For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief. Proverbs 24:16.

The pen of inspiration, true to its task, tells us of the sins that overcame Noah, Lot, Moses, Abraham, David, and Solomon, and that even Elijah’s strong spirit sank under temptation during his fearful trial. Jonah’s disobedience and Israel’s idolatry are faithfully recorded. Peter’s denial of Christ, the sharp contention of Paul and Barnabas, the failings and infirmities of the prophets and apostles, are all laid bare…. There before us lie the lives of the believers, with all their faults and follies, which are intended as a lesson to all the generations following them. If they had been without foible they would have been more than human, and our sinful natures would despair of ever reaching such a point of excellence. But seeing where they struggled and fell, where they took heart again and conquered through the grace of God, we are encouraged, and led to press over the obstacles that degenerate nature places in our way.

God has ever been faithful to punish crime. He sent His prophets to warn the guilty, denounce their sins, and pronounce judgment upon them….

We need just such lessons as the Bible gives us, for with the revelation of sin is recorded the retribution which follows. The sorrow and penitence of the guilty, and the wailing of the sin-sick soul, come to us from the past, telling us that man was then, as now, in need of the pardoning mercy of God….

Bible history stays the fainting heart with the hope of God’s mercy. We need not despair when we see that others have struggled through discouragements like our own, have fallen into temptations even as we have done, and yet have recovered their ground and been blessed of God. The words of inspiration comfort and cheer the erring soul. Although the patriarchs and apostles were subject to human frailties, yet through faith they obtained a good report, fought their battles in the strength of the Lord, and conquered gloriously. Thus may we trust in the virtue of the atoning sacrifice and be overcomers in the name of Jesus.
Conflict and Courage p. 368
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Prayer Requests
—–Please pray for my daughter who will be going to court next Wednesday, to adopt her foster son who she has for over 6 year. Kay
—–Please pray for my friend and her heart, 20 yrs of marriage and husband saying the big D. And going to a Christian marriage counselor today between 530 and 6:00 Shannon
—–Please pray for Riana who doctors say is brain dead and cannot be transferred to a larger hospital. ML
—–Please my dear mother needs special prayer. One of the IHSS workers brought her 2 dogs with her when she came to bathe my mom and one of them jumped up on my mom with its heavy paw and shredded most of the flesh off the top of my moms left hand. They had to try and put all the stretched tendons back in place but there was not enough skin left to stitch her hand back together so they cleaned her hand up good and put artificial skin over the area and bandaged her up. They will check her in a few days and if things don’t go right she will have to go to the hospital and have surgery. She is so frail that it will be dangerous for her. Please pray that it doesn’t get infected and that she will not have to have surgery. Also I need prayer that if I need to go and be with her that my husband will go with me and not put me through hell for it. Connie
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Dear Friends,

There were only two other children in my neighborhood when I was little. They were both a year younger than I. Gary lived several blocks away so we did not play together as much as Janie and I did. Her house was a short walk across the vacant lot in back of my grandparents’ house and through a hole in the white picket fence that was at the end of the alley where there were several houses including Janie’s grandmothers’ so we played together almost every day. Janie’s grandmother resented having to care for a child and used to beat her hard for even the most minor offense. Often this poor little girl would have large purple bruises across her back and legs. It used to break my heart, so I would bring her to my house for some comfort.

How many people need comfort because they’ve been verbally beaten by others. How many are carrying around “bruises” from the way they have been treated. Indeed, how many lives are ruined because of the way they have been treated by those who have taken the name of Christian. How often we leave scars by misjudging and shunning the ones who need our love the most. How easy it is for us to wound someone with harsh, venomous words or an unkind look. James speaks of the need to control our words: “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

Paul warns, “if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.” Gal 5:15 Peter advises, “giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, And to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience godliness, And to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:5-8 How important is this brotherly kindness. We may possess correct doctrine, but without brotherly kindness, we will turn others away from their Only Saviour.

May we “put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.” Col 3:12-14 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 May we put into practice our Loving Saviour’s admonition, “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” Matt 7:12

Rose

We Need Not Despair
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