That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God. Colossians 1:10.
There are some who talk in a regretful way concerning the restraints that the religion of the Bible imposes upon those who would follow its teachings. They seem to think that restraint is a great disadvantage, but we have reason to thank God with all our heart that He has raised a heavenly barrier between us and the ground of the enemy. There are certain tendencies of the natural heart that many think must be followed in order that the best development of the individual may result, but that which man thinks essential God sees would not be the blessing to humanity which men imagine, for the development of these very traits of character would unfit them for the mansions above.
The Lord places men under test and trial that the dross may be separated from the gold, but He forces none. He does not bind with fetters and cords and barriers, for they increase disaffection rather than decrease it. The remedy for evil is found in Christ as an indwelling Saviour. But in order that Christ may be in the soul, it must first be emptied of self, then there is a vacuum created that may be supplied by the Holy Spirit.
The Lord purifies the heart very much as we air a room. We do not close the doors and windows and throw in some purifying substance; but we open the doors and throw wide the windows, and let heaven’s purifying atmosphere flow in. The Lord says, “He that doeth truth cometh to the light” (John 3:21). The windows of impulse, of feeling, must be opened up toward heaven, and the dust of selfishness and earthliness must be expelled. The grace of God must sweep through the chambers of the mind, the imagination must have heavenly themes for contemplation, and every element of the nature must be purified and vitalized by the Spirit of God.—Manuscript Releases 2:338.
Ye Shall Receive Power p. 293
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray that God will guide and provide for E and her children. R
—-Please pray for my daughter, Kari. She has stage three cancer. Ruth
—-Asking for prayers for a hedge of protection for my drug dependent daughter who is homeless and living in a homeless camp on the other side of the country. She has for the time being disconnected with family and is with 2 other people, girl and guy, that she will not part with. There’s at least a year waiting list for apartments. Thanks.
Also for my other daughter’s boyfriend of 4 years who had a stroke and is slowly recovering but there are issues with his immediate family that are creating unnecessary hardships and stressing the relationship. His name is Ramsey. Michael
—-Please continue to pray for Richard that the tumor will continue to shrink. Ron and Rose
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Dear Friends,
One evening some years ago, Ron suggested we take a walk at a local park. This park had a large expanse of grass that is six-foot tall as well as some wooded areas. Ronnie Jay and I grabbed our cameras and away we went.
We walked on a mowed path through the tall grass hoping to see a deer. We didn’t. The path led to a sandy trail through some woods. No deer, but we did see a spider that had built a web about eight feet above the path. We stopped and marveled at his ambition.
That sandy trail led at last to the more developed part of the park that had a cement sidewalk. This we took back to our car. Along that walk, Ronnie Jay spotted some deer on the other side of the river. Off the path he went to take some pictures. It was a doe and her mostly-grown fawns. I stayed on the walkway to take my photos, so they didn’t turn out very well. I was too far away.
We continued walking toward the entrance of the park. When we got nearly there, I decided that we would not see any more wildlife, so I shut off my camera. Big mistake! Suddenly from out of the tall grass just about ten feet from us, a doe walked gracefully across the sidewalk to the tall grass on other side. Ronnie Jay snapped a picture, but the deer was gone by the time my camera turned back on. We took only a few steps when another doe bounded across the path. It happened so fast that neither of us had time to even put our camera up to our eye. What a beautiful photograph that would have made! If only we had been ready.
Just as quickly as those deer appeared from out of the six-foot tall grass, so unexpectedly will appear our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. He spoke of the importance of our being always ready for His appearing, “For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.” “Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not. . . . And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath. But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.” Mark 13:34-37; Luke 12:35-48
“Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.” 1 Thes 5:6 May we watch unto prayer for the end of all things is at hand. (1 Peter 4:7) May that great day not catch us unprepared is my prayer.
Rose
