My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust. Isaiah 51:5.
I saw the beauty of Heaven. I heard the angels sing their rapturous songs, ascribing praise, honor, and glory to Jesus. I could then realize something of the wondrous love of the Son of God. He left all the glory, all the honor which He had in Heaven, and was so interested for our salvation that He patiently and meekly bore every indignity and slight which man could heap upon Him…. He was stretched on Calvary’s cross, and suffered the most agonizing death, to save us from death; that we might be washed in His blood, and be raised up to live with Him in the mansions He is preparing for us, to enjoy the light and glory of Heaven, to hear the angels sing, and to sing with them. I saw that all Heaven is interested in our salvation; and shall we be indifferent? Shall we be careless, as though it were a small matter whether we are saved or lost? Shall we slight the sacrifice that has been made for us? Some have done this. They have trifled with offered mercy, and the frown of God is upon them. God’s Spirit will not always be grieved. It will depart if grieved a little longer.
After all has been done that God could do to save men, if they show by their lives that they slight Jesus’ offered mercy, death will be their portion, and it will be dearly purchased.—Testimonies for the Church 1:123, 124.
With God at Dawn p. 62
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for Ilene whose best friend and sister-in-law passed away. Rose
—-Update: Today is the day Buddy will have the testing to see if there is any infection in the heart valve. Yesterday he got antibiotics all day. Prayer warriors keep praying that the infection is completely gone from his body. Kay
—-My wife and I are going to begin a new adventure we are going to begin a healthier lifestyle and weight loss adventure and could use prayers. Fred
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Dear Friends,
It is good to reflect daily upon the goodness and great love of God. David says, “O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary. Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips: When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches. Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.” Ps 63:1-7
Our Great Redeemer’s love is beyond our comprehension. He has provided His Greatest Gift, the gift of His only Son, One equal to Himself. When we look at our own children, we have such great love for them that we would never want to sacrifice one of them for the life of someone else; but “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 Think of it! “God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!” Rom 5:8; 11:33
During those 33 years His Dear Son was upon this earth, God was tenderly watching, feeling every hurt, every disappointment, every care. Three times the Great Sovereign of the Universe spoke audibly to mortal man. At Jesus’ baptism He announced, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Matt 3:17 Again on the Mount of Transfiguration He declared, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.” 17:5 Near the end of Jesus earthly life, He told the people, “Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.” John 12:27,28
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus began to feel, stronger than He had ever felt before, the sins of the whole world being laid upon His shoulders. As our sins threatened to crush out His very life, Jesus committed His will to His Father. God answered by sending an angel to strengthen Him to endure His Great Sacrifice. But then, He must withdraw His presence and allow Jesus to go through the sense of separation from God that the unrepentant sinner will feel in the day of executive judgment. That separation that was far worse for Jesus than the great physical pain of crucifixion. It was equally difficult for The Father to see His Son suffer so. Think of the heart-wrenching agony God the Father felt as Jesus was upon the cross. The pain that pierced His Great Heart of Love is beyond our comprehension. Yet He willingly sacrificed His All because He loves us so.
Yet how easy it is for us to take that Great Sacrifice for granted. How easy it is for us to get so busy that we have hardly a thought Heavenward. How easy it is for us to be so self-centered that our needs, our desires, our momentary happiness is all that matters to us. How that must hurt our Redeemer Who sacrificed so much that we might dwell with Him throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity. He Who has given His life for us desires above all else to spend every moment right beside us, communing with us, leading us, guiding us, giving us a peace that passes all understanding. In gratitude, may we daily give Him our heart, our life, our thoughts, our words, our everything is my prayer.
Rose