And his brightness was as the light; he had bright beams out of his side: and there was the hiding of his power. Habakkuk 3:4, margin.
Satan, by means of his success in turning man aside from the path of obedience, became “the god of this world.” 2 Corinthians 4:4. The dominion that once was Adam’s, passed to the usurper. But the Son of God proposed to come to this earth to pay the penalty of sin, and thus not only redeem man, but recover the dominion forfeited…. The apostle Paul has referred to it [the restoration of the lost dominion] as “the redemption of the purchased possession.” Ephesians 1:14.
Not only man but the earth had by sin come under the power of the wicked one, and was to be restored by the plan of redemption.
The cross of Calvary, while it declares the law immutable, proclaims to the universe that the wages of sin is death. In the Saviour’s expiring cry, “It is finished,” the death knell of Satan was rung. The great controversy which had been so long in progress was then decided, and the final eradication of evil was made certain. The Son of God passed through the portals of the tomb, that “through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.” Hebrews 2:14. Lucifer’s desire for self-exaltation had led him to say, “I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: … I will be like the most High.” Isaiah 14:13, 14. God declares, “I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth…. And never shalt thou be any more.” Ezekiel 28:18, 19.
“I saw a new heaven and a new earth….” Revelation 21:1…. Every trace of the curse is swept away…. FLB 361.5
One reminder alone remains: our Redeemer will ever bear the marks of His crucifixion. Upon His wounded head, upon His side, His hands and feet, are the only traces of the cruel work that sin has wrought. Says the prophet, beholding Christ in His glory, “He had bright beams coming out of his side: and there was the hiding of his power.”
The cross of Christ will be the science and the song of the redeemed through all eternity.
The Faith I Live By p. 361
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer Requests
—-My husband has been emotionally abusing me for years. And now, over the weekend, I found out he has been inappropriately communicating with a 19-year-old girl by text, phone calls, and he’s even met with her at least once in a restaurant. We are in our 50’s. Please pray for me. I have some extremely difficult decisions to make. anonymous
—- Uncle Melvin went to check on Grandma early this afternoon and found her on the floor, unable to talk or follow commands. He called 911 and the ambulance took her to the Hospital. She had a stroke, with a blood clot in the area of her brain that controls speech and swallow. She is also weak on one side of her body. Prognosis does not look good. They will be sending her to another Hospital here later on tonight most likely. There were no beds available at ______. Please keep her in your prayers. Heidi
—-Please pray for Carolyn who was just put on hospice. Rose
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Friends,
Just before my tenth birthday, my mother married a man who was an alcoholic. While they had dated, Eddie seemed so nice, but after they were married, life became almost unbearable.
After nearly four years, I had had enough. I decided to run away the next day. I didn’t know where I would go, but I knew that I could endure it no longer. My Heavenly Father was watching over me although I didn’t realize it at the time. That very night, Eddie left taking everything of value in the house except my mother’s guitar and amplifier. He left a note saying that he was sure that the sheriff was catching up to him and he needed to flee.
What a relief it was to me to have Eddie gone, yet life became more difficult in some ways. My mother had no job and no prospects for getting one. She had to sell her guitar and amp so she could buy food. Our landlord, who was friends with Eddie, would not wait for the rent until my mother found a job. We finally found a very cheap apartment over a music store in a rundown neighborhood.
Even though we were in difficulty, God was near to us, watching over us, working all things out for good. He who inspired David to write, “When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up” (Psalm 27:10) knew that had I run away, my life would have been far worse that the situation Eddie’s departure had caused. He had kept that from happening.
Jesus, speaking of His Heavenly Father said, “for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” Matt 5:45 God loves each person in this world whether they love Him back or not. His Spirit draws them, leading them into circumstances that will give them an opportunity to choose His way. He showers His blessings upon them even though they don’t know the Source of all blessings.
“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” 1 John 3:1-3 How loving and kind He is to us. He not only makes us His sons, but He changes us into His image.
Through all of those trying times, I had a sort of shaky faith in God and just before bed every night prayed the “Now I lay me down to sleep….” prayer adding a few of my own words at the end. Our Merciful Redeemer accepted that tiny spark of faith and protected us. He helped my mother find work, even though she did not recognize it as a blessing from Him.
Finally we could move to a better neighborhood. Life was still a struggle, and there were many times there was nothing to eat in the apartment except a little flour. But through it all, God was there protecting us and longing for the time when we would come to Him.
A year or two later, I began to long to know God. I began reading the Bible and visiting churches trying to find the right one. Through a series of events, God led me to find it. Over the years, I have been able to serve Him in various ways in gratitude for His great love and care.
May we, each day, allow our Great Creator to will and to do of His good pleasure. All around us are those who need Him as much as I did so long ago. May we share His love with them that they, too, may accept His great provision for salvation is my prayer.
Rose

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. Revelation 21:1.
Heaven is a school; its field of study, the universe; its teacher, the Infinite One. A branch of this school was established in Eden; and, the plan of redemption accomplished, education will again be taken up in the Eden school….
The prophet of Patmos thus describes the location of the school of the hereafter: FLB 360.3
“I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away…. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” Revelation 21:1, 2….
The giving of the tree of life in Eden was conditional, and it was finally withdrawn. But the gifts of the future life are absolute and eternal….
Restored to His presence, man will again, as at the beginning, be taught of God: “My people shall know my name: … they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak: behold, it is I.” Isaiah 52:6….
All the treasures of the universe will be open to the study of God’s children. With unutterable delight we shall enter into the joy and the wisdom of unfallen beings. We shall share the treasures gained through ages upon ages spent in contemplation of God’s handiwork. And the years of eternity, as they roll, will continue to bring more glorious revelations. “Exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20) will be forever and forever, the impartation of the gifts of God….
The life on earth is the beginning of the life in heaven; education on earth is an initiation into the principles of heaven; the lifework here is a training for the lifework there. What we now are, in character and holy service, is the sure foreshadowing of what we shall be.
The Faith I Live By p. 360
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer Requests
—-A former classmate, Donna, passed away having had cancer for one and one-half years. Please pray for her husband, children, and family members as they grieve her loss. Rose
—-A daughter of one of our church members had a seizure for the first time. Pray it is the last. Keep Katie J. In your prayers. Barbara
—-Please pray for JayDen, my 11 yr old daughter. She has a concussion. Shannon
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Friends,
Often my children will reminisce about special times in their childhood. It is interesting what they remember. Usually, Esther will comment on a certain walk we took when she was three or four. We lived on a narrow, dirt road near a lake at the time and I took them on many walks just letting them explore their surroundings. Whatever they noticed became an opportunity to teach them of our Great Creator and His love and plan for us. One day, Esther happened to notice a frog that had been run over by one of the few cars that drove down that narrow path. She stopped and looked sadly at the flatted frog’s remains that had been dried by the North Carolina sun. This gave me an opportunity to point her to a time when “God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain.” Rev 21:4 That simple lesson impressed her so much that she remembered it all of her life.
So it should be in the Christian’s walk. If we will allow Him to, our Heavenly Father will walk with us and teach us just as surely as I did with my children. He has promised, “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. Ps. 32:8 What a wonderful blessing! To be taught by the One Who made all things, Who loves us so much that He died to save us, to walk with Him each day as He unfolds new and beautiful truths from His Word, this is His great desire. This is our great privilege!
Jesus’ promise to send the Holy Spirit to guide and teach us in our walk with Him is as real today as it was when He walked this earth so long ago. He said, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” John 16:13 What blessing is ours to have the Great God of the Universe love us and change our hearts and lead us ever upward on the path to the Heavenly Kingdom.
Let us submit to the lessons He is so willing to teach us. Let us place our hand in the hand of the One Who loves us so much that He gave His All for us. Let our fondest memories be of our time spent with Him.
Rose

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. 2 Corintians 4:17.
I was pointed to the glory of heaven, to the treasure laid up for the faithful. Everything was lovely and glorious. The angels would sing a lovely song, then they would cease singing and take their crowns from their heads and cast them glittering at the feet of the lovely Jesus, and with melodious voices cry, “Glory, Alleluia!” I joined with them in their songs of praise and honor to the Lamb, and every time I opened my mouth to praise Him, I felt an unutterable sense of the glory that surrounded me. It was a far more, an exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Said the angel, “The little remnant who love God and keep His commandments and are faithful to the end will enjoy this glory and ever be in the presence of Jesus and sing with the holy angels.”
Then my eyes were taken from the glory, and I was pointed to the remnant on the earth. The angel said to them, “… Get ready, get ready, get ready. Ye must have a greater preparation than ye now have, for the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate and to destroy the sinners thereof out of it. Sacrifice all to God. Lay all upon His altar—self, property, and all, a living sacrifice. It will take all to enter glory. Lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven, where no thief can approach or rust corrupt. Ye must be partakers of Christ’s sufferings here if ye would be partakers with Him of His glory hereafter.”
Heaven will be cheap enough, if we obtain it through suffering. We must deny self all along the way, die to self daily, let Jesus alone appear, and keep His glory continually in view.
The work of salvation is not child’s play, to be taken hold of at will and let alone at pleasure. It is the steady purpose, the untiring effort, that will gain the victory at last. It is he who endureth to the end that shall be saved. It is they who patiently continue in well-doing that shall have eternal life and the immortal reward.
The Faith I Live By p. 359
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer Requests
—-We just got news that Hal Meyer suffered a stroke last Sunday. He’s struggling with speech, his left side is compromised, he’s in hospital still. Please pray for him and his wife Betsy – as well as the ministries he runs (Keep the Faith and Abide). M
—-update—Brian is not out of the woods yet – fevers still coming and going… but maybe there is a tiny improvement. M
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Friends,
When Eileen was seven, we were in a store looking at baby clothes, since it would not be long and Ronnie Jay would be born. The clerk , smiling, said to Eileen, “It looks like you will soon be a big sister! Isn’t that wonderful?”
Eileen said, “Yes! I prayed and prayed for a baby and finally Jesus said, ‘Oh, all right! You can have it.” Both the clerk and I had a hard time holding in our amusement.
On the way home, however, I explained to my little girl that God didn’t answer her prayer with exasperation because she had asked so much. He had answered her prayer because He saw that it was best for us to have a baby at that time. I explained that God answers our prayers even when they seem to go unanswered. He knows what is best for us. Jesus said, “your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.” Matt 6:8
Our dear Saviour tells us the conditions for answered prayer, “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” John 15:7 “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” Luke 11:9,10
This does not always mean that we will get just what we ask for. James explains, “Ye ask, and receive not,because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” James 4:3 But if we abide in Him and ask according to His will, we will have our petitions. “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” 1 John 5:14,15 What a wonderful Father we have! He listens to our prayers and weighs each request. Then He gives us an answer that is better than we could ask or think.
Let us have confidence that He hears and gives us our requests according to His great knowledge and understanding. Let us trust Him to take complete control of our lives. Let us put our hand in His and let Him lead us to His Heavenly Kingdom is my prayer.
Rose

He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. John 12:48.
The wicked receive their recompense in the earth…. Some are destroyed as in a moment, while others suffer many days. All are punished “according to their deeds.” The sins of the righteous having been transferred to Satan, he is made to suffer not only for his own rebellion, but for all the sins which he has caused God’s people to commit. His punishment is to be far greater than that of those whom he has deceived. After all have perished who fell by his deceptions, he is still to live and suffer on.
In the cleansing flames the wicked are at last destroyed, root and branch—Satan the root, his followers the branches. The justice of God is satisfied, and the saints and all the angelic host say with a loud voice, Amen. FLB 358.3
While the earth is wrapped in the fire of God’s vengeance, the righteous abide safely in the Holy City. Upon those that had part in the first resurrection, the second death has no power. (Revelation 20:6.) While God is to the wicked a consuming fire, He is to His people both a sun and a shield. (Psalm 84:11.)
And a shout of praise and triumph ascends from the whole loyal universe. “The voice of a great multitude,” “as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings,” is heard, saying, “Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.” Revelation 19:6….
The fire that consumes the wicked purifies the earth. Every trace of the curse is swept away. No eternally burning hell will keep before the ransomed the fearful consequences of sin….
All that was lost by sin has been restored…. God’s original purpose in the creation of the earth is fulfilled as it is made the eternal abode of the redeemed. “The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.” Psalm 37:29.
The Faith I Live By p. 358
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer Requests
—-Please keep a very dear friend of mine in prayer. her husband is very sick they don’t know what is wrong he can’t keep anything down. they are wonderful Christians who love their Lord and serving Him thanx. also an elderly lady who is 89 she can’t keep anything down her stomachs hurts her and she won’t go to a DR. to find out what is wrong. M
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Friends,
Until I was 10, I was raised by my grandparents, Edwin and Ida Harmon. My grandfather had his own special room where he could relax and keep his stuff. He had a big overstuffed chair that was very comfortable and in the evening he would relax in that chair and read his magazines, when I was outside playing. Those magazines were not fit for children’s eyes and he should have kept them well hidden. He didn’t. Often while he was at work and my grandmother was in the kitchen (where she spent most of her time), I would look at grandpa’s magazines. Many of them were about hunting and fishing, some were Adventure magazines that had cartoons that were not a bit funny. He also had books about World War II. I remember especially one book that had very graphic pictures of prisoners at Auschwitz as well as other casualties from the war. They fringhtened me and fascinated me at the same time. I spent time looking carefully at each picture. Just the thought of some of them makes me shudder.
There is a war going on in every part of this old planet—the war between the King of the Universe and his good angels and the devil and his evil ones. This battle is as real as any war that has ever been fought between nations. “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted . . . . the remnant. . . which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Rev 12:7-17
This war is waged daily in our lives. Daily the evil one tries to ensnare us. Daily he is held back by the power of Jesus if we ask Him to help us to recognize his traps and resist them as Peter says, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith.” 1 Peter 5:8 Paul tells us, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance.” Eph 6:10-18
May we stand firm on the side of Jesus. May we “pray without ceasing” for the help that we so much need. 1 Thess 5:17 May we keep our weak and trembling hand in His Strong and Might Hand as we walk the path of life.
Rose

Thou hast rebuked the heathen, thou hast destroyed the wicked, thou hast put out their name for ever and ever. Psalm 9:5.
Now Satan prepares for a last mighty struggle for the supremacy…. As the wicked dead are raised, and he sees the vast multitudes upon his side, his hopes revive, and he determines not to yield the great controversy…. He represents himself to his deluded subjects as a redeemer, assuring them that his power has brought them forth from their graves…. At last the order to advance is given, and the countless host moves on…. The armies of Satan surround the city, and make ready for the onset.
Fire comes down from God out of heaven. The earth is broken up. The weapons concealed in its depths are drawn forth. Devouring flames burst from every yawning chasm. The very rocks are on fire. The day has come that shall burn as an oven. The elements melt with fervent heat, the earth also, and the works that are therein are burned up. The earth’s surface seems one molten mass—a vast, seething lake of fire.
Satan and all who have joined him in rebellion will be cut off. Sin and sinners will perish, root and branch (Malachi 4:1)—Satan the root, and his followers the branches…. “They shall be as though they had not been.” Obadiah 16.
It will be seen that Satan’s rebellion against God has resulted in ruin to himself, and to all that chose to become his subjects. He has represented that great good would result from transgression; but it will be seen that “the wages of sin is death.” Romans 6:23…. An end will be made of sin, with all the woe and ruin that have resulted from it. Says the psalmist, “Thou hast destroyed the wicked, thou hast put out their name for ever and ever. O thou enemy, destructions are come to a perpetual end.” Psalm 9:5, 6.
He [Satan] had hoped to break up the plan of salvation; but it was laid too deep…. He himself must finally die, and his kingdom be given to Jesus.
The Faith I Live By p. 357
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for us. It is urgent. Please also pray for God to give me wisdom and strength to know what to do about my situation because my life is not good. Only God knows what I have to go through. Connie
—-My great niece that is 14 years old and became very ill with Hodgins Lymphoma. She went thru the chemo works, was deemed in remission and 4 months later, BAM. it’s back. Please pray that she will be healed. M
—-Please pray for a little baby who has Sturge-Webbers syndrome and is having seizures. If they can’t get the seizures to stop they will have to do a hemispherectomy. She’s just a baby. Pray also for Amara who has infantile spasm seizures. Esther
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Friends,
Uncle Lloyd and Auntie Bessie were not able to have any children; but when my mother and aunt would come to visit them when they were children, he kept them laughing and happy. My mother fondly remembered him and the good times she had there. Uncle Lloyd was a bit eccentric, however. He could not bring himself to part with anything that had come into his possession. In his basement he had rows of file cabinets full of every letter, every circular, every note that he had ever received. Each was neatly filed and labeled. He would spend hours every evening in his basement going through all of his belongings and rereading many of his favorite correspondences, then filing them neatly away again.
How often we are like Uncle Lloyd. Our whole life is wrapped up in the things that we possess. All of our energies, all of our focus is upon living comfortably, acquiring wealth. Yet, “a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” Luke 12:15 Our Dear Saviour “spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Luke 12:16-21; Mat 6:19-33
In the parable of the sower, our Loving Saviour explains the danger of having the wrong focus and becoming “choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring(ing) no fruit to perfection.” Luke 8:14 Unless we turn away from these things and keep our eyes upon our Great Redeemer, we will one day utter those awful words, “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.” Jer 8:20
Let us never “trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, Who supplies all of our needs.” 1 Tim 6:17 “Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Heb 12:1,2
Rose