, if she had only explained the “whys” and “wherefores!” How different the life of both girls would have been!
One day my mother thought of a plan to keep peace and still have her own way. Very carefully she hid a tube of bright red lipstick in her schoolbooks. Off to school she went and as soon as she got several blocks away, she entered a telephone booth and put on the lipstick using the shiny metal of the telephone as a mirror. Then she rolled her skirt up as high as she dared. How funny she must have looked with her skirt all bunched up around her waist. She didn’t stop to think about that. She was satisfied that she now looked like her friends.
How often we are like my mother. We want to be like someone we admire. It might be a friend or just an acquaintance, but we think that if we could be just like them, we would be happier or better liked. Often we choose a role model from the many characters in the movies or on TV. What a lot of sadness that can bring into our life! We think that we can hide these desires from all around, but they soon become apparent. We look as ridiculous as my mother must have looked with her bright red lipstick and rolled-up skirt. Before long, others notice the change in us. Often they are amused at our folly.
How often we rebel against our Heavenly Father in much the same way. He has reasons for any prohibitions, yet we often misunderstand and think that He is keeping something desirable from us much like Eve did so long ago. He Who made us knows what is best for us, yet we often fight against any restriction He has for our good. We think that He does not notice these thoughts, words, and actions, but there is no hiding from Him. The psalmist declares, “Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.” Ps 90:8 Our Heavenly Father sees our rebellion in the telephone booth of this world and it breaks His Great Heart of Love. With tears in His voice, He pleads, “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
The One Who loves us more than His Own Life knows us better than we know ourselves. Indeed, He was shaping us in our mother’s womb. ” My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret… Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.” Ps 139:15,16 He assures us that “even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” Luke 12:7 “Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD.” Jer 23:23,24
What comfort His nearness should give us! Not only does He see what we do, think, and feel, but He is always watching over us, guiding us, caring for us more tenderly than a mother cares for her precious babe. He is interested in what is happening in our lives. He sees when we stray and He sets about circumstances to bring us back to Him. He knows our problems, our trials, our tears and knows what to do to help us. He can untangle the tangled-up messes we get ourselves into. He will comfort our sorrows if we will let Him. He, alone, can wipe away our tears and give us hope and strength. Solomon gives us good advice, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” Ecc 12:13,14
May we serve God out of a heart of love for Him. May we daily order our lives according to His will. May we so live, that someday soon, we will look up and say, “Lo this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” Isa 25:9
Rose
Time Is Running Out!