For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears. 2 Timothy 4:3.
Rapidly are men ranging themselves under the banner they have chosen, restlessly waiting and watching the movements of their leaders. There are those who are watching and waiting and working for our Lord’s appearing; while the other party are rapidly falling into line under the generalship of the first great apostate. They look for a god in humanity, and Satan personifies the one they seek. Multitudes will be so deluded through their rejection of truth, that they will accept the counterfeit. Humanity is hailed as God.
Satan is ever on the alert to deceive and mislead. He is using every enchantment to allure men into the broad road of disobedience. He is working to confuse the senses with erroneous sentiments, and remove the landmarks by placing his false inscription on the signposts which God has established to point the right way.
Teachers of falsehood will arise to draw you away from the narrow path and the strait gate. Beware of them; though concealed in sheep’s clothing, inwardly they are ravening wolves….
We are not bidden to prove them by their fair speeches and exalted professions. They are to be judged by the Word of God…. “Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge.” Proverbs 19:27. What message do these teachers bring? Does it lead you to reverence and fear God? Does it lead you to manifest your love for Him by loyalty to His commandments?
These false teachers, arising in the church and accounted true by many of their brethren in the faith, the apostle compared to “wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.” 2 Peter 2:17.
Are our feet planted on the rock of God’s immutable word? Are we prepared to stand firm in defense of the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus?
The Faith I Live By p. 322
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Prayer Requests
—-Please keep Jane and family in prayer. he is going through a Job experience right now. Cindy
—-update—Xander is continuing to improve but is still hospitalized. Please continue to pray for him. For a video of him, go to the signs of the times facebook page.
—-Please pray for my husband Carl. On Wednesday we were visiting one of our sons when Carl had a stroke. He was rushed to the hospital and treated. He has not regained consciousness and remains in ICU. Carl has been under a great deal of stress since the Paradise fire and the loss of his father. Shirley
—-Please pray for aunt Dorothy. Her cancer may have metastasized; she may have had a stroke. She does have an infection. Please pray for healing and peace. Jean
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Dear Friends,
Before we moved to Pennsylvania, we had never seen a tick. We had heard that there was such an insect but thought that it only lived in Colorado. Well, at one time that might have been true, but by the time we moved to Pennsylvania, ticks had moved there too.
One day, as I was washing two-year-old Eileen after she had been playing outside, I noticed a little gray “sack” hanging from her armpit. I tried to pull it off, but it would not budge. Worried, I took her by the hand and walked about half a mile to the nearest neighbor. The lady took one look and explained what it was. Her husband tried everything he knew to get rid of it, but to no avail. Finally in desperation he gave a mighty tug and pulled off the tick’s body. The lady explained that if the tick’s head was not removed as well, it could travel in her blood stream and make her very sick. She drove me to the doctor to get it removed.
Sin is like that tick. In fact sin holds on even tighter than the tick did. Once we allow it even a tiny entrance, it takes over everything and travels through us until we are worse than sin sick. We can fool ourselves into believing that we can stop sinning any time we want to, but when we try to get rid of tick of sin, we cannot. We can only say as did the apostle Paul, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Rom 7:24
Praise God! Paul does not stop there. He gives the answer. “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” vs 25 Yes, we have a Great Physician we can go to for help. Indeed, He longs to save us from our sins more than we long to be rid of them. He “gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” Gal 1:4 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 He desires to rid us of the tick of sin before it is too late. He pleads, “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 “Turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness. Joel 2:12,13
May we look to our dear Saviour for the cleansing we need. May we allow Him to rid us of every sin and “live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Titus 2:12-14
Rose