Victors Through Christ

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 1 John 5:4.
We need to draw near to our Helper, the One who is infinite in wisdom. He is our Minister and our great Medical Missionary, and He knows the straits through which His believers on this earth will pass…. He has been tempted in all points like as we are tempted. Let us not forget that Christ had the tempter to meet in every form, and that when He met him, He, our Saviour, was bearing the likeness of humanity. He is our Restorer, the Perfecter of His covenant with the human agencies who depend upon Him as their Prince and their Redeemer.
Christ conquered as the sinless, unfallen, perfect Man. As the Messiah He has won the victory over the temptations of the enemy, making it possible for us to overcome as He overcame. We are to overcome in every encounter with the enemy. We are to be victors by becoming partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. Each victory that He gained in His humanity makes it possible for us, through receiving and believing in Him, to gain the victory. “As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God” (John 1:12). Each victory that He gained in humanity secures for us its genuine fruits. Each assault of Satan overcome marks the occasion of a victory for humanity….
The deliverance of the people of God and His mercies to them in past trials are to be called to mind as an assurance of that which, if we trust in God, He will do for us in present and future emergencies. Whatever may have been their experience, if they will surrender to God with full purpose of heart, with humility and contrition, He will receive them. To all who by faith receive Christ as their personal Saviour, He will give power to become overcomers—sons and daughters of God. They become partakers of the divine nature, and fully realize His mercy and the grace of His Holy Spirit….
Let our prayers ascend to God in all humility. Let us through the grace Christ came to the world to impart confess and forsake our sins, with humble, contrite hearts. The Lord understands, for all secret things are known to Him. Not one mean action can be performed without God understanding every phase of temptation….
Throughout the gospels, Christ made frequent reference to the great conflict that He had with Satan at the beginning of His ministry. He makes constant reference to Satan’s kingdom as opposed to the kingdom of God. Let us be sure that we are on the Lord’s side,—Letter 14, January 3, 1906, to Dr. and Mrs. D. H. Kress.
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for the Mills family as their father died of a massive stroke after fighting for life since an operation for a brain aneurysm in March. Rose
—-Please pray for Doug who cracked several vertebra in his back. Rose
—-A prayer request… Greg has battled cancer for almost 7 yrs. The doctors are giving him only days to live. Andy
—-Please pray for my son his job changed and they are now requiring him to work every other Sabbath! Debbie
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Dear Friends,
Until I was nineteen, my mother and I had no car. We walked or rode the bus wherever we needed to go. This wasted many hours as it seemed that the bus was always late. We really longed to have a car, but there just was no money for it. There were so many times when we felt trapped because of our lack of good transportation.
It was such a treat when Floyd and Mary, my mother’s ex-in-laws, would let us use their car for the weekend as payment for watching their son. Tommy was a good boy and enjoyed being with us. He was a few years younger than I, and didn’t tease and torment me about my size; so we got along well together. What fun we would have going places that were not accessible by public transportation and doing things that we wished we could do.
Having that car gave my careworn and overworked mother a sense of freedom and relaxation. and changed her into a smiling, relaxed, energetic girl once more. All of the built up tensions and worries she daily experienced disappeared as we drove around southeastern Michigan and did things that she had been longing to do. All of the frustrations of the day to day survival evaporated.
Those happy feelings did not last long, however. As soon as the weekend was over and Tommy and the car went back home, my mother picked up the cares she had left behind and life went back to a normal routine. All the tensions and frustrations returned and it seemed to me that her weekend of freedom only made her more resentful of her lot in life.
Just as my mother had no lasting peace and happiness from having a car for a short time, so the pleasures of this world last but a moment. They are fleeting at best, and leave us careworn and exhausted and all empty inside when they are over. “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.” I John 2:16-18
Our Dear Saviour desires to give us “the peace of God, [a lasting peace] which passeth all understanding.” Phil 4:7 Just as He “arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still,” so He will bring peace and calmness to our troubled mind if we will ask Him. He assures us, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27
David exclaimed, “Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.” Ps 16:11; 119:165 Praise God! These joys, these pleasures never fade away! No matter what trials and troubles surround us, we can have peace in our heart!
May we turn from the vanities of this world unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein.” Acts 14:15 May we experience freedom from the worries and cares of this old world by looking forward to spending eternity with our Blessed Redeemer. May we daily receive the peace that passes all understanding that He offers us is my prayer.
Rose