Follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 2 Timothy 2:22.
Let all be educated to search the Scriptures, to be constantly looking unto Jesus, and not to human agents, to be their guide. The Word of God is to be the man of our counsel. That Word is infinite. Obeyed, it will guide us into safe and sure paths. But the Word diluted with human devices and imaginings is not a safe guide….
Take the Word of God individually. We may meet Satan with the weapon, “It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve” (Matthew 4:10). The Bible is the great mine of truth, which we are to work as those seeking for hidden treasure. In no case is the attention to be diverted from that Word….
In this time above all others, every soul needs to have the eyes anointed with eyesalve, that he may see. God gives no one a mission that will cheapen and lower His work for these last days. He calls upon us to bring it up, to elevate, ennoble, honor, and advance His truth, revealing His wisdom as supreme. Talk Bible truth, and bring from the treasure house things new and old. Talk the principles of our faith firmly and constantly, giving a Thus saith the Scriptures.
Living the truth, practicing the lessons of Christ, always refines, ennobles, and sanctifies the soul. My burden is to uplift men and women by uplifting Jesus before them. When God is recognized as the theme of all thoughts, as the object of love, reverence, and worship; when the Lord Jesus, the Pattern, is kept before the mind, the heart is being cleansed from all moral defilement. Then the soul becomes an accurate judge of propriety of action; every attitude is touched with grace.
The sense of personal accountability to a personal, all-seeing God places every human agent on elevated ground; and there will be deep thinking and genuine self-denial on every point, because God is working on the hearts of the children of His love, who are His heritage.
The love of God ever tends to the fear of God—fear to offend Him. Those who are truly converted will not venture heedlessly upon the borders of any evil, lest they grieve the Spirit of God and are left to their own way, to be filled with their own doings. The Word of God is the Guidebook; turn not from its pages to depend upon the human agent. That Book contains the warnings, the admonitions, from God, the rebuke of every evil, the clear definition of sin as the transgression of the law which is God’s great standard of virtue and holiness…. Not one who will study the Word of God and apply its teachings will miss the way.—Letter 4, December 23, 1893, to “Dear Brethren and Sisters.”
The Upward Look p. 370
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Prayer Requests
—-My family is under attack. Please pray for the enemy to be unsuccessful and for God’s protection and guidance to be upon us. Jenny
—-Asking prayers for my mother. She got suddenly mild stroke. Sky
—-Please pray for David and his family. Pray that God will change his wrong thinking to right thinking. Buck
—-My 14 years old is in need of your prayers. Pauline
—-Pray for my niece Raquel who has breast cancer. Barbara
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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 defense; 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

For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. Psalm 84:11.
We have a wise, loving heavenly Father, who hears the prayers of His children. But He does not always give them what they desire. He withholds that which He sees would not be for their good. But He bestows on them all that they need. He gives them that which is necessary for growth in grace. When we pray, we should say, “Lord, if what I ask for is for my good, give it to me; but if it is not, withhold it, but give me Thy blessings.” The Lord hears our petitions; He understands our situation, and He will supply the very thing we need. He will strengthen our faith and increase our spirituality. The Lord is good and merciful, perfect in understanding and infinite in wisdom.
There are those who pray for temporal blessings which they think will bring them worldly prosperity. God sees that such blessings would spoil their spiritual life. He gives them an understanding mind, showing them that it is not best for them to have riches, and that they must be satisfied with His grace and peace and love.
God, who knows the end from the beginning, jealously guards the welfare of His children. In answering their prayers, He will give them that which will be continually fitting them to be partakers of the divine nature, and to overcome the corruption that is in the world through lust. We must submit our will to God’s will. We must have confidence in His love, His wisdom, His faithfulness, His keeping power.
The Lord has instructed me that the time has come when there should be unity in the ranks of His people. If there are those who have not faith in the messages that have come to us from God by His Word and by the testimonies of His Spirit, they need to know for themselves what is the faith once delivered unto the saints. The representations made show that there are some who have lost their bearing….
Christ’s ministry is to be the ministry of His followers. To branch off into spiritualistic ideas is to depart from the faith, giving heed to doctrines of deception.
The messages that God has given through His servant John are now to be proclaimed as of special importance. This is our work—to revive the sacred truths that called us out from the world and made us what we are. We are not to yield up one feature of the faith, but are to hold our confidence firm unto the end. We are to give no place to doctrines that are not in harmony with the truth for this time.—Letter 270, December 21, 1903, to Edson White.
The Upward Look p. 369
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Prayer Requests
—-Praise—Esther had her baby on the 17th! Labor and delivery went well. Praise the Lord! Rose
—-My niece has Covid 19 and she is NOT getting better in spite of all the medicines she has been given by her Doctor. She is only 32 and she really needs prayer to get better. She is a sweet Christian young lady and we don’t want to lose her. Her name is Jennica. Also my sister was getting better from having Covid but now she said her symptoms are coming back so it seems that she is having a relapse. Please also pray for her I don’t want to lose my sister… Connie
—-Please pray for my friend Darlene. Darlene fell broke right side of hip. Two years ago she broke left side. Arlene
—-Please pray for Paulette who has been ill with cancer now fighting Covid placing her now in ICU for breathing difficulties and going to put her on ventilator! She is very distressed! Ann
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Dear Friends,
Ron used to read airplane magazines and sometimes would share with me stories that he thought would interest me. One day he was telling about an article he had read. It was written by a certain man about his experience as a co-pilot for a large jet airplane. This man flew with a very particular pilot, who was a stickler for flying “by the numbers.” The pilot insisted that they fly exactly as the manual said they should. The co-pilot was not as exact and just could not understand why a slight deviation in their instruments readings wasn’t good enough. No matter how many times the pilot explained the necessity of being exact, the younger man felt that he was just too ridged, too exacting.
One day, a terrible blizzard hit Europe. This was no ordinary blizzard. It was so bad that one could not see even inches from their face. It shut down everything—even airports. The pilot and co-pilot had nowhere to land. Their fuel was getting low after their transatlantic flight. It was critical that they find an airport as soon as possible. They contacted one airport after another, but no one would allow them to land. The co-pilot was getting worried.
Finally, the pilot flew toward Paris. When he was within range, he again contacted the control tower. The man in the tower told him that their was no way that he could land as visibility was zero all the way to the ground. The pilot explained that either they landed there or they were going to crash. He was given permission. The man in the control tower assured him that he would shine all lights as brightly as they could shine in hopes that they could see something besides the curtain of white that had descended over the Continent.
The pilot barked his orders to the co-pilot. Every instrument reading must be exact. The rate and angle of descent must be perfect. Anything less would mean instant death and destruction. Although they could see nothing, they began descending. The co-pilot’s increasing fear threatened to engulf him, but as he looked at the pilot, he saw peace written on his face. That pilot was doing as he always did—flying “by the numbers.”
The landing was so perfect, that only the instruments told them that they were on the ground. As they rolled to a stop, they assured the man in the control tower that they had arrived safely. The man in the control tower could not see the plane, but sent out someone in a jeep to see if they could find the plane and direct it to the terminal. The blizzard was so bad that the person in the jeep could not see the plane even though it had all its lights on. Suddenly, the jeep crashed into something. It was one of the tires of the plane!
From that moment, the co-pilot understood why he should always fly “by the numbers.” The settings in the manual were there for a reason. They were there for his protection and well-being. From then on, he determined to fly as his pilot did obeying all settings exactly. He finally understood that his life could someday again depend upon it.
Just so, our Heavenly Pilot has given us a manual for our journey. It is full of the information that we need to stay on the right path to His Heavenly Kingdom. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” “Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.” Indeed, the entire Universe is governed by the Word of God. “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations. Angels, that excel in strength, do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.” Ps 119:105, 160, 89, 90; 103:20
Our Heavenly Pilot greatly desires that we “fly by the numbers” that He has set forth in His Manual, the Bible. These Ten Commandments are written for our good, for our safety. They encompass all situations, whether our life is going smoothly, or whether we are experiencing the severest “blizzard.” The Great King of the Universe took the time to personally speak His laws. He said, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it. Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.” Ex 20:3-17
Let us study the Great Manual that our Heavenly Pilot has given us. Let us stick strictly to its precepts so that in time of storm, we may have a safe “landing.” Let us pray as did the psalmist, “My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word. Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes. Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments. Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live.” Ps 119:81, 68, 66, 116
Rose

I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Acts 26:9.
Many place themselves where it is difficult to maintain integrity and preserve purity. God gives to them the warning to flee out of Sodom. But they cling to their own ideas and think that they know best, and the work that they could do out of the cities, they do, for the sake of convenience, in the cities. They gather round them workers who ought to be out of the cities. Some of these workers may be unbelievers, but they might be converted if the religious interests were made first.
The Lord calls for those in positions of trust in His cause to make centers for their work out of the cities, that they may call round them believers and unbelievers, and then make every provision to give them religious advantages.
Christians will be tested and tried. But if they are sincerely trying to serve God, strength will be given them for every conflict. They are not to listen to the false reports that come to their ears, but are to go straight forward in the path of duty. They are to learn to think for themselves, and their actions are ever to be in accordance with the Word of God.
Do not go out of your way to call your enemy to account. His words of censure and malice are like sparks which, if not blown upon and fed, will go out of themselves. Live down the evil reports of those whose tongues are set on fire of hell. If you stop of dispute, you will but open the way for further abuse.
Often difficulties may be healed by silence. Let the evil talker alone. Go about your work as one who has a sacred trust to fulfill. When you are criticized, move on as one who hears not. Your heart may be wounded; nevertheless, do not allow yourself to be turned aside from your work. Give your time and attention to matters of eternal interest.
Christ is your example. He came to this world and in humanity lived the life that He desires you to live. Look to Him. Study His plans and purposes and methods. His life is our lesson book. A divine-human Saviour, He stands before us with the invitation “Come unto me, … and I will give you rest…. My yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).
Christ’s life is a perfect revelation of God’s character. What then is our duty? Paul tells us. Christ revealed Himself to Paul as he was persecuting the saints, and he declared, “I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision” (Acts 26:19).—Manuscript 159, December 15, 1902, “Fragments.”
The Upward Look p. 363
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Prayer Requests
—-Please once again my co-worker who is back in Florida once again due to her daughter is having another surgery due to setback of her previous October surgery! Plus, continue to pray for my father as his Parkinson’s is getting worse making his speech very slurred! Tony
—-Please continue to pray for Esther. Rose
—-Please pray for my daughter in law Jody she has covid. Ana
—-Please pray for my wife tiffany to be born again and our marriage to be restored. Norm
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Dear Friends,
While Eileen and Esther Marie were still living at home, Esther decided that she wanted to make a pie. Since we did not have all of the ingredients she needed, it necessitated a trip to the grocery store. As we were walking from our car to the store to buy the needed items, I suddenly felt something hit my leg as I was being shoved along the pavement. Shocked, I looked down at my leg and saw the bumper of a white van pushing me along. The woman driving the van was not paying any attention and had rolled into me as she was checking to see if it was safe to turn from her lane.
I let out a shout to alert her to stop and see that she had hit me. She did stop, but instead of being sorry for what she had done, the woman was annoyed. Although the accident was due to her neglect, she was angry at me just as if it were my fault. I was nothing more to her than an interruption to what she was doing. She didn’t care whether she had hurt me or not, she only wanted to be about her business.
How often we are like that woman driver. How many times we injure others through our thoughtlessness, our carelessness, or by unkind words. We go along in our own selfish, little world, heedless of the pain we cause those around us. Our Dear Saviour, Who was so interested in our welfare that He gave His life for us, desires us to be interested in the welfare of others. Yet, we, like the woman in the van, are totally immersed in our own wants and desires forgetting the golden rule, forgetting that “by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” Matt 7:10; 12:37
Even if we are careful not cause direct injury to others, we often are as heedless of their needs as was the man in one of the parables Jesus told. “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?” Luke 12:16-20 The man’s self-centeredness was his undoing: it can be ours as well.
Paul urges us, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.” Phil 2:3, 4 He, Who said, “I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me,” longs for us to have that same close relationship with Him. John 5:30
If we do maintain a living connection with our Redeemer that He yearns for us to have, we will naturally reflect His love and light to all we meet. We will be as kind and loving as was He. We will be concerned about them and want them to share in His blessings. He tells us, “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 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 5:13-16
May we reflect our Saviour’s love and kindness to all we meet. May we “keep [ourselves] in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” Jude 21 May we draw others to our Glorious Redeemer through the same lovingkindness wherewith He draws us is my prayer. (Jer 31:3)
Rose

Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward. Deuteronomy 2:3.
“Go forward” was the word of the Lord to Israel as they stood with the Red Sea before them and Pharaoh’s host pressing hard after them. They obeyed, and as Moses smote the waters with his rod, lo, they parted and stood up on one side as a wall, making a path over which the people passed in safety. With faith and trust let us go forward in the word that the Lord has given us, assured that He will be with us as our Helper and Protector.
Go forward, not in self-sufficiency and self-exaltation, yet filled with faith and hope and courage. Angels of God are guarding His faithful ones. If they keep the way of the Lord, they will receive all needed help. Much of the Lord’s work has, in the beginning, been small, despised by those who desire to see it carried forward from the first with strength and importance. But the Lord must test His workers, many of whom are not able to bear success, who should it come to them, would exalt self.
Let God be praised and magnified. Let men walk in humility before Him, glorifying Him, not themselves. Those who work most successfully for God are those who are much in prayer, who place their entire dependence on Him.
In many cases the dearth of means felt is in accordance with God’s plan, that His work may be carried forward in the same way that the Majesty of heaven carried it forward. Economy, self-denial, and self-sacrifice are ever to be revealed. Until the end of time the church will have to strive with difficulties, that God’s work may stand out pure and clean, untainted with fraud or intrigue. Every institution God will cleanse by driving out the buyers and sellers.
Believe in God, and walk in His counsel. You may be permitted to struggle with difficulties, and then the Lord reveals His power and wisdom in answer to humble prayer. Have confidence in Him as a prayer-hearing, prayer-answering God…. He will reveal Himself to you as a God who can help in every emergency….
The ministry of the Word does not rest merely upon those who preach the Word, but upon all who read and hear the Word. The hearts of God’s people are to be so filled with the love of Christ that their words of thanksgiving and praise will warm other hearts in need of help. This is service that all can perform, and the Lord accepts it as offered to Himself. He makes it efficacious, by imparting to the earnest worker the grace that reconciles man to God.—Manuscript 158, December 14, 1902, “Fragments.”
The Upward Look p. 362
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for Esther who is 39 weeks pregnant as of tomorrow. She fell and broke her shoulder on Friday. This will make labor and delivery and caring for a newborn difficult. Rose
—-Please pray for my brothers, Alex and John, who have cancer. Now John also has covid. Pray also for his wife who is struggling with this. L
—-Please pray for Carl who is still recovering from surgery. B
—-Please pray for travelling mercies for Josh and Sarah. BD
—-Pray that God will heal David’s mind. Buck
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Dear Friends,
When I was a little girl, my mother and sometimes my aunt would take me to the carnival whenever it would come to town. The fair grounds were at that time only about a mile from my grandparents’ house, so it was not far to walk. Wide-eyed, I would gaze at rough looking men hawking their wares, look with amazement at the scary rides, beg to go on the little children’s rides that were more to my liking, spend way too much of my mother’s money “fishing” for some worthless prize, watching my mother shoot a rife and getting to choose a nice prize, standing aghast at a man swallow a sword, and other wonders that captivated my attention.
As we were walking along one time, my mother saw the House of Mirrors. Curious, she paid the entrance fee. When we got inside, there was a big room where there were mirrors of all types. When we stood in front of one, we looked very tall and skinny. Another one made us look very short and fat. Still another made us look misshapen. We laughed together as we looked at one another. Then we entered another part of the place which was a corridor of mirrors that wound round and round. Soon we were lost in that maze of mirrors. It was impossible to find our way out by sight. The mirrors were set up in such a way that we could see many reflections of ourselves, but not the way out. I felt panic-stricken! Before long, my mother began to panic too. Sensing her fear, frightened me even more. Finally, she stopped and thought. Then she began feeling her way along the maze. That worked! Once on the outside, we determined never to enter a maze of mirrors again.
How often our life is like that maze of mirrors. Without our Great Redeemer’s guidance, we become lost in the tangle of trials and troubles of our own making. Without His special leading, we can get ourselves into circumstances where there seems to be no way out. The more we try to extricate ourselves from the situation, the deeper we go into the “maze of mirrors” we are in.
There is only one way of escape. If we ask Him, Jesus will help us disentangle ourselves from the mess we have gotten ourselves into. All we need to do is ask Him. Our Dear Saviour promises, “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.” Psa 32:8 Praise God! He is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life!” John 14:6 No matter what our circumstance, no matter how deeply we are ensnared in our own “house of mirrors,” if we cry unto the Lord in our trouble, He will save us out of all of our distresses, deliver us from self-destructive path we are traveling, teach us His way, and make a plain path for our feet.
While the door of mercy is still open, may we allow our Loving Saviour to take complete control and guide us through this maze of life. May we declare as did David, “Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.” Ps 73:24 May we continually “follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth” is my prayer. Rev 14:4
Rose

I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34:4.
Do not talk of the faults of others. Take care of your own garden. See that your own heart is cleansed by the power of God. When trouble comes, instead of getting out of patience, instead of fretting and worrying, go to the Lord, and tell Him all about it…. Do not go to human friends, for they have all the burdens they can bear….
Do not think that by placing your burdens on others, you can find relief. Come right to the Burden-bearer, and tell Him about them. Believe that He is able and willing to meet the circumstances of your case. When in contrition you come to the foot of the cross, when you have faith in the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour, you will receive power through Him. As you cast your helpless soul upon Him, He gives you peace and joy and strength and courage. Then you are able to tell someone else how precious Christ is to you. You can say, “I sought Him, and found Him precious to my soul.”
“Ye shall find rest.” How? By living experience—because Christ’s yoke is a yoke of patience and gentleness and long-suffering. Those who learn His meekness and lowliness learn also how to love one another as He has loved them. They reach the place where they refuse to criticize and condemn others. They learn that there is committed to them a work that no one else can do for them—the work of learning of Christ. When we place ourselves in His hands, He shows us the possibilities and probabilities before us, and bids us go for help to One infinitely higher than erring human beings.
Christ is our efficiency. How do I know this? I know it by experience. For a while, many many years ago, I was in despair. Then I cast myself on the mercy and love of the Saviour, and His power came upon me. At one time those who were working [in the publishing office] thought me dead. But all at once I raised my voice in prayer. The power of God was upon me all night long, and henceforth I understood that I must trust in Christ. I had been praying and praying for help, and all the time my Saviour was standing close by my side, waiting for me to recognize Him as my sufficiency, my strength, my grace. I learned the lesson, and after that, when I kneeled down to pray, I believed that I would receive an answer, whether I felt as if I would or not….
Oh, how I wish that we would honor Christ by realizing what He wants to do for us, and taking Him at His word. If we would do this, we should be sunshiny Christians. By beholding Christ, we would be changed into His likeness.—Manuscript 118, December 11, 1904, “Union With Christ.”
The Upward Look p. 359
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Prayer Requests
—-Phillip is having open heart surgery Monday to replace a valve that is a birth defect. They have been watching it and just recently it became an emergency situation. He is healthy other than that so not excepting any problems. Just the recovery we are not looking forward too. Lisa
—-Please continue to pray for Esther. Rose
—-Please pray that God will heal David spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. Buck
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Dear Friends,
Ronnie Jay and I used to enjoy collecting rocks when we lived in an area that had interesting rocks. Whenever we went on a hike, we would fill our pockets with them. We also have enjoyed in the past going to rock shops and perusing shelves and shelves of all sorts of rocks and minerals.
One of the rocks that we have kept on display over the years, is a thunder egg. On the outside there is nothing attractive about the round, knobby ball of rock, but if cut in half, there is a pretty agate on the inside.
Some even are filled with opal or quartz crystals. Some people think that these thunder eggs are formed when mineral deposits fill in gas bubbles in lava. When we went to a rock shop a few years ago, they had geodes for sale. We picked one and they split it for us. Inside was black and sparkly.
Some months ago, I used it as an illustration for children’s story. I told them that people often are like geodes or thunder eggs. There is nothing on the outside that is attractive. We look at their actions, judge their motives, listen to their words, and consider them worthless, not worthy of our time. How many times we turn valuable gems away, because of our attitude. We do not see what is in their heart. We do not understand the trials and heartaches that they have endured. How often they are the very ones who feel their need of something better. It is only by taking time to look beneath the surface, that we find the valuable person inside, a precious soul, looking wistfully toward Heaven, longing to be delivered from the chains that bind them.
Our Great Redeemer reminds us, “the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.” 1 Sam 16:7 When He was upon this earth, our Loving Saviour attracted publicans and sinners to Himself. He did not to join them in their lifestyle; instead, He “drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love” and lead them to His Father in Heaven, Who “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.” Hosea 11:4, John 3:16,17 They were as unattractive on the surface as a geode, but He saw the value in each one of them. He saw what they could become if they followed Him. Many of those publicans and sinners left their old lifestyle and followed Him. They did not stay in their sins, but came to Him for cleansing.
May we see others as our Great Creator sees them, looking past the rough exterior and seeing the tender heart beneath. May we, through the guidance from the Holy Spirit, help those we meet to accept our Dear Saviour’s great gift of salvation. May we be willing to consecrate all of our actions, all of our words, all of our thoughts, all of our attitudes this day unto the LORD.
Rose