Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep your’s also. John 15:20.
If He who was pure, holy, and undefiled, who did good and only good in our world, was treated as a base criminal, and condemned to death without a vestige of evidence against Him, what can His disciples expect but similar treatment, however faultless may be their life and blameless their character? Human enactments, laws manufactured by satanic agencies under a plea of goodness and restriction of evil, will be exalted, while God’s holy enactments are despised and trampled underfoot….
It is the apostasy from truth that worketh in the children of disobedience to silence the voice of those who are calling them to obedience, and provoke the loyal to become disloyal as Cain tried to provoke Abel. A demoniacal spirit takes possession of men in our world…. Demon intelligence … will rend and destroy man formed in the divine similitude because … [man] cannot control the conscience of his brother and make him disloyal to God’s holy law, because he himself is unrighteous like Cain, who was disobedient….
The world is represented in the apostate churches who are trampling upon the Word of God, transgressing His holy law. They know not what spirit they are of, nor the end of the dark tunnel through which they are passing. They are hastening forward, deceived, deluded, blind, to the first and second death. The vast tide of human will and human passion is leading to things they did not dream of when they discarded the law of Jehovah for the inventions of man…. They have exalted phantoms, and eternal realities are naught to them.
But He who came to our world to seek and to save that which was lost has pledged His own life that men might have a second probation. He has pity, and compassion, and love that are without a parallel; and He has made every provision in behalf of men that none need perish. The divine Son of God came into our world, its Light and Life, to encompass the whole world and to attract and unite to Himself every human being who is under Satan’s discipline and rule. He invites them, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Matthew 11:28, 29). Thus He unites with Himself by a new inspiration of grace all who will come unto Him. He puts upon them His seal, His sign of obedience and loyalty to His holy Sabbath.—Manuscript 104, September 28, 1897, “Condemned by the Jews.”
The Upward Look p. 285
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for Jessica, a mother of four small children, is on life support at __ _______. This happened suddenly after she complained of headaches las Friday. Her mother and brother have just arrived from _____ to be with her. They request prayer from our church for Jessica and her family.
—-PLEASE AM DESPERATELY NEEDING PRAYER. HAVE A HUGE FIRE CLOSE BY AND HAVE BEEN EVACUATED. I HAVE MY ANIMALS THERE THAT I COULD NOT GET IN THE VAN WITH ME. THEY WERE SO AFRAID THEY RAN UNDER MY HOUSE OUT OF REACH. They won’t let us back in under any circumstances. I have a mother dog under the house with her babies that I could not get to and 3 other doggies that would not cooperate. Plus my chickens and my duck. My husband is still there he refuses to leave. A town just 2 miles from us is now completely burned up and people that our family knows are missing with their cars on fire and their doors wide open but no people around. There are a bunch of people gathered at a small lake completely trapped ready to jump into the water with no help from the authorities. And I cannot get a hold of my husband who refused to leave. Please pray for all of us!!! Connie
—-Please pray for Adam, age two, who is having major health problems. Alyssa
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Friends,
Before Ronnie Jay moved away, he often drove down to a bridge a couple of miles away and photographed or just watched the various birds and animals that live in or near the “big ditch” that keeps our area from flooding. There are beaver, herons, deer, turtles, and all the usual animals that one would expect to see along a river or canal.
One time, he had people stop by and talk to him as he is watching the wildlife. At first man that stopped said that he had noticed Ronnie Jay out their in the evenings and thought he was fishing. When he found that he wasn’t, he asked why he was there so much.
Several nights later another man stopped by and struck up a conversation with my son. He began talking about being from Portland and told a little about his enjoyments which were far different from Ronnie Jay’s. It seemed that he wanted a drinking buddy and must have thought that if Ronnie had nothing else to do than to stand on a bridge, he might like to go bar hopping and pick up some girls. When he mentioned having been to Mexico. Ronnie Jay told him that he had been there before on a mission trip. Realizing that Ronnie Jay was a Christian and not interested in worldly entertainments, the man got in his jeep, turned around on the bridge, and left. Ronnie Jay then decided that he needed to find a more remote place to do his nature viewing because too many people were noticing him and wondering what he was doing to the point that they are stopping to find out. That made him very uncomfortable.
Just as people were noticing Ronnie Jay standing on the bridge, so we are being watched without our even realizing it. Those who know we are a Christian watch to see if our profession matches what we say, what we do, including our attitudes. Jesus bids us, “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 How important that our profession and our character match. If they do, those around us will be drawn to our Dear Saviour. If they do not match, those around will consider us a hypocrite and turn away in disgust.
Paul bids us, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life.” Phil 2:12-16 Solomon observes, “The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble. But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” Prov 4:19, 18
“Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.” Isa 43:10, 11 May we daily walk on the path of the just, that narrow path that leads to eternal life. (Matt 714) May we so live that others will be drawn to Jesus, is my prayer.
Rose