For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. Romans 1:16.
Many of the young have not the spirit of Jesus. The love of God is not in their hearts, therefore all the natural besetments hold the victory instead of the Spirit of God and salvation.
Those who really possess the religion of Jesus will not be ashamed nor afraid to bear the cross before those who have more experience than they. They will, if they earnestly long to be right, desire all the help they can get from older Christians. Gladly will they be helped by them; hearts that are warmed by love to God will not be hindered by trifles in the Christian course. They will talk out what the Spirit of God works in. They will sing it out, pray it out. It is the lack of religion, lack of holy living, that makes the young backward. Their life condemns them. They know they do not live as Christians should, therefore they have not confidence toward God, or before the church.
We should speak of the mercy and loving-kindness of God, of the matchless depths of the Saviour’s love. Our words should be words of praise and thanksgiving. If the mind and heart are full of the love of God, this will be revealed in the conversation. It will not be a difficult matter to impart that which enters into our spiritual life.
Never be ashamed of your faith; never be found on the side of the enemy. “Ye are the light of the world.” Matthew 5:14. Your faith is to be revealed as precious truth, truth which all should have and all must have if they are saved.… We should fight the good fight of faith, and be found “stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 15:58.
The unstudied, unconscious influence of a holy life is the most convincing sermon that can be given in favor of Christianity. Argument, even when unanswerable, may provoke only opposition; but a godly example has a power that it is impossible wholly to resist.
The Faith I Live By p. 153
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Prayer Requests
—-Praise—My computer had to be reset and in coming back up it got stuck at 44% for over an hour. We prayed and immediately it started loading Windows! God answered our prayer! Ron
—-We are desperately asking for prayers for my teenage nephew who we believe is dealing with demonic possession. J
—-Please pray for those dealing with the volcanoes in Hawaii and Guatemala.
—-Please pray that I will know very soon where God wants me and my doggie to live. The lady I lived with for 14 years and helped take care of passed away in April, and the family wants me out of the house, and have not treated me well. I just need to know where to go next. Joy
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Dear Friends,
This July, we are planning on going to visit Ronnie Jay and Wanangwa in North Carolina. Daily, we are anticipating our trip. Daily, we talk about it. Daily, we think of our itinerary, friends and family we will visit, the greenness of the area, the many lakes and trees, mountains, etc. We have been saving for months for enough money for the expenses we will incur during our time there.
Looking forward to our journey reminds us of a much more important journey that we will take someday soon. Our Dear Saviour promises, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” John 14:1-3 Think of it! Jesus is even now preparing a place for us in His Kingdom where “eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” 1 Cor 2:9 He assures us, “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind…. And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them. And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent’s meat.” Isa 65:21-25 “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den.” 11:6-8
John assures us, “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, ‘It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things.'” “And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. Rev 21:1-7; 22:1-5
How much more should we be anticipating the trip to the Heavenly Kingdom! How much more should we be focusing on getting ready for that great day when “the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God.” 1 Thes 4:16 How it should fill our thoughts, our words, our plans. We should allow nothing to come between us and our preparing for that vacation of all vacations.
Let us look beyond the heartaches of the present, beyond the mundane duties that occupy our time and focus upon the Kingdom that our Dear Saviour is preparing for us. May we be faithful to His Glorious Name, following Him whithersoever He goeth both now and eternally. May that time soon come when we will look up and with joy exclaim, “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
Unashamed of Jesus