<strongServe the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing…. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him and bless his name. Psalm 100:2-4. Let every church member kneel before God while in His temple, and consecrate to Him His own, which He has bought with the blood of Christ…. God will bless all who will thus prepare themselves for His service. They will understand what it means to have the assurance of the Spirit, because they have received Christ by faith. The religion of Christ means much more than the forgiveness of sin. It means taking away our sins and filling the vacuum with the Holy Spirit. It means divine illumination, rejoicing in God. It means a heart emptied of self, and blessed with the abiding presence of Christ. We need the vital qualities of Christianity, and when we possess them, the church will be a living, active, working church. There will be growth in grace, because the bright rays of the Sun of Righteousness pervade the chambers of the mind. Let us not bring the gloom of unbelief into the church. Let us trim our lamps, seeking a fresh supply of oil, before we step over the threshold. It is our right, our privilege, to dismiss gloomy depression. As we go to the house of worship, we may go with joyfulness, for are we not going to meet with God and His people? … Let no thought of criticism enter your mind, to torment you, for Satan is near. He will do this work without your help. Refuse to cooperate with the accuser of the brethren. Gather up every ray of light, then seek out those who need help, and give this light to them. God says, “Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled” (Luke 14:23)…. The Lord will greatly bless His tried and chosen ones, if they will cooperate with Him. When the Holy Spirit came down on the day of Pentecost, it was like a rushing, mighty wind. It was given in no stinted measure, for it filled all the place where the disciples were sitting. So will it be given to us when our hearts are prepared to receive it…. When you meet with the Lord, say, I am in the Lord's house, and I desire all wicked thoughts, all mistrust and murmuring against my brethren, to be banished. We have met here with God, who “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).—Manuscript 2, January 24, 1899, “The Need of Greater Consecration.”
The Upward Look p. 38
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Prayer Requests
—-Asking for prayer for my daughter's hip pain. She has bursitis and got injection last week. Still having significant pain. Ann
—- My 22 week pregnant daughter’s water broke. Dr tried to force her to abort. She refused, Dr got angry, she gave birth to Miaveli, 1 lb. 6 oz, 11 in. Needs your prayers to survive. Bernardo
—-My Pop is in the hospital with double pneumonia. Prayers appreciated. Aaron
—-Please pray for Mary Ellen who has pancreatitis. Rose
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Dear Friends,
One day before I retired, I decided to wear to work a pair of Esther's sandals that she had left at my house, and I had been wearing around the house. They were in such a convenient spot to slip into and they were comfortable. Out the door I went without giving those shoes another thought.
As soon as I had arrived at work, however, I was sorry that I had. When I had stepped onto the tile floor of the courthouse, loud clickety-clacks resounded throughout the foyer. There was not only the click, click, click of the heels, but also a slap, slap, slap as my heel and the shoe met with every step. Try as I might, I just could not walk quietly.
Although those sandals made my feet feel very comfortable, I was very uncomfortable. I would rather not be noticed, and everyone was noticing me no matter where I went. Throughout the day, everyone could hear me coming. I was so embarrassed. I even got a few comments about their being able to know where I was at all times. When I went on the afternoon "run" delivering and picking up paperwork from various courthouse offices, many people turned and looked in my direction. It seemed to me that they were suppressing their giggles at my loud clacking. I never wore those sandals again.
How seldom are we aware of how our "footsteps" influence those around us. Jesus declares, "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Matt 5:14-16 Think of it. Those with whom we come in contact are waiting to see if our "walk" matches our profession as Christians. "He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked." "If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." 1 John 2:6;1:6,7 The Pharisees of Jesus' time were like those noisy sandals. Jesus warns us not to be like them, "do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not." Matt 23:3 Because their profession did not match their "walk" with Him, Jesus pronounced many woes upon them. May we go about our Christian walk not in noisy show, but faithfully, quietly, working for our Lord and Saviour is my prayer.
Rose
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/rosesdevotional/~3/f3jEfIuy1kU/gladness-not-gloom.html
