And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. Romans 13:11.
The end is near, stealing upon us stealthily, imperceptibly, like the noiseless approach of a thief in the night. May the Lord grant that we shall no longer sleep as do others, but that we shall watch and be sober. The truth is soon to triumph gloriously, and all who now choose to be laborers together with God, will triumph with it. The time is short; the night soon cometh when no man can work. . . .
The time is coming when there will be as many converted in a day as there were on the day of Pentecost, after the disciples had received the Holy Spirit. . . .
Many have let the gospel invitation go unheeded; they have been tested and tried; but mountainous obstacles have seemed to loom up before their faces, blocking their onward march. Through faith, perseverance, and courage, many will surmount these obstructions and walk out into the glorious light.
Almost unconsciously barriers have been erected in the strait and narrow way; stones of stumbling have been placed in the path; these will all be rolled away. The safeguards which false shepherds have thrown around their flocks will become as nought; thousands will step out into the light, and work to spread the light. Heavenly intelligences will combine with the human agencies. Thus encouraged, the church will indeed arise and shine, throwing all her sanctified energies into the contest; thus the design of God is accomplished; the lost pearls are recovered. . . .
During the loud cry, the church, aided by the providential interpositions of her exalted Lord, will diffuse the knowledge of salvation so abundantly that light will be communicated to every city and town. The earth will be filled with the knowledge of salvation. So abundantly will the renewing Spirit of God have crowned with success the intensely active agencies, that the light of present truth will be seen flashing everywhere.
Maranatha p. 27
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Prayer Requests
—–Please pray for my sister Debbie who is in CICU. Judy
—– Pray for a Family of someone that died yesterday at the place I live at. Sadly we lost four souls this year so far. Ray
—–Please pray for Ginger who is having shoulder surgery this morning. Donovan
—–Please pray for Mary whose husband is on hospice. Pray that God will give her comfort and strength. Please also pray for Tim who has cancer and his family. Rose
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Dear Friends,
In the 1950’s, each classroom had about thirty students. School was a lot different then. The teacher allowed no talking, so the classroom was quiet and children learned rapidly. During recess time, our teacher would take us to the playground, so we could get the “wiggles” out. On rainy days, however, we had to stay in our classroom.
Miss Dodson, my third grade teacher, must have hated that as much as we did, but, with a smile on her face, she would conduct a spelling bee or play a game she called “telephone.” Telephone was a favorite. She would start the game by whispering a sentence in the ear of the student who sat in the first seat by the door. That student would turn around in his seat and whisper the message to the child who sat behind him. Around the room it would go. Finally, the last student to receive the message would stand and repeat the message out loud. The sentence would always be completely different than the one that the teacher had whispered into the first student’s ear. We would burst out laughing.
That simple game taught us a lesson that would save us from embarrassment or heartache as adults. Many times adults circulate stories that only vaguely resemble the facts. For example, In one church we attended when living in Washington state, we had a prayer chain that worked on the same principle as the game “telephone.” The first member on the “chain” would call the second, who would call the third, etc. Most of the time this worked very well, but if one of the “links” in the chain became distracted and didn’t hear the message exactly, the results could be quite funny. One day, I received a call asking for prayer for Mrs. Gray’s daughter who was having surgery for a brain tumor. I passed along the message. When I saw Mrs. Gray at church that Sabbath, I asked her how her daughter’s brain surgery had gone. Mrs. Gray looked at me with a very shocked look up on her face. “Brain surgery! Where did you get that idea? She had a hysterectomy!”
How often this same principle happens spiritually. Our Dear Saviour cautions us, “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” Matt 24:24 Often we hear or read some teaching that simply is not true but sounds plausible. Even if we have perfect trust in the source or we have heard some unbiblical teaching all of our life, it is just as untrue as the message I got that Mrs. Gray’s daughter was having brain surgery.
How vital to our present and future it is to know what the Bible really teaches. The consequences are too important to take anyone’s word for it. In these last days, our “adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith” 1 Peter 5:8,9 The evil one mixes truth with error in such a way that only those who pray diligently for the guidance of the Holy Spirit “are kept by the power of God through faith” and will be able to discern the genuine from the false. David declares, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Ps 119:105 Paul tells us, “The word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Heb 4:12
We must study God’s Holy Word for ourselves. Paul admonishes us, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.” 2Tim 2:15 Only as we compare what each of the Bible writers wrote about a certain subject, (Isa 28:13) can we understand God’s message to us. As we study, we are thrilled by the perfect harmony of the Scriptures. “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” 2 Peter 1:21
Only as we are filled with His Spirit and His words abide in our heart will we be able to keep from being deceived by the wiles of the devil. Only as we fortify our mind with God’s Holy Word, obeying it from the heart, will we have the discernment that we so much need. We must not trust to what we see or hear, but stick strictly to the Word of the Great King of the Universe, Who promises, ” If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.” John 7:17
May we “put on the whole armour of God, that [we] may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Eph 6:11 May we “work out [our] own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in [us] both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Phil 2:12,13 May we hide God’s Word deep within our heart, that we might not sin against the One Who loves us so. (Ps 119:11)
Rose