Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. Matthew 25:41.
It is possible for men to offer the Saviour outward homage, to be Christians in profession, to have a form of godliness, while the heart, whose loyalty He prizes above all else, is estranged from Him. Such ones have a name to live, but they are dead….
To the marriage supper of the Lamb will come many who have not on the wedding garment—the robe [Christ] purchased for them with His lifeblood. From lips that never make a mistake come the words, “Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment?” (Matthew 22:12). Those [thus] addressed are speechless. They know that words would be useless. The truth, with its sanctifying power, has not been brought into the soul, and the tongue that once spoke so readily of the truth is now silent. The words are then spoken, “Take them out of My presence. They are not worthy to taste of My supper” (cf. Luke 14:24).
As they are separated from the loyal ones, Christ looks upon them with deep sorrow. They occupied high positions of trust in God’s work, but they have not the life insurance policy that would have entitled them to eternal life. From the quivering lips of Christ come the mournful words of regret, “I loved them; I gave My life for them; but they persisted in rejecting My pleadings, and continued in sin. O that thou hadst known, even thou, in this thy day, the things which belong to thy peace! But now they are hid from thine eyes.”
Today Christ is looking with sadness upon those whose characters He must at last refuse to acknowledge. Inflated with self-sufficiency, they hope that it will be well with their souls. But at the last great day, the mirror of detection reveals to them the evil that their hearts have practiced, and shows them at the same time the impossibility of reform. Every effort was made to bring them to repentance. But they refused to humble their hearts. Now the bitter lamentation is heard, “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and my soul is not saved” (cf. Jeremiah 8:20)….
What a scene is this! I pass over the ground again and again, bowed down in an agony that no tongue can express, as I see the end of the many, many who have refused to receive their Saviour. Justice will take the throne, and the arm strong to save will show itself strong to smite and destroy the enemies of the kingdom of God. Christ will lay bare the motives and deeds of everyone. Every hidden action will stand out as clearly before the doer as if proclaimed before the universe.—Manuscript 121, October 14, 1903, “A Solemn Warning.”
The Upward Look p. 301
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for Sheryl who broke her arm recently. It is not healing properly, so the doctors are going to put a pin in this Friday. Eileen
—-I know that some of you have prayed for me and I am so grateful. I am on strong antibiotics but my sepsis numbers are still going up. Needless to say I am scared. This is not how I want to die. Nothing that they are doing in the hospital is helping this infection so I have decided to go home and do natural remedies. And I read that sunlight is one of the best remedies for this. I also have MMS……and several other really good natural remedies. Please pray urgently for me. Connie
—-Please pray for D and J as they travel today. LS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Friends,
This morning, I received an email asking if I still had the “Fifteen Steps to a Happy Marriage” that I had written some years ago. So I thought I’d share it with all of you this morning.
Fifteen Easy Steps to a Happy Marriage
1. Make Jesus the center of your life. Have morning and evening worship together each day as well as having your own private devotions. As you grow closer to Christ, you will draw closer to each other.
2. Communicate. Spend at least thirty minutes each day in meaningful conversation. Speak of your joys, sorrows, hopes for the future, and the happenings of the day while you were apart.
3. Problems will arise. When they do, pray together before you start to discuss the problem. Study to see what the Bible says in regard to the subject. Discuss the problem and find the solution together. (If you feel yourself getting angry, stop the discussion immediately, pray, and resume the discussion later.)
4. Tell each other “I love you” every day. You might think that your marriage partner knows you love him/her, but he/she might be feeling very unloved and taken for granted. (This is a good rule to remember when you are blessed with children. Even teens need to know that you love them, even though they may not admit it.)
5. Never make unkind remarks. When you say an unkind word to your mate, it hurts him/her badly and the hurt doesn’t go away easily. Even if he/she forgives you, the hurt is still there.
6. Never hit each other. Violence is not God’s way and will cause untold misery for both of you.
7. Be very tender in your intimate relations. Remember that there are holy angels watching even in your bedroom. If one of you is uncomfortable with something intimate, it would be better to avoid it than to push your desires onto the other one. There are many years ahead to spend with each other.
8. Do the finances together. By doing this, you both know what is available and can discuss purchases together. Make a budget and stick to it. As you use this budget for a few months, it may need to be revised. Revise the budget together to keep reminding yourself just what it entails.
9. Be honest with each other. For your future happiness, it is extremely important to tell each other the things in your past that may have a direct bearing on the future. This should be done before marriage.
10. Don’t be too proud to apologize. Sometimes the only thing it would take to solve an argument are two little words: “I’m sorry.” Don’t be too proud to forgive. An apology is of no effect if it is not forgiven. Make it your policy never to go to bed angry at each other.
11. Don’t forget to cuddle. When sitting together, cuddling can make a couple bond more than most other activities. Just before you go to sleep, cuddle for a few minutes—-not for sex, but for the secure feeling that it gives you.
12. Attend church together each week. Even if you move away and you aren’t familiar with the churches in the new area, make sure that you do not neglect this important part of your marriage. “Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together.” Heb 10:25
13. Stay true to your marriage vows. Over the years, you may find someone who seems attractive to you. Avoid this person as much as possible and remind yourself what made you fall in love with your partner in the first place. This is very important, as being faithful to each other is the only way a marriage commitment will be successful.
14. Be best friends. Set aside a certain amount of time each week when you can spend time doing fun things together just like you did during courtship. If you do have other friends, they should be someone that both of you feel comfortable with. Don’t value these friends more highly than you value your mate.
15. When children come. If and when you do start a family, make sure your children know they are not an inconvenience to you. Let them know that you are always there to help them. Set aside time for them. As they are growing up, set an example for them. Teach them about God and how they can become like Him. Remember, “By beholding we become changed”—that works with children too. When they grow up and move out of your home, keep in close contact with them and have a good and loving relationship with them even though they are miles away. © 2003 Rosa Hartwell

And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. John 10:16.
Dear Sister Mary: While I have been writing out what has been shown me in vision while at Roosevelt [New York] in regard to individual cases, your case has come in order, and I will try to write you how you were presented before me. I was shown that you are not standing in the light and favor of God, but are too mixed up with the world; that your love for your Sabbathkeeping brethren and sisters … is growing cold….
Your influence of late has not been in union with the Spirit and work of God, and you are not going forward but backward. The opinions of unbelievers are having too great an influence upon your mind…. There is a work to be accomplished for you. You must possess deep humility of soul, and war against self and an unyielding will, or you will certainly be ensnared by the enemy.
Some who love to hear and tell some new thing have grieved you, have injured you, and you have in your mind censured those who did not deserve censure, and [have] been suspicious of those whom you could safely trust. When you take the position you should, then your heart will be strongly knit with your brethren and sisters, and their hearts will be knit with yours, but you have been weaning yourself from your brethren and the cause exists in yourself. You are not willing to be led and instructed. Darkness and clouds are gathering over you. Satan desires you that he may sift you as wheat….
God calls His church to be more separate from the world in their dress than you have thought. God is constantly instructing His people to flee from pride of appearance, from love of self, but you are working directly against the Spirit of God in this matter, hence you are walking in darkness and place yourself upon the battlefield of the enemy.
I saw that God loves you. The Good Shepherd has tenderly cared for you and preserved you amid your afflictions and sufferings of mind; yet you must yield your will and judgment, and be willing to be taught. None—no, not one—can go alone to heaven. God has a people whom He is leading, guiding, and instructing. They must be subject one to another. If one undertakes to go alone, independently, to heaven he will find he has chosen the … path that will not lead him to life.
Dear Mary, I love you. I have tried to write this matter as it was presented to me. May you see it as it is, is my prayer, and make sure and thorough work for eternity. From your sister, (signed) Ellen G. White—Letter 19, October 13, 1861, to a young Christian.
The Upward Look p.300
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer Requests
—-My fiancé’ has been in hospital, then caught flu there, he is very ill. Stephanie
—-Please pray that God will take complete control of David’s life. Buck
—-Keep in prayer a local fair that’s going on in a particular city ….an Adventist booth is there with thousands of SDA books and literature to give away for FREE. The number of attendees may be down this year due to the pandemic, however, lets pray that God’s literature and books are not passed by as many from the area are still expected to attend. Monica
—-One of our elders at church has had a stroke and is on a ventilator. Please keep him and his family in prayers. He is much needed by all here. Ann
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Friends,
When we lived in North Carolina, I worked at an assisted living center. Mary was my co-worker on the afternoon shift. We enjoyed working together and had many good conversations. Mary often talked about sending money to a tele-evangelist. She didn’t make much money, but she gladly gave to this man. I didn’t know much about him, but I had seen him on TV a few times. I had noticed that he didn’t really preach the gospel but only talked about and begged for money.
Around Christmastime, Ron’s folks took us to see this man’s “theme park” (for lack of a better word). Millions of Christmas lights decorated the trees and fences. Various displays were placed here and there along the way. I cannot even begin to describe the luxury of the buildings. The foyer of the main building rivaled any grand hotel with glass elevators going up and down between the many floors. Gold was splashed everywhere, someone was playing a grand piano, and people were coming and going or lounging around in that luxurious setting. To the side was a promenade of shops that rivaled Disney World. The ceiling was especially fascinating as it looked like the sky with puffy clouds that actually moved like time-lapse photography. As we walked around outside, we saw the many houses and apartments of their timeshare scam and even rides and a waterslide. Ron and I were horrified to think of all the poor people (like am coworker) who sent their money in thinking that they were furthering the gospel but in reality they were funding his little “empire.” Eventually his empire came crashing down and he was sent to prison for his deceit. Sadly, I saw recently that he is back to his old tricks.
Jesus warned us that there would be false prophets (this includes preachers and teachers who are misrepresenting Jesus or teaching false doctrines.) in these last days. “And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.” “Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” Matt 24:11,24,25 Notice that Jesus did not say, “Don’t believe any prophets: He said not to believe the false ones. The Apostle Paul advises us, “Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” 1 Thes 5:19-21 Here is the key—our first test—“prove all things.” How do we “prove all things?” “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isaiah 8:20. Thus we should compare everything that the prophet says (and does) with what the Bible has to say upon that subject. To find out what God’s Holy Word says upon a certain subject having a Strong’s or Young’s Analytical Concordance is a great help. Isaiah suggests this when he tells us, “For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little.” Isa 28:10
Another test of a prophet is whether the prophet’s predictions come to pass—-all of their predictions, not just some of them. “When the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that the Lord hath truly sent him.” Jeremiah 28:9. However, we must remember that we have an adversary, who is walking about seeking whom he may devour. (1 Peter 5:8) He also has his prophets—the false prophets that Jesus warns us about. These prophets try to deceive us. God warns us in the book of Deuteronomy, “If
there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” Deut 13:1-3 Again, He tells us, “When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.” Deut 18:22
The loving disciple, John, gives yet another test of a prophet. “Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God.” 1 John 4:2. Often, false teachings are promoted about the incarnation of Christ that spiritualize away this great mystery. Many times they deny the pre-existence of the Son of God before his birth or say that after Mary’s baby was born, God’s Spirit came into Him in a special way. Some of these false prophets say that Jesus’ nature was not like ours and that it was impossible for Him to have sinned. These teachers are to be avoided.
Jesus gives us another way that we can tell whether or not He is speaking through an individual. “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” Matthew 7:20. Does the prophet keep all of the commandments of God? Do they teach their followers to do so? There have been many prophets and preachers in the past years that at first glance seem to be living holy lives, but eventually it has been revealed that they were committing adultery or stealing the money that their followers gave them for spreading the gospel. Does the prophet truly have love for others or is he using religion to further his own agenda? Sadly, many precious souls have been turned away from their Dear Saviour because of these so-called prophets and teachers. The blood of these precious ones will be upon these false prophets’ heads.
May we test everything we hear, everything that we read by Isaiah’s test, “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isa 8:20 May we cling tightly to the Bible as our rule of faith and practice. May we daily pray for the Heavenly Eyesalve that we may discern truth from error for the evil one has many teaching and preaching that which will lead us down the wrong path.
Rose

And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them. Numbers 20:12.
Some would regard … [Moses’] sin as one that should be lightly passed over; but God sees not as man sees. When within sight of the hills of Canaan, the Israelites murmured because the stream that had flowed wherever they encamped ceased. The cries of the people were directed against Moses and Aaron, whom they accused of bringing them into the wilderness to perish. The leaders went to the door of the tabernacle and fell on their faces. Again “the glory of the Lord appeared,” and Moses was directed, “Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock” (Numbers 20:8).
The two brothers went on before the multitude, Moses with the rod of God in his hand. They were now aged men. Long had they borne with the rebellion and obstinacy of Israel; but now, at last, even the patience of Moses gave way. “Hear now, ye rebels,” he cried; “must we fetch you water out of this rock?” (verse 10). And instead of speaking to the rock, as God had commanded him, he smote it twice with the rod.
The water gushed forth in abundance to satisfy the host. But a great wrong had been done. Moses had spoken from irritated feeling…. “Shall we bring water?” he questioned, as if the Lord would not do what He promised. “Ye believed me not,” the Lord declared to the two brothers, “to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel” (verse 12).
More than this, Moses and Aaron had assumed power that belongs only to God. The necessity for divine interposition made the occasion one of great solemnity, and the leaders of Israel should have improved it to impress the people with reverence for God and to strengthen their faith in His power and goodness. When they angrily cried, “Must we fetch you water out of this rock?” they put themselves in God’s place, as if the power lay in themselves. By these words they greatly dishonored Christ, their invisible Leader. God, not man, should have been glorified. The Lord reproved these leaders, and declared that they should not enter the Promised Land. Before the Hebrew host He demonstrated that the sin of the leader was greater than the sin of those who were led.—Manuscript 169, October 12, 1903, “Words of Warning Against Present Dangers.”
The Upward Look p. 299
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for this lady. She wants to serve God but is caught up in a relationship with a man who has had two different wives whom he left because he liked someone else. And now he wants to marry this girl. She has children with him and living together. Pray for her deliverance please. Rosemary
—-Please pray for a friend who has brain cancer. Tony

Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord. Jeremiah 9:23, 24.
In … [our] work for the Master, self is [to be] hid. The language of the heart is, He must increase; I must decrease…. The love of self dies, the love of Jesus burns upon the altar of the soul. There is no spirit for low, common, self-seeking, or worldly ambition, because we are living in His presence, doing His work, and are in contact with Jesus Christ and His life. His character and His work are all-absorbing. The life imperceptibly becomes one with Christ as He was one with the Father. The truth and light and life are interwoven with life and character, and the aspirations are elevated, pure, unselfish, after the order of heaven….
If ever a people needed spiritual perception, vigor, and steadfast faith and power in prayer, it is the people who claim to be keeping the commandments of God and looking for the Lord Jesus Christ to come in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory….
Love to Christ will always be seen in those who are laborers together with God. The common, earthly thoughts and motives are discarded as the love for Christ increases. None, however weak in faith and hope and courage, need to despair, for Christ has provided divine assistance to combine with man’s human effort. Christ works constantly to draw the soul into a pure and holy atmosphere. He is acquainted with our infirmities, and with the embarrassment we meet on every hand in the world. Assistance has been provided for every advanced step. When the earnest, struggling soul is compassed with infirmities and surrounded by foes to discourage, the Comforter draws near. The Holy Spirit helps our infirmities.
We must, if we overcome, use the means placed within our reach. We must put on the Lord Jesus Christ. By faith we must clothe ourselves with the righteousness of Christ and put no confidence in our own merits. Many are seeking to be present at the marriage supper of the Lamb in their own citizen’s dress, discarding the robe woven in the loom of heaven and prepared for all at infinite cost, as a free gift to His guests that shall eat of His supper. We must wear the livery of heaven. We must be clothed in Christ’s righteousness and go to warfare at His expense and under His bloodstained banner, or we are none of His.—Manuscript 41, October 9, 1890, “Diary: Labors at Adam’s Center.”
The Upward Look p. 296
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer Requests
—-Ron had many tests yesterday and all came out ok. Please continue to pray that he will start feeling normal. Rose
—-Please pray for my dear family friend, Hannah, a very social 15 y.o. teen, who has been struggling with depression, especially made worse by the Covid lockdown. She attempted to hurt herself recently, and thankfully it was unsuccessful. Many teens I heard are also struggling with this Covid isolation. Let’s lift them up in prayers. ML
—-Please pray that God will take control of David’s life. Buck
—-Please pray for healing and comfort for Nanette who is undergoing surgery today. Andy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Friends,
When my father-in-law was in his late forties, he had a very bad accident. Because of this, he was unable to continue his painting business. Since he had many children still at home, the state of Michigan put him through college to become a teacher.
He often spoke about his experience with the various students and teachers. One of his professors used to grind on his (and all the other students) nerves. Mr. Henry had an unusual way of speaking that made him the laughing stock of the school. He repeated everything he said three times each time saying his thought in a slightly different manner. No doubt he started doing this to make sure that his students understood what he said in his lectures. In this way even the slowest writers could take notes with ease. However, it had become such a habit that even in normal conversation he still repeated everything he said three times.
The students laughed about his unusual habit, for they could see no reason for his odd behavior and thought that he was a bit eccentric. Behind his back they called him “Mr. Henry, Mr. Henry, Mr. Henry.” When they got together in the student lounge, they often thought up possible scenes in Mr. Henry’s life such as the simple act of going to the gas station. They decided that he would say to the attendant (this happened back in the days before self-serve), “Fill her up. Fill up the car with gas. My fuel tank is almost empty, fill it with gasoline.” Or if he went to the bakery, they imagined he would say, “I would like three cookies. I’ll take one-fourth dozen cookies, please. Please give me a half of a half dozen cookies.” Then the students would laugh heartily. If Mr. Henry ever knew that he was the object of their jokes, he never said. His motive was good, and although the students might not have realized it, they did have an easier time learning in his class.
Just as Mr. Henry’s redundancy had a purpose, so our Heavenly Teacher must often deal with us. Our Dear Creator leads us down paths in our experience that are hard to bear, but it is the very thing that we need. Often God brings us into the same or similar situations during this chastening process, because we failed to learn the lesson the first time. It is like learning school lessons by repetition. Having to travel the same “path” over and over again, makes us almost despair, but God has His hand in it, leading, guiding, urging us to make the right decision; so we do not have to repeat that lesson again.
Solomon advises, “My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. Prov 3:11,12 Paul reminds 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
May we cooperate with our Heavenly Teacher as He uses the circumstances of life to mold us into His image. May we determine to learn the lesson He has for us the first time, so we do not have to go through the same trial over and over again. May we thank Him for His patience with us, His erring children is my prayer.
Rose

That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. 1 John 1:3.