Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. Isaiah 56:5.
I feel deep sympathy for you, knowing that you are sorely tempted. The enemy is trying to make you faint and become discouraged. I feel no less sympathy and deep interest for your husband. Our Saviour will be his Saviour, if he will accept Him. Never, never are any one of us to feel that it is anything but the highest honor to become sons and daughters of God.
My sister, never, never yield to the temptation to sacrifice Christian principle in order to meet the world’s criterion. Be firm, be faithful, for you are bought with a price. Your duty to your Saviour may not lead you in the smoothest paths, for your Redeemer never walked in paths of self-pleasing and self-indulgence. He lived not to please Himself. He went without the camp, bearing the reproach. Wherever Providence has placed you, God will give you strength to stand firm in the faith. Let nothing interpose between your soul and God….
Christ did not merely give us directions as to the path in which we must travel, but He came to be our Teacher. He did not merely tell us how we ought to obey, but in His own life He gave us a practical example of how we should obey. Thus He is the true Helper. Going before us, he beats down the obstructions, and tells us to walk in His footsteps. Our blessed Saviour says, “Follow Me. I will lead you. I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness” (see Matthew 4:19; John 14:6; 8:12).
Christ served as a true Son, an obedient Son. He declared, “I have kept my Father’s commandments” (John 15:10). Sanctification is a lifelong obedience. We can be greatly honored by being in co-partnership with Christ. “Take my yoke upon you,” He says, “and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Matthew 11:29). The obedience of which Christ has left us an example is perfect and complete….
My sister, the Lord loves you, and He wants you to have the crown of life. “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels” (Revelation 3:5). The white robes are the garments of Christ’s righteousness, and all who have this righteousness are partakers of the divine nature. They have written upon them, “The name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name” (verse 12).—Letter 48, June 1, 1898, to a believer in Australia.
The Upward Look p. 166
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for my brother Jim and my cousin Larry who have both had strokes this month. Rose
—-Please pray for the many requests from those with the Corona virus or know someone with it.
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Dear Friends,
During this time of great distress throughout the world, I thought I would share with you something I wrote about prayer some years ago.
What a privilege is prayer! We can come before the throne of the Great King of the Universe, Who upholds ” all things by the word of his power” yet is interested in us as if we were the only person in all the world. Heb 1:3 Think of it! From the moment we renew our commitment to God every morning by asking Him to dwell within our heart, till we fall asleep at night, we can walk in close communion with the Great Creator. Paul, speaking of this very close relationship, bids us, ” Pray without ceasing.” 1 Thes 5:17 Of course he realized that we cannot spend all of our time with our hands folded and our head bowed, no! He is speaking of that constant companionship that the One Who gave His life for us is yearning to have with us.
As we go about our daily duties, we can be in His presence. We have the privilege of telling Him all of our sorrows, all of our joys, asking Him for victory over sins yet unconquered, talking to Him regarding the happenings throughout our day, meditating upon His Word, listening to His voice. Our Great Redeemer says to us as He said to Joshua of old, “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” Josh 1:8
It is only when we take our eyes off from Jesus, that we go astray. It is only when we forget to “practice the Presence” and become so busy that we forget Him, that we begin to wander from “the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” John 14:6 It is when we begin to listen to the world’s beckoning voice that we get into trouble. We soon become fascinated with the fleeting pleasures the evil one has to offer, lose our balance, and fall from the Path. The apostle John advises, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” 1 John 2:15-17
Let us daily give our heart to Jesus, praying as did David, “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.” Ps 51:10-14 Let us look to Him in these perplexing times for protection from the evil that surrounds us and pray, “O LORD, be gracious unto us; we have waited for thee: be thou [our] arm every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble.” Isa 33:2 Let us diligently keep our weak and trembling hand in His mighty nail-scarred hand, walking with Him is sweet fellowship, telling Him all of our joys, all of our sorrows, all of our fears and trusting Him to lead us all the way to His Heavenly Kingdom is my prayer.
Rose
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/rosesdevotional/~3/AMnxO3X89vU/never-yield-christian-principle.html
