They desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. Hebrews 11:16.
. . . . let every thought, every feeling be that of remembrance of God’s love. Let us gather up one token after another….
The evidence we have of God’s care and love for us is expressed in the lessons Christ gave to His disciples upon the things in nature…. The eye is not to be fastened upon deformity, upon the curse, but upon the riches of the grace of Christ that has been provided so abundantly, that we may live in this world, and act our part in the great web of humanity, and yet not be of the world. As pilgrims, as strangers looking for the bright things of God, the joy that is set before us, seeking a city whose builder and maker is God, and by beholding the provisions made for us, the mansions Jesus has gone to prepare for us, talking of the blessed home, we forget the annoyances and the fretting cares of this life. We seem to breathe in the very atmosphere of that better, even the heavenly country. We are soothed, we are comforted; we are more than this, we are joyful in God.
We could not know the gracious purposes of God toward us, but for the promises, for it is from them alone we learn what He has prepared for those who love Him. As the flowers in God’s wise economy are constantly drawing the properties from earth and air to develop into the pure and beautiful buds and flowers and give forth their fragrance to delight the senses, so shall it be with us.
We draw from God’s promises all that peace, that comfort, that hope that will develop in us the fruits of peace, joy, and faith. And by bringing these promises into our own life we bring them always into the lives of others. Then let us appropriate these promises to ourselves…. They are like the precious flowers in the garden of God. They are to awaken our hope and expectation, and lead us to a firm faith and reliance upon God. They are to strengthen us in trouble and teach us precious lessons of trust in God. He in these precious promises draws back from eternity and gives us a glimpse of the far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Let us then be quiet in God. Let us calmly trust in Him and praise Him that He has shown us such revelations of His will and purposes that we shall not build our hopes in this life but keep the eye upward to the inheritance of light and see and sense the amazing love of Jesus.—Letter 27, January 1, 1886, to Dr. and Mrs. J. H. Kellogg.
The Upward Look p. 15 (a devotional by Ellen G. White)
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Prayer Request
—-Would you please lift Connie up in prayer on June 26? She is having a surgery to prevent an aneurysm rupture in her brain! This procedure is a very delicate pipeline surgery. Norm
—-Please pray for a terrible cough I’m having. I’ve been taking medication but still no positive result. Arlene
—-Please pray for Mary who is having trouble focusing her eyes. Rose
—-Please pray for pastor Harlin he is not feeling well, they will be running some test here. Becky
—-My uncle Darrell passed away early yesterday morning. Please pray for his family. Mary
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Dear Friends,
As a child, my school days were quite unhappy. I have had a life-long weight problem and my kindergarten teacher did all that she could to ridicule me in front of the other children. She would have me walk beside the tiniest girl in the class and make unkind comments about my size. Perhaps she thought that would make me want to lose weight, but all it did was teach the other children that it was alright to tease and torment people who are fat. My classmates learned their lesson well—as long as I went to that school they teased and tormented me.
There was only one person who did not tease me. A boy named Wade Timothy Huffstutter was always nice to me, and I appreciated his kindness more than he realized. He would play with me when the other children shunned me. He knew how it felt to be teased. Our classmates would sing a tormenting song to him. “Wade, wade, wade in the mud.” Oh, how he hated that. I would get upset and try to get them to stop. Now they were making two people miserable. What joy they felt! That kindergarten teacher’s lesson had become a way of life for them. They acted out her example many times over.
How important children are to our Heavenly Father. How He yearns for them to be close to Him. When Jesus was teaching one day, a group of mothers brought their babies and children to our Loving Redeemer “that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.” Mark 10:13-16 How it must have thrilled each mother’s heart as she saw her child especially blessed by the Creator of the Universe!
How careful we should be to teach children only good and never evil. Our actions, our words, the unconscious lessons we teach by our example become affect those little ones’ lives for right or for wrong. They are influenced by what they see and hear and model it. Indeed, our influence is strengthened from generation to generation. Jesus warns, “whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” Matt 18:6 What greater offence can there be than to teach evil habits by precept or example? How earnest we should be to lead them to the Saviour Who loves them so.
Solomon advises, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Prov 22:6 Our Great Creator commands us how we should train our children, “Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons.” “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” Deut 4:9;6:6, 7
Paul’s admonition should also be our guide not only in our own life but in training the little ones under our influence. “Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Phil 4:8
May we be careful in our dealings with the children we meet. May we carefully lead them to the Master’s feet. May we reflect the kindness and love of our wonderful Savior to these little ones, that they may, in turn, reflect the Light of the World to all around.
Rose

For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. Isaiah 11:9.
As we enter the kingdom of God, there to spend eternity, the trials and the difficulties and the perplexities that we have had here will sink into insignificance. Our life will measure with the life of God.
There, immortal minds will contemplate with never-failing delight the wonders of creative power, the mysteries of redeeming love. There will be no cruel, deceiving foe to tempt to forgetfulness of God. Every faculty will be developed, every capacity increased. The acquirement of knowledge will not weary the mind or exhaust the energies. There the grandest enterprises may be carried forward, the loftiest aspirations reached, the highest ambitions realized; and still there will arise new heights to surmount, new wonders to admire, new truths to comprehend, fresh objects to call forth the powers of mind and soul and body.
All the treasures of the universe will be open to the study of God’s redeemed. Unfettered by mortality, they wing their tireless flight to worlds afar…. With unutterable delight the children of earth enter into the joy and the wisdom of unfallen beings. They share the treasures of knowledge and understanding gained through ages upon ages in contemplation of God’s handiwork…. As Jesus opens before them the riches of redemption, and the amazing achievements in the great controversy with Satan, the hearts of the ransomed thrill with more fervent devotion, and with more rapturous joy they sweep the harps of gold; and ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands of voices unite to swell the mighty chorus of praise….
One pulse of harmony and gladness beats through the vast creation. From Him who created all, flow life and light and gladness, throughout the realms of illimitable space. From the minutest atom to the greatest world, all things, animate and inanimate, in their unshadowed beauty and perfect joy, declare that God is love.
The Faith I Live By p. 371
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for Esther as she gives the sermon tomorrow. Rose
—-My dear elderly mother has taken a fall and hurt her left hip. She cannot bear weight on it so they are taking her to an Urgent Care for an X-ray to see if her hip is broken. Please pray for her because I don’t think she is in good enough condition to have anesthetic. And she still has her ear problem with an abscess. Please pray that it is not broken. And I seem to be going into a deep depression so please pray for me too. Connie
—-update on Jake age 2—Surgery went well… please keep the prayers going on Jake’s behalf. Prayers that the skin grafts will take and he will heal better than expected. Sabrina
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Dear Friends,
As a child, my school days were quite unhappy. I have had a life-long weight problem and my kindergarten teacher did all that she could to ridicule me in front of the other children. She would have me walk beside the tiniest girl in the class and make unkind comments about my size. Perhaps she thought that would make me want to lose weight, but all it did was teach the other children that it was alright to tease and torment people who are fat. My classmates learned their lesson well—as long as I went to that school they teased and tormented me.
There was only one person who did not tease me. A boy named Wade Timothy Huffstutter was always nice to me, and I appreciated his kindness more than he realized. He would play with me when the other children shunned me. He knew how it felt to be teased. Our classmates would sing a tormenting song to him. “Wade, wade, wade in the mud.” Oh, how he hated that. I would get upset and try to get them to stop. Now they were making two people miserable. What joy they felt! That kindergarten teacher’s lesson had become a way of life for them. They acted out her example many times over.
How important children are to our Heavenly Father. How He yearns for them to be close to Him. When Jesus was teaching one day, a group of mothers brought their babies and children to our Loving Redeemer “that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.” Mark 10:13-16 How it must have thrilled each mother’s heart as she saw her child especially blessed by the Creator of the Universe!
How careful we should be to teach children only good and never evil. Our actions, our words, the unconscious lessons we teach by our example become affect those little ones’ lives for right or for wrong. They are influenced by what they see and hear and model it. Indeed, our influence is strengthened from generation to generation. Jesus warns, “whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” Matt 18:6 What greater offence can there be than to teach evil habits by precept or example? How earnest we should be to lead them to the Saviour Who loves them so.
Solomon advises, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Prov 22:6 Our Great Creator commands us how we should train our children, “Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons.” “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” Deut 4:9;6:6, 7
Paul’s admonition should also be our guide not only in our own life but in training the little ones under our influence. “Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Phil 4:8
May we be careful in our dealings with the children we meet. May we carefully lead them to the Master’s feet. May we reflect the kindness and love of our wonderful Savior to these little ones, that they may, in turn, reflect the Light of the World to all around.
Rose

And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. Daniel 12:3.
In our life here, earthly, sin-restricted though it is, the greatest joy and the highest education are in service. And in the future state, untrammeled by the limitations of sinful humanity, it is in service that our greatest joy and our highest education will be found.
“If any man’s work abide …, he shall receive a reward.” 1 Corinthians 3:14. Glorious will be the reward bestowed when the faithful workers gather about the throne of God and of the Lamb…. They have been partakers with Christ in His sufferings, they have been workers together with Him in the plan of redemption, and they are partakers with Him in the joy of seeing souls saved in the kingdom of God, there to praise God through all eternity.
A Christian once said that when he reached heaven he expected to meet with three causes of wonder. He would wonder to find some that he did not expect to see there. He would wonder not to see some that he expected to meet, and, lastly, he would wonder most to find so unworthy a sinner as himself in the Paradise of God. Many who have stood in high places as Christians upon earth will not be found with the happy throng that shall surround the throne. Those who have had knowledge and talent, and yet have delighted in controversy and unholy strife, will not have a place with the redeemed…. They desired to do some great work, that they might be admired and flattered by men, but their names were not written in the Lamb’s book of life. “I know you not,” are the sad words that Christ addresses to such. But those whose lives were made beautiful by little acts of kindness, by tender words of affection and sympathy, whose hearts recoiled from strife and contention, who never did any great work in order to be lauded of men, these are found recorded in the Lamb’s book of life. Though the world counted them as insignificant, they are approved of God before the assembled universe.
The Faith I Live By p. 370
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Prayer Requests
—-Pray for Travis he needs a job and the Lord. Rosemary
—- Remember us in prayer as we travel early in the morning. I think there are thunderstorms along our path. Keffie
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Dear Friends
Last week, I had to renew my car license. I chose the wrong time and had to wait over an hour to get waited on. Some years ago, I had a wait, but it was not as long a wait and I had a very sweet incident to watch as I waited. I happened to notice a grandpa and his granddaughter (probably age four) in line a ways ahead of me. He was tall and thin, had his long yellow-gray hair tied back in a ponytail, and was covered with tattoes. Despite his hard-looking exterior, he was smiling at the little girl. Their relationship was obviously deep and happy. She showed that she had perfect love, perfect trust and confidence in him. He was squatted down and she was whispering “secrets” in his ear. When it was his turn to renew his vehicle, the little girl tried and tried to see over the counter. Again smiling tenderly at the girl, he lifted her up and sat her on the counter. When the lady behind the counter asked the little one what was her favorite animal, the girl asked her grandpa for advice. Rather than telling her outright, he helped her decide for herself by making several suggestions. She then answered the woman. When it was time to go, grandpa and child left hand in hand.
How our Heavenly Father longs to have us have perfect love, perfect trust and confidence in Him even more than that little girl had in her grandfather. We can tell Him anything and everything. We cannot weary Him. Indeed, He is even now bending over His throne listening for our prayers. He bids us, “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. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” “Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.” Matt 7:7-11; 18:19 There is a qualification that must be met in the asking, however. We must abide in Christ for He says, “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
Jesus used the example of an unspoiled child to illustrate the perfect love and trust we should have in Him. “And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.” Mark 10:13-16
May we “pray without ceasing” to our Heavenly Father for He loves us with an “everlasting love.” 1 Thes 5:17; Jer 31:3 May we have strong confidence that He will do what is best for us in all circumstances. May we continually keep our hand in His Strong and Mighty Hand is prayer.
Rose

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, 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. Hebrews 12:1.
In the epistle to the Hebrews is pointed out the singlehearted purpose that should characterize the Christian’s race for eternal life…. Envy, malice, evilthinking, evilspeaking, covetousness—these are weights that the Christian must lay aside if he would run successfully the race for immortality. Every habit or practice that leads into sin and brings dishonor upon Christ, must be put away, whatever the sacrifice. The blessing of heaven cannot attend any man in violating the eternal principles of right. One sin cherished is sufficient to work degradation of character, and to mislead others.
“If thy hand cause thee to stumble,” the Saviour said, “cut it off: it is good for thee to enter into life maimed, rather than having thy two hands to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire. And if thy foot cause thee to stumble, cut it off: it is good for thee to enter into life halt, rather than having thy two feet to be cast into hell.” Mark 9:43-45, R.V. If to save the body from death, the foot or the hand should be cut off, or even the eye plucked out, how much more earnest should the Christian be to put away sin, which brings death to the soul!
The competitors in the ancient games, after they had submitted to self-denial and rigid discipline, were not even then sure of the victory….
Such is not the case in the Christian warfare. Not one who complies with the conditions will be disappointed at the end of the race. Not one who is earnest and persevering will fail of success. The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong. The weakest saint, as well as the strongest, may wear the crown of immortal glory. All may win who, through the power of divine grace, bring their lives into conformity to the will of Christ.
The Faith I Live By p. 369
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Prayer Requests
—-Praise—My echocardiogram and EKG were good! I no longer have Afib! Please pray that it will not come back. Rose
—-Please pray for me today I am going to have triple bypass surgery. Ernest
—-Please pray for my grandson Jake who is recovering from being burned over 23 percent of his body. Sabrina
—-Please pray for me, my endometriosis pain is back. It’s a killing pain like sharp jagged wire in my womb. Please, please pray so the pain will be bearable and I won’t be too dependent on the bad drugs. Samantha
—-Prayers for M. she has stage 4 cancer; very frail & need the miracle touch of Jesus! K
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Dear Friends,
Until I was ten, I lived with my grandparents, Edwin and Ida Harmon. I had a good life there. When my mother remarried, I went to live with her. While she and Eddie were married, she did not have to work. Often she would let me stay home from school so we could be together while he was at work. How I enjoyed those times. Evenings and on weekends were not so pleasant, however. Eddie was an alcoholic and was mean and corrupt. Life became unbearable for both my mother and myself.
After three years, I had had enough. I couldn’t go back to live with my grandparents as they had moved away to Florida, so I determined to run away the next day. That very night, in the middle of the night, Eddie was the one who ran away. He took everything of value in the house and went back to his home state of Tennessee. What a relief that was!
From that time, however, life was hard for my mother. She worked long hours to provide even the barest of necessities. She was so tired when she got home from work, that she let me do what I wanted, when I wanted with little protest. She was too exhausted. Even though I had no rules in her home, I was not happy. I got myself into situations that could have been disastrous. Only God’s grace kept me out of serious trouble during that time. He was watching over me and protecting me. How thankful I am for His Fatherly care.
When Ron and I got married, we determined to set up a Christian home with morning and evening worship as a daily occurrence. We decided that when we had children, we would start teaching them about Jesus as soon as they were born. There would be rules in our house that would guide our children in the right way.
It was over four years before Eileen was born, but when she was, we took seriously the admonition, “And these words, which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart: and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children.” Deut 6:6,7 The morning after I brought her home from the hospital, I sat in the rocking chair that Ron had bought for me, held her in my arms, and read the Cradle Roll lesson to her. Of course, I knew she could not understand it yet, but I read anyway knowing that as I read her understanding would develop. During the years that followed, whenever I would take a rest from housework, I would read the Bible or good Christian books aloud to her. As she grew older, people would be amazed at the spiritual insights she had at such an early age.
When our other two children were born, I did the same, although there was much less time for reading. Now we had a television. I soon realized that the television was a snare. They were not as interested in spiritual things at as early an age as Eileen. How important it is to teach our children right principles when they are young. That is the impressionable, pliable time. The old saying, “As the twig is bent, so grows the tree.” is so true. Paul’s admonition is no less true today, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Phil 4:8
The child’s eternal future is in the parents’ hands. The Bible is full of examples of this fact. God said of Abraham, “I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment.” Gen 18:19 It was Jacob’s careful training of Joseph that sustained him during his captivity in Egypt. Paul gives another example, “By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment. By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.” Heb 11:23-25
The sad example of Eli’s lack of parenting skills should serve as a warning to us who are living today. It is said of his sons, “Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD.” 1 Sam 2:12 After they were hardened in sin, he tried to protest against what they did, but protesting was not enough. He had the power to remove them from the priesthood, but he did not. Because of this, he was told, “Thus saith the LORD, Did I plainly appear unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh’s house? And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer upon mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel? Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people? Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed. Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father’s house, that there shall not be an old man in thine house. And thou shalt see an enemy in my habitation, in all the wealth which God shall give Israel: and there shall not be an old man in thine house for ever. And the man of thine, whom I shall not cut off from mine altar, shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart: and all the increase of thine house shall die in the flower of their age. And this shall be a sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas; in one day they shall die both of them. And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever. And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left in thine house shall come and crouch to him for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread, and shall say, Put me, I pray thee, into one of the priests’ offices, that I may eat a piece of bread.” vs 27-35 Later, He spoke to Samuel these fearful, “Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle. In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end. For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not. And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever. And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the LORD.” 3:11-15 Fearful warning!
May we heed the warnings and admonitions of the Lord. May we diligently teach our little ones the way that leads to everlasting life. May we take them by the hand and bring them to the foot of the cross that they may ever follow Jesus on the path to Heaven is my prayer.
Rose

And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places. Isaiah 32:18.
A fear of making the future inheritance seem too material has led many to spiritualize away the very truths which lead us to look upon it as our home. Christ assured His disciples that He went to prepare mansions for them in the Father’s house. Those who accept the teachings of God’s Word will not be wholly ignorant concerning the heavenly abode….
In the Bible the inheritance of the saved is called a country. There the heavenly Shepherd leads His flock to fountains of living waters. The tree of life yields its fruit every month, and the leaves of the tree are for the service of the nations. There are ever-flowing streams, clear as crystal, and beside them waving trees cast their shadows upon the paths prepared for the ransomed of the Lord. There the widespreading plains swell into hills of beauty, and the mountains of God rear their lofty summits. On those peaceful plains, beside those living streams, God’s people, so long pilgrims and wanderers, shall find a home.
“My people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.” Isaiah 32:18. “Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise.” Isaiah 60:18. “They shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: … mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.” Isaiah 65:21, 22.
There, “the wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.” Isaiah 35:1. “Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree.” Isaiah 55:13. “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; … and a little child shall lead them.” Isaiah 11:6.
The Faith I Live By p. 368
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Prayer Requests
—-please pray my heart consciousness is healed and I am surrounded by a bubble of light for protection and send the enemy away, and pray I am given a healing cup of life from Jesus to heal my soul. Magdalena
—-This is an update on my dear 85 year old mother. She was taken to the Dr. last Friday for an abscess in her left ear. It had been draining blood and puss for several days and was giving her pain. The doctor cleaned it out really good and put her on some strong antibiotics. My mom said yesterday that the antibiotics seem to be working good because there is much less drainage coming from her ear and no pain. Connie
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Dear Friends,
By the time David was king, the tabernacle that had been made in the wilderness, was hundreds of years old. As he was worshipping one day, David had a great desire to build a permanent dwelling for God. This was not a passing thought but one that bore fruit in action. Yet, God told him through Nathan the prophet that Solomon, his son, would be the one to do the building. At the end of his life, he explained to the people his plans. “Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and my people: As for me, I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building: But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood.” 1 Chr 28:2,3
Although David must have been a little disappointed, he still had a part in the building of that magnificent structure called Solomon’s Temple. His part was to get everything ready. He took years in planning for every detail. He gathered huge quantities of top-quality materials for the building. He made sure that everything was ready. At the end of his life, he gathered the people together, gave his son the plans and materials, and made a plea for willing workers. “And who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the LORD?” 1 Chr 29:5
Today, God needs willing workers to build up His church on earth. He desires workers who will set self, pride, comfort, and worldliness aside and share with all around what He has done for them personally; workers who will put away feelings of “my way is the only way” and unite in building up the church; workers who will put all their effort into gathering souls for the kingdom; workers who will be consecrated to His service in whatever way God leads; workers who will say, as did the prophet Isaiah, “Here am I; send me.” Isa 6:8
All do not have the same part in working for God. As Paul said, “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.” 1 Cor 3:6-10 Solomon adds,”Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.” Ps 127:1 God has given each person certain talents and abilities for this great work. Not everyone can stand behind the pulpit and evangelize. For some, their witnessing may be giving away books and pamphlets. Some people go door-to-door seeking souls for the kingdom. Others share the love of Jesus by helping those in need. For years, every time I sent out a bill, I have added a card for the Amazing Facts lessons. Eileen keeps books and tracts in purse to give out. Wherever she goes, she places some truth-filled literature for someone to pick up.
May the focus of our life be in building up God’s church. May our happiness be in bringing those around us to the foot of the cross claiming the blessing, “And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.” Dan 12:3 May our Dear Saviour’s prayer, “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us” be fulfilled in our life. John 17:21
Rose