So to the apostle Paul, praying in the temple at Jerusalem, came the message, “Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.” So those who are called to unite with Christ must leave all in order to follow Him. Old associations must be broken up, plans of life relinquished, earthly hopes surrendered. In toil and tears, in solitude and through sacrifice, must the seed be sown.

Those who consecrate body, soul, and spirit to God, will constantly receive a new endowment of physical, mental, and spiritual power. The inexhaustible supplies of heaven are at their command. Christ gives them the breath of His own Spirit, the life of His own life. The Holy Spirit puts forth His highest energies to work in heart and mind. The grace of God enlarges and multiplies their faculties, and every perfection of the divine nature comes to their assistance in the work of saving souls.

Through co-operation with Christ, they are made complete in Him, and in their human weakness they are enabled to do the deeds of Omnipotence.—Gospel Workers, 112.

Many do not discern and appreciate how great is the influence of each one for good or evil. Every student should understand that the principles which he adopts become a living, molding influence upon character. He who accepts Christ as his personal Saviour, will love Jesus, and all for whom Christ has died; for Christ will be in him a well of water springing up unto everlasting life. He will surrender himself without reservation to the rule of Christ.—Messages to Young People, 29.
With God at Dawn p. 274
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Prayer Requests
—-Jenny she prayer for a up coming court hearing. and two other people with her. M
—-Prayer requests from our Monday night study group : Ann’s niece Kaylyn is pregnant and has a misshaped uterus which could cause her and the baby harm—Ann’s friend Darlina is having surgery today. Pray that it goes well. Annie requests prayer for herself and her girls’ health. —Dr. Tan who is in the hospital with covid. Pray for his family also. —Betty’s brother-in-law needs prayer for a heart condition. Pray for Aaron and his family as his mother has died. —Evonia’s brothers need prayer. Also pray for her as she studies with a girl who came up to her and asked if she would like to study with her. —Sherlyn asks prayer for her granddaughter who just got glasses.
—-Please pray for Eileen’s Bible study. Rose
—-Please pray for a friend of mine who has pancreatic cancer. They did a 13 hour surgery and she is in ICU. They took her back to surgery today because the vessel that connects to her liver was not working and that was a 6 hour surgery. Please pray the Lord would heal her and if He intends to use the doctors, nurses and support staff that He would give them wisdom, knowledge and skill. Please pray that the Lord would take away any fear and pain and give her joy and peace and please pray this for her family and that the Lord would use this to move her husband and son to give their hearts to Christ. Teri
—-Please pray for an elderly man I know that has a severe sinus infection that spread to his chest. He is in the hospital. He has COPD. Please pray for this to subside in the doctors to treat him properly and God’s healing hand to move on his body. Debra
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Dear Friends,

When we first moved to this area, we noticed that our drinking water didn’t taste right when summer came. In the summertime, the algae blooms in the lake from which our water comes causing it to taste like drinking water from an algae infested fish tank. It only lasted a few weeks, but it was miserable to deal with. We tried a water purifying pitcher but it did little good. One summer that taste of blooming algae never went back to normal until autumn. We, like most people in our town, bought bottled water. The water department tried various remedies over the years to keep the bad taste out of the water. They must have been successful because I have not tasted it for years.

The bad tasting water helped us to understand the words of the True Witness, Who says, “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” Rev 3:15,16 Although our water is not lukewarm, it is disgusting. Even as our water back then lost its palatable taste, so our Christian experience can sometimes lose its fervor. When we first accept Christ Jesus as our Saviour, we are on fire for the Lord. As time passes, however, we often settle down to a routine, to a comfortable norm: we become lukewarm and distasteful Christians. We think that we are “rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and [know not that [we are] wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” vs 17

Our Dear Saviour pleads, ” I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.” vs 18 Repentance—what a blessed gift it is! Our Great Redeemer supplies this great gift of repentance to us, because He “is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish.” 2 Peter 3:9 Truly, the goodness of God leads us to repentance! (Rom 2:4)

How much we need that “godly sorrow [that] worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of.” 2 Cor 7:10 How much we need that repentance which brings forth fruits worthy of repentance. (Luke 3:8) True repentance is heartfelt sorrow for sin. True repentance makes a change in our life. The evil which we once loved, we now hate and spiritual things which were once distasteful to us, we now love.

The Great Creator yearns for us to allow Him to recreate us into His image. He pleads, “Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit.” “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.” Eze 18:30,31;36:26,27

May we allow our Great Creator to remove the algae of sin from our life that out of us may flow water pure and clean is my prayer. (John 7:38)

Rose

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/rosesdevotional/~3/Pcrkix9rC5w/consecration-of-paul.html

The rich had bestowed from their abundance, many of them to be seen and honored by men. Their large donations had deprived them of no comfort, or even luxury; they had required no sacrifice, and could not be compared in value with the widow’s mite.

It is the motive that gives character to our acts, stamping them with ignominy or with high moral worth. Not the great things which every eye sees and every tongue praises does God account most precious. The little duties cheerfully done, the little gifts which make no show, and which to human eyes may appear worthless, often stand highest in His sight. A heart of faith and love is dearer to God than the most costly gift. The poor widow gave her living to do the little that she did. She deprived herself of food in order to give those two mites to the cause she loved. And she did it in faith, believing that her Heavenly Father would not overlook her great need. It was this unselfish spirit and childlike faith that won the Saviour’s commendation.—The Desire of Ages, 615.

In order to manifest the character of God, in order that we may not deceive ourselves, the church, and the world, by a counterfeit Christianity, we must become personally acquainted with God. If we have fellowship with God, we are His ministers, though we may never preach to a congregation. We are workers together with God in presenting the perfection of His character in humanity.—Testimonies for the Church 6:13.
With God at Dawn p. 272
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for Dr. Tan who has covid and went to the ER for low O2 levels. Rose
—-Please remember to pray for me and my family, I have not been well for the last one week. I am sick with rashes all over my body and headache. Jose
—-Please pray Carl is very sick, and we don’t know why. He’s been getting weaker for 3 weeks now, and almost fell tonight. Sylvia
—-The other summer I had you all praying for my preemie granddaughter who was born at 26 weeks, and only weighed 2 lbs 1 oz at birth. Thank you everyone for all of those prayers. She is two years old now, and doing good. She can sit, crawl and stand and is trying to walk. She is about 20+ lbs. But she is still tube fed and vomits a lot. Would you all pray for her to be able to eat normally, and not vomit so much? Thank you again for every single prayer for her. My son is a OTR trucker, and needs a job close to home please also. Ann
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Dear Friends,

Several days before we went up to the Black Hills on vacation some years ago, I did a search on the Internet to find a cabin for the seven of us to stay in. We had planned on camping, but the weather forecast was for cold and rainy weather. One of the requisites was a place that allowed dogs since Ronnie Jay was bringing his chihuahua and Brian and Esther were bringing their large spaniel.

After searching and calling a few places, I rented a cabin that slept seven. There was only a small picture of the outside. The woman said that it was “bare-bones” and we should plan on bringing our own linens as well as a camp stove for cooking. This seemed a little strange since it was about thirty dollars a night more than the lovely cabin Ronnie Jay had rented for our vacation to southeast Oklahoma a few months before.

When we got there, my heart sank. Looking at it from the outside, I could not imagine how seven people could fit in the place. Inside was even worse. The inside dimensions were about 15’x15.’ It was dirty and smelled of formaldehyde. Two mattresses were placed on the floor of the loft upstairs. A double bed was on the main floor with a single-sized bunk that pulled down over it for the seventh person. There was a small microwave for cooking. (This we had to use as we forgot to bring the camp stove.) There was virtually no floor space as the steps to the loft loomed large in the middle of the room. I had thought of trying to find another place, but the woman had already told me that if I did, I’d have to pay for one night anyway.

I felt trapped in a situation I could not get out of. I felt sorry for all seven of us as I was sure they were as disappointed as I was. Eileen, Esther, and I headed for the store to buy cleaning supplies and some plastic to cover the mattresses. After some cleaning, the place was sanitary even though it was barely livable.

How often the promises of this world leave us empty and disappointed. How many times we feel helpless because nothing turns out as it should. This old world is full of such disappointments, but praise God! We have promises that will not fail! Jesus assures us that He is preparing a mansion for us that will be beyond our most hopeful dreams. (John 14:1-3) There will be no disappointments there. In that glorious land, our joy will know no bounds. We will not be cramped there. Indeed, we will follow the Lamb wherever He goes in all of His vast Universe. (Rev 14:4) We will have the privilege of fellowshipping with His angels who excel in strength. We will sit down to eat with Adam, the father of our race. Jesus tells us, “And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.” Matt 8:11 Think of it! We will hear from the lips of patriarch and prophet the story of their experience. We will be able to ask them answers to questions that we have always wanted to know. May we all be there, is my prayer.

Rose

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/rosesdevotional/~3/rdKS9BKfZZ8/consecration-of-the-poor-widow.html

Jesus carried the awful weight of responsibility for the salvation of men. He knew that unless there was a decided change in the principles and purposes of the human race, all would be lost. This was the burden of His soul, and none could appreciate the weight that rested upon Him. Through childhood, youth, and manhood, He walked alone. Yet it was heaven to be in His presence. Day by day He met trials and temptations; day by day He was brought into contact with evil, and witnessed its power upon those whom He was seeking to bless and to save. Yet He did not fail nor become discouraged.

In all things He brought His wishes into strict abeyance to His mission. He glorified His life by making everything in it subordinate to the will of His Father. When in His youth, His mother, finding Him in the school of the rabbis, said, “Son, why hast Thou thus dealt with us?” He answered, and His answer is the keynote of His life-work,—“How is it that ye sought Me? wist ye not that I must be about My Father’s business?”—Gospel Workers, 42.

The same devotion, the same consecration, the same subjection to the claims of the Word of God, that were manifest in Christ, must be seen in His servants. He left His home of security and peace, left the glory that He had with the Father before the world was, left His position upon the throne of the universe, and went forth, a suffering tempted man; went forth in solitude, to sow in tears, to water with His blood the seed of life for a lost world.—Gospel Workers, 111.
With God at Dawn p. 269
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for our church as many of our members have covid. Rose
—-Please pray for my mom who has a severe brain aneurysm. G
—-I have pneumonia and I am getting worse not better. Can’t breathe and am alone. Melaura
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Dear Friends,
Occasionally, waves of homesickness sweep over me. I long for my childhood home with my grandparents, During those times I type in my old address and just stare at my home with longing to go inside and see what changes have been made and what is the same. It excites and comforts me somehow.

We each have something far more important and far more exciting than childhood memories found on the Internet. Do we share the good news of salvation with the same enthusiasm as I have when I see the home and neighborhood of my childhood? Does it animate our very being to think of Jesus and His great love for us? Do we joyfully speak of His soon coming?

Our Dear Saviour has given us a work to do before He comes. He bids us, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” Matt 28:19, 20 Think of it! We can hurry or delay His coming by whether we share the Good News with those we meet.

May we get as excited over Jesus’ love as I do over seeing something from my childhood. May we joyfully share Him with all around us. May we take seriously Paul’s admonition to Timothy, “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” 2 Tim 4:1-8

Rose

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/rosesdevotional/~3/X9JX4fHpxB8/consecration-of-jesus.html