It was represented to me like children asking a blessing of their earthly parents who love them. They ask something that the parent knows will hurt them; the parent gives them the things that will be good and healthful for them, in the place of that which they desired. I saw that every prayer which is sent up in faith from an honest heart, will be heard of God and answered, and the one that sent up the petition will have the blessing when he needs it most, and it will often exceed his expectations. Not a prayer of a true saint is lost if sent up in faith, from an honest heart.—Testimonies for the Church 1:121.

Watch, pray, work—this is the Christian’s watchword. The life of a true Christian is a life of constant prayer. He knows that the light and strength of one day is not sufficient for the trials and conflicts of the next. Satan is continually changing his temptations. Every day we shall be placed in different circumstances; and in the untried scenes that await us we shall be surrounded by fresh dangers, and constantly assailed by new and unexpected temptations. It is only through the strength and grace gained from heaven that we can hope to meet the temptations and perform the duties before us….

Ask, then; ask, and ye shall receive. Ask for humility, wisdom, courage, increase of faith. To every sincere prayer an answer will come…. The prayers you offer in loneliness, in weariness, in trial, God answers, not always according to your expectations, but always for your good.—Gospel Workers, 257, 258.
With God at Dawn p. 195
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for my neighbors chow he has not been able to walk on his leg for several days. his back leg is hurting him he needs surgery and she keeps claiming the promises by His stripes we are healed she is in her 70’s and never had any children lives alone never been married . she is in poor health her self crying her heart out can barely get around. her name is Linda pray for her she was crying so hard
needs healing for her knees she was thank you. M
—-PLEASE PRAY FOR MY THIRD SON. He just found out last night that while he went to work everyday that his wife was having [intimate relations] with his older brother. Now my son is SUICIDAL AND I THINK HE IS HAVING A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN. My youngest son is driving over 200 miles to his house right now to try and help him. And my third son has been working hard trying to support this older brother and his four kids and he was letting them live in his house because they had no where else to go. Connie
—-At 2 weeks old, baby Imogen Rea was diagnosed with an aggressive brain cancer, congenital Glioblastoma Multiforme Grade 4. Her parents Brad and Christie are asking everyone to pray for Imogen that she survives and lives a long and healthy life. Judy
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Dear Friends,

Some years ago, Ronnie Jay and Eileen went camping in Oklahoma along with the church’s Pathfinder group. Ronnie Jay was one of the counselors at the time and asked his big sister to go along.

As always seems to happen during one of these outings, the first night and next morning they had heavy rains. Sunday there was a planned canoe and rafting trip down the river. Unfortunately, it was now way above flood stage after the previous two days of rain. The bulging river flowed swiftly, but the leader felt that they would be able to go anyway.

Ronnie Jay went on the raft, but Eileen wanted to canoe. The other person in the canoe had never been in one before. Eileen sat in the back in order to be able to steer, and off they went. Since the other person was inexperienced, she was not paddling correctly. Eileen had to compensate for every paddle stroke. It was difficult due to the swollen river, but she was able.

When they returned home that evening, Eileen remarked that she was glad that years before when her father taught her how to canoe, he had paddled in such a way that she had to fight to keep the canoe going in the right direction. It seemed to her that he was really working against her: he was. He wanted her to learn to steer under the most difficult of circumstances. It was very frustrating to her as she thought that he was teasing. However, through that experience, she learned to overcome his odd paddling and steer a canoe correctly. That had been his purpose. She now knew that even though he had appeared to be working against her, he was really helping her to become the type of canoeist that he wanted her to be.

Many times it seems like everything is going wrong in our life. We become confused and frustrated and feel forsaken. We fight against our circumstances, not realizing that God is helping us to become the kind of persons that He longs for us to be. He is using these very unpleasant circumstances to help us to become stronger Christians, to help us stay on His pathway, to help us to rely upon His strength. “Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee. Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.” Deut. 8:5,6

Paul tells us, “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.” Heb 12:5-11

Yet, even in the troubles our Heavenly Father allows to come upon us, He mingles His great mercy. He loves us with an everlasting love and draws us ever closer to Himself. (Jer 31:3) “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy….He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.” Ps 103:8-14

May we remember that the trials that come our way are given in mercy to strengthen us and help us to overcome the sins that so easily beset us. May we, in times of adversity as well as in the good times, “come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Heb 4:16

Rose

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/rosesdevotional/~3/MZS0P40POZA/ask-that-your-joy-may-be-full.html

We all desire immediate and direct answers to our prayers, and are tempted to become discouraged when the answer is delayed or comes in an unlooked-for form. But God is too wise and good to answer our prayers always at just the time and in just the manner we desire. He will do more and better for us than to accomplish all our wishes. And because we can trust His wisdom and love, we should not ask Him to concede to our will, but should seek to enter into and accomplish His purpose. Our desires and interests should be lost in His will. These experiences that test faith are for our benefit. By them it is made manifest whether our faith is true and sincere, resting on the Word of God alone, or whether depending on circumstances, it is uncertain and changeable. Faith is strengthened by exercise. We must let patience have its perfect work, remembering that there are precious promises in the Scriptures for those who wait upon the Lord.—The Ministry of Healing, 230.

God is too wise to err, and too good to withhold any good thing from His saints that walk uprightly. Man is erring, and although his petitions are sent up from an honest heart, he does not always ask for the things that are good for himself, or that will glorify God. When this is so, our wise and good Father hears our prayers, and will answer, sometimes immediately; but He gives us the things that are for our best good and His own glory. God gives us blessings; if we could look into His plan, we would clearly see that He knows what is best for us, and that our prayers are answered.—Testimonies for the Church 1:120.
With God at Dawn p. 192
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Prayer Requests
—-Pray for my friend Buddy he is back in the hospital with sepsis SP. blood infection . he has been in a wheel chair since he was 15 and now in his middle fifties. loves the Lord always giving out tracts. and asking people if they know the Lord.. he said what ever the Lord wants it is OK with him. either way he will spend eternity with Jesus who he loves best of all. thanks M.
—-Please continue to pray for David. He’s been doing better, but he seems to be slipping backwards. Buck
—-Please pray for God’s protections to surround my cousin and his ranch. They are in the path of an out-of-control wildfire, and on level 1 evacuation notice. Jeanie
—-Please pray for pain I have been having in my throat, the cause is unknown at this point. Evelyn
—-lease join me in prayer for my tiny, three month old cousin, Brandon. He is having emergency surgery for an abdominal blockage. It is complicated due to respiratory issues. Vickie
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Dear Friends,

From the time he was eight, until about the time he went off to college, Ronnie Jay had either gerbils or hamsters as pets. He took good care of them and they seemed to be happy. One female hamster, however, he could never quite tame. She was always a wild thing. Ronnie Jay avoided holding her. She had sharp teeth and knew how to use them.

One day, she managed to escape. After several days of searching, we gave up ever finding her. Then one night, I heard her chewing up my bed. The next day, I caught her and put her back in her cage. Although she had found the food I had put on the floor for her and made a nice stash for future use, the poor thing was so very thirsty. She drank and drank and drank.

From then on, that hamster let me hold her. I could pick her up without her baring her teeth at me. I could cuddle her to my chest and she wouldn’t even try to run away. It was as if she was grateful that I had caught her. It seemed that she thought of me as the friend who rescued her from dying of thirst.

We, too, have a Rescuer Who has rescued us from dying of spiritual thirst. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” John 3:16, 17 Are we as grateful to Him as that hamster was to me? Do we love Him with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength? Does He have first place in our heart?

Think of it! “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.” Heb 5:8, 9 “We love him, because he first loved us.” 1 John 4:19 And if we love Him, we will love to read His Word, pray to Him, and desire to please Him in all things. “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.” 3:18-22

May we heed the words of Christ, “If ye love me, keep my commandments. . . . He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. . . . If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.” John 14:15-24 May we lift up our voice in praise to our Rescuer as did David when he sang, “Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.” Psalm 100

Rose

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/rosesdevotional/~3/eztERk8rtaI/if-i-call-god-will-answer.html

The tempest is coming, and we must get ready for its fury by having repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord will arise to shake terribly the earth. We shall see troubles on all sides. Thousands of ships will be hurled into the depths of the sea. Navies will go down, and human lives will be sacrificed by millions. Fires will break out unexpectedly, and no human effort will be able to quench them. The palaces of earth will be swept away in the fury of the flames.

Disasters by rail will become more and more frequent; confusion, collision, and death without a moment’s warning will occur on the great lines of travel. The end is near, probation is closing. Oh, let us seek God while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near!—Messages to Young People, 89.

God forbid, that I should cease to warn you. Young friends, seek the Lord with all your heart. Come with zeal, and when you sincerely feel that without the help of God you perish, when you pant after Him as the hart panteth after the water-brooks, then will the Lord strengthen you speedily. Then will your peace pass all understanding. If you expect salvation, you must pray. Take time. Be not hurried and careless in your prayers. Beg of God to work in you a thorough reformation, that the fruits of His Spirit may dwell in you, and you shine as lights in the world. Be not a hindrance or curse to the cause of God; you can be a help, a blessing. Does Satan tell you that you cannot enjoy salvation, full and free? Believe him not.—Testimonies for the Church 1:159.
With God at Dawn p. 190
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Prayer Requests
—-I have three prayer requests. The first is please keep Debbie in Prayer . . . .her breast cancer came back with a revenge, she is a young mother with two small children. she aod her husband are good people..
now the second request is for Robyn she is in so much pain she had to miss work. she just started that job a month or two she is a hard worker but her back is really bad her mother said she is bent over so bad the doctor. gave her some thing to ease the pain some . she needs this job.
the 3rd request is for Donna she has been fighting covid and an infection in her lungs. pray that she get a love relation with the Lord. and pray for her healing. thanks M.
—-Pray for Terry to have better health and for Dave to stay strong and supportive. Nancy
—-Please continue to pray for Peach and her baby. She had an ultrasound at her delivering hospital and they confirmed that the baby is missing the corpus callosum. Baby also has fluid on the brain. Some fluid is normal, but one side of the brain has extremely more fluid than the other. She has so much anxiety right now, but I and many of her other friends keep telling her we have a God that is still in the miracle-working business. Pray that she has peace about this situation and healing for her and the baby. Jennifer
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Dear Friends,

I was thinking about a little toy that Ronnie Jay had as a child and asked him if he still had it. He does. It was a globug that had given him so much pleasure when he was a little boy. Sure enough! That little globug still glows. It is amazing that it has kept its phosphorescence all those years.

Just as that toy globug is still glowing, so we are to do the same. Whatever our circumstances, we have the privilege of shining for Jesus. “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

The Great Light of the World desires us to reflect His Light to those around us who are in darkness. Isaiah prophesied, “For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.” Isa 60:2 Solomon observed, “the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.” Prov 4:18, 19

That old song by Mary Bernstecher reminds us of our duty.
Send out a light as you go your way, A beacon of hope when shadows are gray; Send out a light that for Jesus will shine, Proving to others God’s mercy divine.
Send out a light, a radiant light, That will pierce thro’ the gloom Of someone’s dark night, Send out a light, a bright beaming light, Send out a light for Jesus.
Send out a light when your burdens press, And show to the world that Jesus will bless; Thro’ darkest sorrows and bitterest pain, Send out a light—it will not shine in vain.
Send out a light, a radiant light, That will pierce thro’ the gloom Of someone’s dark night, Send out a light, a bright beaming light, Send out a light for Jesus.
Send out a light unto those who stray, All heedless along destruction’s highway; Point them to pathways of purer delight, And let your life daily send out a light.
Send out a light, a radiant light, That will pierce thro’ the gloom Of someone’s dark night, Send out a light, a bright beaming light, Send out a light for Jesus.

May we put into practice Paul’s words, “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life.” “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light.” Phil 2:15, 16; Eph 5:8 May we always shine for Jesus is my prayer.

Rose

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/rosesdevotional/~3/fOnAFKy57TM/god-will-protect.html