After the judgment of the wicked dead had been finished, at the end of the one thousand years, Jesus left the city, and the saints and a train of the angelic host followed Him. Jesus descended upon a great mountain, which as soon as His feet touched it, parted asunder, and became a mighty plain.

Then we looked up and saw the great and beautiful city, with twelve foundations, and twelve gates, three on each side, and an angel at each gate. We cried out, “The city! the great city! it is coming down from God out of heaven!” And it came down in all its splendor and dazzling glory, and settled in the mighty plain which Jesus had prepared for it.—Early Writings, 291.

As the prophet beholds the redeemed dwelling in the city of God, free from sin and from all marks of the curse, in rapture he exclaims: “Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her.”

“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….”

The prophet caught the sound of music there, and song, such music and song as, save in the visions of God, no mortal ear has heard or mind conceived…. “They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the Lord.”—Prophets and Kings, 729, 730.
With God at Dawn p. 356
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for my co-worker’s niece who has covid. Wanangwa
—-Please continue to pray that God will take complete control of E’s and children’s situation for their good and for their future. R
—- I’m in the hospital with the father of my children who is having some complications after his surgery of three days ago. Please pray. Haydee
—-Update: Maya’s friend Keegan had been extubated and is on BIPAP. He was going septic, so thankfully he got to the hospital in time. The plan was to emergency airlift him, but their area was dealing with fog and bad weather, so he had to be transported by ambulance, which took longer. They have switched him to CPAP, which is great improvement. But they don’t knwo if he will make it home for Christmas. But any improvement is always a good sign Jenny and Keegan’s mom Maran both thank everyone for your continued prayers. Jennifer
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ear Friends,

After my mother, Geneva Harmon, was laid off from work in the late 1970’s, her friend Mary Esther invited her to move down to Florida. There was a small house for rent next door to her that would be just right for my mother. Soon my she sold everything that she could not pack into the car and headed the long 1200-mile trip. When she got there, my mother was delighted. Not only was the house ideal, so was the yard. Several orange trees, a palm, and many flowers and plants were arranged attractively around the fenced yard. She was so happy.

When we went down to visit her sometime later, she happily served us fruit from her own orange trees. We were so surprised at the taste of that tree-ripened fruit. It was not a bit of acidic that is the characteristic of what you can get in the store. Only the most delightful sweetness was in this fruit. While we were there, Mary Esther also shared some grapefruit from her trees. Again, the taste was much sweeter and better overall than what we were used to.

So it is in the Christian’s life. The longer we are connected to the Vine, the sweeter should our “fruit” be. Our Dear Saviour tells us, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 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. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” John 15:1-11

Often, during this abiding with the Vine, we must pass through painful processes to sweeten our fruit. Christ’s parable of the fig tree becomes our experience. “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.” Luke 13:6-9 So the trials and troubles of our life are part of His plan to make us a sweet and beautiful part of His vineyard.

Paul encourages us, “My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.” Heb 12:5-14

May we allow the Master Gardener to do His work in us. May we yield ourselves fully and completely to His leading. May the sweet fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance—be found in our life each day.

Rose

Source: https://rosesdevotional.org/he-hath-prepared-for-them-a-city.html

At the cherubim-guarded gate of Paradise the divine glory was revealed. Hither came Adam and his sons to worship God. Here they renewed their vows of obedience to that law the transgression of which had banished them from Eden. When the tide of iniquity overspread the world, and the wickedness of men determined their destruction by a flood of waters, the hand that had planted Eden withdrew it from the earth. But in the final restitution, when there shall be “a new heaven and a new earth,” it is to be restored more gloriously adorned than at the beginning. Then they that have kept God’s commandments shall breathe in immortal vigor beneath the tree of life; and through unending ages the inhabitants of sinless worlds shall behold, in that garden of delight, a sample of the perfect work of God’s creation, untouched by the curse of sin,—a sample of what the whole earth would have become, had man but fulfilled the Creator’s glorious plan.—Patriarchs and Prophets, 62.

There will be music there, and song, such music and song as, save in the visions of God, no mortal ear has heard or mind conceived…. There every power will be developed, every capability increased. The grandest enterprises will be carried forward, the loftiest aspirations will be 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 body and mind and soul. All the treasures of the universe will be open to the study of God’s children.—Education, 307.
With God at Dawn p. 353
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Prayer Requests
—-Please continue to pray for E and children. R
—-Asking for prayer for my daughter Jessica who is dealing with a horrible ex-husband who is not following Jesus and divorced her for coming back to the Adventist church. He has a new live-in girlfriend and is now trying to take their two little boys away from her. She is so stressed out. Please pray for her peace and that Satan’s plans will be thwarted! Shari
—-My daughter Ariana, came down really sick today with a fever and we’re hoping it’s not covid, please pray for her, she’s 19 living with room mates and left the church years ago. David
—-Please pray for Maya’s friend Keegan. He has pneumonia and must be intubated. He’s her age, so around 4. That must be really scary, but Jesus knows our needs before we even ask. Maya’s mom is good friends with Keegan’s mom and is specifically asking for prayers for him. Jennifer
—-Please pray for Marick 14 who has brain damage from an ATV accident. S
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Dear Friends,

After having worked for Gibson’s (a guitar manufacturer based at that time in Kalamazoo) for many years, my mother was laid off from work. This was something that the new owners of the business did to all of the older employees to keep from having to pay more pension to them. First, they studied each worker who had been there for many years and put them on jobs that it was physically impossible for them to do.

They noticed that my mother was not at all muscular. She had worked as an adjuster/inspector for years. It was easy work. When the guitar was finished, she gave it a visual inspection, put the strings on it, tuned it and played it. If it met their specifications, she passed it. If not, she sent it to someone who would repair it. She was very good at what she did, as she had a good ear for music. She liked the job so much that she looked forward to going to work.

That was soon to end. One day, they took her to a large sanding machine and told her that she would be working there from then on. She had to lift wide, heavy boards and place them in the sander, walk around to the other side, flip them over so they could be sanded the other direction. This job was beyond her strength, but she had no choice. She was still too young to retire. Day after day, she worked beyond her strength. She went to the union where she had paid dues for years. They didn’t even try to help. She wondered why she had been paying them. Finally, after months of this treatment, the company said she wasn’t able to do her job and laid her off permanently. This meant that she would not get a good pension when she did retire. It was grossly unfair, but there was nothing that she could do about it.

Since that time, I have heard of other companies using the same tactics against their employees. Well does James exclaim of these modern times, “Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.” James 5:1-5 Paul adds, “the love of money is the root of all evil.” 1 Tim 6:10

How many times, people defraud one another for their own selfish purpose. How vigorously they trample others underfoot in order to reach the “top.” How often they hoard their treasure rather than use it for the blessing of others. The One Who sees all warns, “Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. And he 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.” Luke 12:15-21 Indeed, when they see Jesus coming in the clouds they will someday cry “to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?” Rev 6:16, 17

May we be careful how we treat those around us for our Saviour is interested in their welfare just as much as He is in ours, for He gave His life for them as well as for ourselves. May we “seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness” for that is much more important than any gain of position or wealth this world has to offer. Matt 6:33 May we daily claim the promise, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Phil 4:19

Rose

Source: https://rosesdevotional.org/we-look-for-new-heavens-and-a-new-earth.html

We are informed in Scripture as to the number, and the power and glory, of the heavenly beings, of their connection with the government of God, and also of their relation to the work of redemption…. In the presence-chamber of the King of kings they wait—“angels, that excel in strength,” “ministers of His, that do His pleasure,” “hearkening unto the voice of His word.” Ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands, were the heavenly messengers beheld by the prophet Daniel….

A guardian angel is appointed to every follower of Christ. These heavenly watchers shield the righteous from the power of the wicked one. This Satan himself recognized when he said, “Doth Job fear for naught? Hast not Thou made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side?” … Said the Saviour, speaking of those that believe in Him, “Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of My Father.” The angels appointed to minister to the children of God have at all times access to His presence. Thus God’s people, exposed to the deceptive power and unsleeping malice of the prince of darkness … are assured of the unceasing guardianship of heavenly angels…. If God has granted to His children promise of grace and protection, it is because there are mighty agencies of evil to be met—agencies numerous, determined, and untiring, of whose malignity and power none can safely be ignorant or unheeding.—The Great Controversy, 511-513.
With God at Dawn p. 349
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Prayer Requests
—-Please continue to pray for God’s guidance and protection over E and her children. R
—-I have an unspoken need and would like prayer. Brad
—- Asking for all prayers for Devon, he is in the hospital fighting for life after a hernia ruptured. Shannon
—-Please pray for Kass, only 51 years old! He had a massive heart attack this morning and is on life support. Linda
—-Need prayers for my husband Fred. He is in the hospital very sick. Carol
—-I recently had eye surgery, and my vision is blurry, it’s not getting better but worst, please pray for my vision to be restored, in Jesus Mighty name. Ruben
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Dear Friends

When I was four, my mother and my Auntie Joyce took me to a Thanksgiving Day parade. There were so many people, they couldn’t see over or around them, so they took up the steps of one of the nearby buildings so we could get a better view. Unfortunately, too many other people got the same idea. Soon I found myself being squashed by a multitude of legs. I was terrified! As soon as they realized what was happening, my mother and aunt put me by the building, turned around with their backs to the crowd, and braced their arms against the building. This formed a small space for me to stand and kept me from being trampled to death. I was so scared and I still don’t like to be in a crowd.

How easy it is for us to get as crowded and trampled by our circumstances, as I was by the crowd that long ago day. How often we feel overwhelmed and terrified by all that is going on in this sinful, old planet. We feel like we are suffocating by the cares of this world. Praise God! We have a Deliverer! Our Loving Redeemer turns around, stretches out His arms, and shelters us from all harm. Truly, we can trust in the One Who gave His Life for us. “Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings.” ‘Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them. Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings, From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about.” “The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.” Ps. 61:1-4; 17:7-9; 18:2, 3

We can rest assured that He has only our good in mind no matter how dark and foreboding the path. “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.” Psalm 23

May we give our whole heart to Jesus and allow Him to shelter us, to lead us, to guide us, for He loves us with an everlasting love and draws us to Himself with His lovingkindness. (Jer 31:3) May we rest safely in His love and care each day is my prayer.

Rose

Source: https://rosesdevotional.org/angel-hosts-minister-before-god.html