Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. James 4:7, 8.
When temptation comes upon us, we need spiritual discernment, that we may detect Satan’s agency, and draw close to Jesus. Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Every moment it is necessary to fight the good fight of faith; for doubt must be resisted, and faith must be encouraged. In temptation, inclination must be overruled by reason. Self will clamor for indulgence, but inclination must be resisted, and temptation overcome.
The Lord has given warnings, He has presented principles that it is necessary for every Christian to heed, and bring into his practical life. Those who pass on in indifference to the light and warning which God has been pleased to give will grow more and more egotistical and self-sufficient. Those who do not place their dependence upon God will certainly be overthrown by the enemy. Satan is working by every conceivable device to keep in his own ranks those who claim to be on the Lord’s side. He can blind their eyes until they will call light darkness, and darkness light….
Though the light of God is shining in more distinct rays than ever before, and will shine more and more clearly as we near the close of earth’s history, those who will be able to discern truth from error will be men who are often upon their knees, seeking wisdom from God. The bright beams of the Sun of righteousness can alone reveal the numerous and varied plottings of the enemy. The wicked one is at work with all deceivableness of unrighteousness; and while we are not to keep our eyes upon the powers of darkness, we cannot be ignorant of their devices.
But our faith must center in Jesus Christ. Looking unto Him, clinging to His strength as sufficient for every emergency, our heart joins His heart, our life is knit by hidden links to His life, and because He lives, we shall live also. This is practical religion; for we are to be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation. No one of us can be safe save as we join the Lord in a perpetual covenant, that shall not be forgotten by us.—The Review and Herald, March 14, 1893.
Ye Shall Receive Power p. 256
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Prayer Requests
—- asking for prayers for my husband. Hes losing weight rapidly and is extremely tired. This is not at all like him. His name is Steve. Heather
—-My dear friend Cindy lost her husband of 19 years very suddenly on Wednesday morning. She is beyond devastated! Please keep her and their family in your prayers! Mary
—-Please continue to pray for E and children. R
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Dear Friends,
When Ronnie Jay was eight years old, I wanted to buy him something special for Christmas, so I went to town to get some ideas. As I passed a pet store, I thought I’d check in there. I saw cages filled with hamsters and gerbils. There was the perfect pet for my son! These gerbils came in a variety of colors. I chose a tiny black and white one that had just been weaned.
Ronnie Jay was delighted! He took such good care of him, that Gerbily-erbily lived to be nearly five years old. To soothe Ronnie Jay’s sadness at the death of his pet, we went that very day and bought another one. The next one didn’t last as long, nor did the next, nor the next, each living the customary year or two in captivity.
Each of these little rodents has some common traits that gave us enjoyment. They were gentile and didn’t bite, which made them fun to handle. They liked to run in their wheel as well as in this little ball that they could get inside and explore the house to their “heart’s content.” One of the funniest things they did that made us laugh was the way they would eat M&M’s. When given one of these coated chocolate candies, they would carefully shell it and eat the chocolate inside. Not one of the gerbils we had had would eat the outside of the candy. They must have thought that candy coating was the shell of a very sweet seed.
Their approach to life is the way they had been taught, but it caused them to miss out on part of the treat. So it is with us. Our thought patterns, our actions, our words are largely developed from what we have been taught and the experiences we have gone through. They do not always make sense, but we stick to them because they are familiar: they are comfortable. They are full of self, pride, and sin.
Often, deep within us, we long for something better. We have a desire for a change, yet day after day, year after year, we think the same thoughts, do the same things, react the same way. We become discontented and try to fill the void we are feeling by tasting the pleasures of this world, but they leave us unsatisfied. Those fleeting pleasures last but a moment. When they are over, we are must look for something else to satisfy that emptiness within us.
Each of us have within our reach the answer that can break us out of our routine. Each can find the fulfillment we crave. True joy and happiness is found in God’s Word. “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat” Isa 55:1 How much we need that water of life! How much we need a way to receive it. Jesus says to us, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6
Our Dear Saviour is the fulfillment of all our desire for happiness and peace, but it costs us something to accept His great offer of salvation. It costs us our preconceived ideas, the fleeting pleasures of sin, our cherished sin, our self-centeredness. Sometimes it will even cause us to be hated by the very ones we love the most. Yet all is worth giving up for the One Who loves us so. Jesus told a parable to illustrate this fact. “the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.” Matt 13:44-46
The way that the Good Shepherd leads will open to us new avenues of thought, new ways of doing things, new ways of speaking. He will lead us in the way in which we should go both here in this world and in the earth made new. “For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” Rev 7:17 What an experience can be ours!
May we set aside everything that distracts and follow our Loving Redeemer today. May we allow Him to have complete control of our thoughts, our words, and our actions. May we find our greatest happiness in the One Who left the glories of Heaven and died upon the cruel cross that we might spend eternity in close fellowship with Him is my prayer.
Rose
The Enemy Does Not Give Up Easily
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. Revelation 12:12.
Those who consecrate their all to God will not be left unmolested by the enemy of souls. Satan will come to them with his specious temptations, designing to allure them from their loyalty to God. He will present to them his bribe, as he did to Christ in the wilderness of temptation, saying, “All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me” (Matthew 4:9).
But what should be the answer of the Christian to all the temptations of the evil one? He should say, “I will not lend my influence in any way to the advancement of anything save the cause of Christ. I am not my own; I have been bought with a price. I am not to live to please myself; for I have been purchased, ransomed by the blood of Christ. It is not possible for me to give to Christ more than that which belongs to Him; for every moment of my life belongs to Him. I am His possession, a servant employed to do the will of my Master.”
This is the only position that is safe for us to occupy; and if the individual members of the church felt in this way, what a power would the church exert to draw and win souls to Christ. It is this halfhearted work, the effort to serve God and the devil at the same time, that leaves the church so destitute of the Spirit of God.
Were the members of the church consecrated to God, were they in the unity of the Spirit, in the bond of peace, were they organized for the purpose of imparting to others an influence of good, the church would be indeed the light of the world. Should the individual members seek to represent Christ to the world in character and life, thousands would be attracted to the Saviour, who now have reason to criticize the words and works of those who profess the name of Christ.
“For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us” (2 Corinthians 4:6, 7).—Home Missionary, October 1, 1892, par. 3.
Ye Shall Receive Power p. 348
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Prayer Requests
—-We all are in varying stages of covid. Please keep us in prayer. Rose
—-My niece’s 1 month old baby, Naomi, is critically sick with RSV and they are transporting her to ____, a 2 hour trip in ambulance. They have her on oxygen and said it doesn’t look good. Please lift her and her mother Amanda. Linda
—-There’s a fire in downtown ____. Please pray for the firefighters and that it does not spread. Jennifer
—-Please pray for my daughter, Sara, who just had surgery for a perforated bowel. Please pray that she will heal quickly and without complications. Mary
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Dear Friends,
Every evening when I was a child, I would sit on my grandfather’s daybed and listen to the stories of his youthful adventures. He would tell of the many times that he would wade out into a stream and sleep on large, flat rocks that stuck out above the surface of the water. There were still vast areas of woods and wild animals that roamed the Pennsylvanian countryside in those far-off days, so by sleeping in the middle of a river, he could keep away from the mountain lions that prowled about. I had always lived in Michigan, so some of the things my grandfather described were difficult for me to visualize. I had never seen rocks large enough or flat enough to sleep on.
Because my grandfather was an artist, he paid close attention to detail and was able to describe the scenes of his stories so well, I felt as if I were there. One of these places was a valley between two mountains. Trains stopped for water there and huge, flat rocks sat in the river that ran along side of the tracks. As I listened to the story about this place, I could visualize it, but still it seemed so unreal to a girl who had never seen such things.
Eventually, I grew up, got married, and had a child. The story of the sleeping rocks was crowded into a corner of my mind. In the process of time, we moved to Pennsylvania. Some of Grandfather’s stories began to come to my mind as we explored our new area. After having lived in a crowded city for a few months, we moved to Tank, a tiny community of five houses. As we were visiting with our neighbors, one day, we commented on the strange name of our new home. They explained that it was named Tank because trains used to stop at a water tank to fill their reservoir with water in order to make the steam that was needed to continue along its way.
As we took a walk one day, we saw the remains of that old, crumbling water tank alongside an old abandoned railroad track. The track ran alongside a river through this narrow valley in the Nescopeck mountains. As we stood on the bridge looking down into that river, I suddenly noticed the large, flat rocks sticking out above the surface of the water. They were, indeed, large enough and flat enough to sleep on with enough room that one would not have to worry about falling off. With delight I realized that I was looking upon the very rocks that my grandfather had slept on so long ago. I wanted to stay there forever to feel close to the only person who took time for me when I was a little girl.
Although nearly a century had passed, those rocks had not changed. Although the waters of time were flowing by, they had remained. So it is with our Dear Saviour. He reminds us, “I am the LORD, I change not.” Mal 3:6 Truly He is the Rock of Ages. He is the Eternal, Enduring One, “the Rock, His work is perfect: for all His ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is He.” Deut 32:4
Jesus declared, “Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.” Luke 6:47-49 How He longs for us to build our life on the Rock, that the storms of life that are crashing all around us will not destroy us for our lives are founded upon His Life.
*The Lord’s our Rock, in Him we hide, A Shelter in the time of storm; Secure whatever ill betide,
A Shelter in the time of storm. A shade by day, defense by night, A Shelter in the time of storm; No fears alarm, no foes afright, A Shelter in the time of storm.
The raging storms may round us beat, A Shelter in the time of storm We’ll never leave our safe retreat,
A Shelter in the time of storm. O Rock divine, O Refuge dear, A Shelter in the time of storm; Be Thou our Helper ever near, A Shelter in the time of storm.
May we declare as did David, “My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us.” Ps 62:5-8 May we find the comfort and shelter in the Rock, Christ Jesus that we so much need today.
Rose
* A Shelter in the Time of Storm by Vernon J. Charlesworth
Source: https://rosesdevotional.org/the-enemy-does-not-give-up-easily.html
Now Is the Time for Preparation
Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. Luke 21:36.
Those professed believers who come up to the time of trouble unprepared, will, in their despair, confess their sins before the world in words of burning anguish, while the wicked exult over their distress. The case of all such is hopeless. When Christ stands up, and leaves the most holy place, the time of trouble commences, the case of every soul is decided, and there will be no atoning blood to cleanse from sin and pollution. As Jesus leaves the most holy, He speaks in tones of decision and kingly authority: “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be” (Revelation 22:11, 12).
Those who have delayed a preparation for the day of God cannot obtain it in the time of trouble, or at any future period. The righteous will not cease their earnest, agonizing cries for deliverance. They cannot bring to mind any particular sins; but in their whole life they can see little good. Their sins have gone beforehand to judgment, and pardon has been written. Their sins have been borne away into the land of forgetfulness, and they cannot bring them to remembrance. Certain destruction threatens them, and, like Jacob, they will not suffer their faith to grow weak because their prayers are not immediately answered. Though suffering the pangs of hunger, they will not cease their intercessions. They lay hold of the strength of God, as Jacob laid hold of the angel; and the language of their soul is “I will not let thee go, except thou bless me” (Genesis 32:26).
That season of distress and anguish will require an effort of earnestness and determined faith that can endure delay and hunger, and will not fail under weakness, though severely tried. The period of probation is the time granted to all to prepare for the day of God.—The Signs of the Times, November 27, 1879.
Ye Shall Receive Power p. 343
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for Peter as he has covid. Also pray for some friends who are also sick with it. Rose
—-Please pray for me. I need to find good loving homes for three puppies that I have. Pease pray that God will help me to do this soon. I am having a hard time taking care of them with my fractured spine. Connie
—-Please pray for my wife, Laurie, she’s been sick for a week and her breathing is off and on and she’s feeling terribly weak! We don’t know what this is. David
—-Continued prayers for Maya. She has now been diagnosed with severe osteoporosis. With her medical conditions, it’s now surprising. She will be getting injections every few months, and with all her medical conditions she is likely to have side effects. But she is in terrible pain in her bones now, so the possible benefit is outweighing and side effects. On a plus side, she has to take the injections at the cancer hospital, so if there are complications, they should be prepared for them… Prayers that it is a quick treatment (30 minutes rather than the potential 3 hours) and that she can have some relief from her pain. She is 5 but non-verbal. She does use a device to help with communication, but how can a 5-year-old describe that sort of pain as opposed to a bump or small booboo? Oh, and they were finally able to get her a proper hospital bed that she cannot climb out of, but also is proper height for mom and dad to care for her without her rolling out of bed. She also got a new chair and was happy it was her favorite color. I know previously I had mentioned that insurance was fighting the bed, and the one they would approve had a very low profile, causing mom to have to bend way over, I think about 2ft off the ground, or just above mom Jenny’s knees. Jennifer
—-I’m asking for prayer for my husband. Hes having some weight loss and trembling in his hands. Heather
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Dear Friends,
There were times when my grandfather worked two jobs to provide for us. I missed my grandfather greatly during those times. Winter evenings were especially long and boring without his companionship. Occasionally, my grandmother would unpack her stereoscope to entertain me. How I looked forward to that treat! Each card had two identical photographs printed side by side. When placed in the stereoscope’s slot and viewed through the eyepiece, a three-dimensional picture would appear. It was joy for me to view far off places and people in old-fashioned clothes doing old-fashioned things. I would look at these wonders with awe. I knew that I had to handle these objects with the utmost care, as they were irreplaceable.
Studying God’s Holy Word is much like looking through that stereoscope. The Holy Spirit revealed to patriarchs and prophets great messages for those around them. These great messages were not only for them but for us as well. Reading the Bible from cover to cover is fine as far as it goes, but as we compare what each of the Bible writers had to say upon a certain subject, we get the depth of meaning that just one text could not give. Isaiah tells us that in studying it, “precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little.” Isa 28:10
Paul tells us that the Holy Scriptures “are able to make [us] wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Tim 3:15-17
How important it is, therefore, that we diligently study, by comparing text with text, God’s Great Love Letter to us. It is the “sword of the Spirit.” Eph 6:17 By it, our Dear Saviour defeated the devil during the wilderness temptations. Over and over again He answered, “It is written.” (Matt 4:1-11 ) How His Great Heart of Love longs for us to follow His example of using the Scriptures to defeat the foe. He tells us, “blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.” Luke 11:28 David sang, “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.” Ps 19:7-10
May we “study to show [ourselves] approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Tim 2:15 May we, as we compare “spiritual things with spiritual” behold the wondrous things God longs to impart to us. (1 Cor 2:13; Ps 119:18) May we meditate daily upon the Scriptures and “give [ourselves] wholly to them; that [our] profiting may appear to all.” 1 Tim 4:15
Rose
Source: https://rosesdevotional.org/now-is-the-time-for-preparation.html
Fear of Witnessing Gone
Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. Acts 5:28, 29.
I heard those clothed with the armor speak forth the truth in great power. It had effect. I saw those who had been bound; some wives had been bound by their husbands, and some children had been bound by their parents. The honest who had been held or prevented from hearing the truth now eagerly laid hold of the truth spoken. All fear of their relatives was gone. The truth alone was exalted to them. It was dearer and more precious than life. They had been hungering and thirsting for truth. I asked what had made this great change. An angel answered, “It is the latter rain. The refreshing from the presence of the Lord. The loud cry of the third angel.”
Great power was with these chosen ones. Said the angel, “Look ye!” My attention was turned to the wicked, or unbelievers. They were all astir. The zeal and power with the people of God had aroused and enraged them. Confusion, confusion was on every side. I saw measures taken against this company, who were having the power and light of God. Darkness thickened around them, yet there they stood, approved of God, and trusting in Him. I saw them perplexed.
Next I heard them crying unto God earnestly. Through the day and night their cry ceased not. I heard these words, “Thy will, O God, be done! If it can glorify Thy name, make a way of escape for Thy people! Deliver us from the heathen round about us! They have appointed us unto death; but Thine arm can bring salvation.” These are all the words I can bring to mind. They seemed to have a deep sense of their unworthiness, and manifested entire submission to the will of God. Yet everyone, without an exception, was earnestly pleading, and wrestling like Jacob for deliverance.—The Review and Herald, December 31, 1857.
Ye Shall Receive Power p. 339
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for travelling mercies for E and children as they go to visit her best friend. R
—-I start a new medicine tomorrow and I am concerned with side effects. Prayers I have wisdom as I am switching meds and that it will be a good change for me. Jennifer
—-I have the flu. My daughter took my grandson and me to the ER on Sunday, and they did the test. We are both miserable! Please pray for it to pass quickly and that my disabled daughter doesn’t get it! Mary
—-Please pray for a 2-year-old boy named Legend. They just found a tumor on his liver. AC
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Dear Friends,
Much is said these days about the homeless that we see upon our city streets. Every day on my way to work, I pass a long line of these men at a certain mission. They are awaiting breakfast. Some of them look totally unkempt, others amazingly well groomed. Yet, all are in need for various reasons.
When I was a little girl, there were many homeless men wandering around as well. It was not uncommon to see homeless men (They were called “hobos” or “bums” in those days.) leaning against one of the buildings, sitting on a bench, or panhandling door-to-door or in front of one of the stores downtown. My mother would try to ignore them, but not me. I always smiled and waved and sometimes even talked to these dirty, rough-looking men as they would eat a sandwich that my grandmother had given them in answer to their knock. They didn’t scare me, I remembered all of the stories my grandfather had told me of his growing-up years when he had been homeless and ridden the rails.
As I listened to the stories of my grandfather’s experience of being homeless, I often dreamed of being totally free to travel wherever I wished and explore whatever I saw. I decided that I would become a bum when I grew up and travel in boxcars just like my grandfather did and experience as many adventures as he had.
One day, as my mother and I were walking to town, my mother saw a lady that she knew. This lady was waiting for the train. She was a very fancy lady and my mother was trying to impress her. As they were talking, this lady noticed me. There I was, dressed in a frilly dress, having on hat and white gloves, standing quietly at my mother’s side, and looking up at her with wondering eyes. She was someone new, someone fancy, someone to ponder.
She bent down and shook my hand. She began talking to me. I answered her politely. She thought that I was quite the little lady for a four-year-old. Then she made the mistake of asking, “And what would you like to be when you grow up?” Expecting to hear the customary “nurse” or “teacher,” shock registered all over her face when, pointing to the bums who were lounging nearby, I looked up at her innocently and said, “A hobo.” That fancy lady was horrified! My poor mother was mortified! Their conversation came to an abrupt end, as my mother excused herself, grabbed my hand, and hurriedly headed toward town. She had many things to say to me as we walked the rest of the way.
How many times we set our sights too low just as I had done that far-off day. We get so focused on the mundane things of life that we forget what our Great Redeemer longs to give us. He says, 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. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” Luke 11:9-13
Even though we have that wonderful promise, how often we wander through our Christian life as spiritual hobos. God’s great gift of salvation is ours for the asking yet how few claim it. How few put forth the effort to accept it. Fewer still embrace it wholeheartedly allowing the Holy Spirit to change them into the image of their Redeemer.
So why is it that we do not receive everything that we ask? Both John and James address this issue. “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” John 15:7, 8 “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 “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” James 4:3
May we set our sights on things above. May we ask for those things that are within our Heavenly Father’s will. May we “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.” 12:1, 2
Rose
Source: https://rosesdevotional.org/fear-of-witnessing-gone.html
God’s Work Characterized by Calmness
Let all things be done decently and in order. 1 Corinthians 14:40.
I … met a man and his wife who claim to follow the Word of God and to believe the Testimonies. They have had an unusual experience during the past two or three years. They seemed to be honest-hearted people….
I told this brother and his wife that the experience through which I passed in my youth, shortly after the passing of the time in 1844, had led me to be very, very cautious about accepting anything similar to that which we then met and rebuked in the name of the Lord.
No greater harm could be done to the work of God at this time than for us to allow a spirit of fanaticism to come into our churches, accompanied by strange workings which are incorrectly supposed to be operations of the Spirit of God.
As this brother and his wife outlined their experiences, which they claim have come to them as the result of receiving the Holy Ghost with apostolic power, it seemed to be a facsimile of that which we were called to meet and correct in our early experience.
Toward the close of our interview Brother L proposed that we unite in prayer, with the thought that possibly while in prayer his wife would be exercised as they had described to me, and that then I might be able to discern whether this was of the Lord or not. To this I could not consent, because I have been instructed that when one offers to exhibit these peculiar manifestations, this is a decided evidence that it is not the work of God.
We must not permit these experiences to lead us to feel discouraged. Such experiences will come to us from time to time. Let us give no place to strange exercisings, which really take the mind away from the deep movings of the Holy Spirit. God’s work is ever characterized by calmness and dignity. We cannot afford to sanction anything that would bring in confusion and weaken our zeal in regard to the great work that God has given us to do in the world to prepare for the second coming of Christ.—Selected Messages 2:41, 42.
Ye Shall Receive Power p. 331
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—-Please continue to pray for E and her children. R
—- Pastor Evans asked for prayer for Ileen’s sister. Her sister’s son was killed yesterday. He was 47.Lift up our Pastor and also Ileen’s sister.
—-Asking prayers for the family’s of the 3 UVA football players killed Sunday. One of the players, Devin Chandler was the son and nephew of schoolmates of mine. We buried his father about 2 years ago. PL
—-There are some misunderstandings and hurt feelings in my church. Please pray that God will work on everyone’s hearts who are involved in it. Buck
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Dear Friends,
From the time he was a child; Ron had a fascination with airplanes and dreamed of flying one someday. When he reached his teen years, he began taking flying lessons whenever he had enough saved to do so. After we were married, he continued learning to fly (until his logbook got burned up when our house burned to the ground nearly thirty years ago and he would have had to start over again). While Ron was studying for ground school, he asked me to help him learn the material. During that time, I learned many things about airplanes. Together we learned how to figure weights and balances, how to plot our course, wingtip vortices, etc.
Those wingtip vortices were a phenomenon that I had never heard of before. It was fascinating to think that when an airplane flies through the air, it creates a whirlpool of air, much like a tornado, at the end of each wing that is so strong that it can flip over a smaller plane. It seemed so strange, so unreal, but the unfortunate pilot who enters one of these vortices soon finds out how real they are.
One day, many years later, the atmospheric conditions were just right to see that phenomenon. It was raining. I was in the car, waiting for Eileen to get something from the store, when a jet flew low above my head. It was landing at a nearby airport. As I watched it, I saw long, thin “tornadoes” coming from each wingtip. It was amazing to see the very phenomenon I had studied about many years before.
Just as an airplane affects the air as it slices its way through it, so our attitudes, our words, our actions affect those around us for good or for bad. Our Dear Saviour tells 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 “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. I have declared, and have saved, and I have showed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God.” Isa 43:10-12
Think of it! We have the privilege, the duty, the responsibility to rightly represent the One Who left all the glories of Heaven to come down to this sinful planet, suffer at the hands of wicked men and give His life for us, that we might dwell with Him in His kingdom forevermore. Wonderful Saviour! How careful we should be in all we do and say and think. Our thoughts, our words, our actions can witness for our Great Redeemer or against Him. They can draw those around us to Jesus or cause them to turn away. One unguarded moment in our experience can turn someone away so thoroughly that they can never be reached again. Fearful consequences! How much we need the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, directing our steps, shining through us that we will never be the cause of someone being lost.
May we determine that our actions will match our profession. May we allow the Holy Spirit to work through us, that we may become channels of blessing to the precious souls around us. May we pray as did David, “Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips. Incline not my heart to any evil thing.” Ps 141:3
Rose
Source: https://rosesdevotional.org/gods-work-characterized-by-calmness.html
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