With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love. Ephesians 4:12.
God is love. The love of the Father and the Son is an attribute of every believer. The Word of God is the channel through which divine love is communicated to man. God’s truth is the medium by which the intellect is reached. The Holy Spirit is given to the human agent who works in cooperation with divine agencies. It transforms mind and character, enabling man to endure as seeing Him who is invisible. Perfect love can be enjoyed only through the belief of the truth and the reception of the Holy Spirit….
Christ prayed that His disciples might realize the importance of the love that He expressed by giving His life for the world. He desired them to understand something in regard to His infinite sacrifice. If they had more fully understood His self-sacrificing love, they would never have engaged in alienation and strife.
I urge all who claim to believe present truth to practice that truth. If they do this, they will have a stronger and more powerful influence for good. The world will see that the love expressed by believers is the central and controlling principle of Christ’s followers. Christlike love blends heart with heart. The truth draws men together. It brings into harmony and unity all who have an earnest, living faith in the Saviour. Christ designs those who believe in Him to develop and become strong by association with one another. All who work unselfishly in the Master’s service bear credentials to the world that God has sent His Son to this earth.
Although a company of Christians united in church capacity have not all the same talents, yet it is the duty of everyone to work. Talents differ, but to every man is given his work. All are dependent upon Christ in God. He is the glorious Head of all grades and classes of people associated through faith in the Word of God. Bound together by a common belief in heavenly principles, they are all dependent on Him who is the Author and Finisher of their faith. He has created the principles that produce universal oneness, universal love. His followers should meditate upon His love. They should not stop short of reaching the standard set before them. If the principles of Christianity are lived, they will produce universal harmony and perfect peace. When the heart is imbued with the Spirit of Christ, there is no quarreling, no seeking for the supremacy, no striving to be reigning lords.—Manuscript 46, March 31, 1902, “Unity a Sign of Discipleship.”
The Upward Look p. 104
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Prayer Requests
—-One for my neighbors who was notified about something with his Driver License that took place in the 90’s he cannot go to work until he gets it resolved . his name ie Jess. .he is a good Christian guy . M
—-My dog has been acting strange all day. stays out in the rain. and won’t come in. that is not like her. Normally she goes.. out and runs back in. and lays near the fire.I started to take her to her vet 20 miles away. but it was too foggy and it would of been dark by the time I got out and drive 20 miles back home I have cataracts that will be taken out next month. thanks.M.
—-Please pray for Tom who is in his 60’s and is in kidney failure and possible heart failure. thanks. c.
—-Please pray for Rita, whose son’s funeral is tomorrow. Rose
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Dear Friends,
When my children were little, we lived in Wilmington, North Carolina. One spring day we noticed that some birds were building a nest in the decorative trim on the front of the mobile home we were renting. It was an ideal place for a nest. It would have been almost impossible for the babies to fall out of the nest. We welcomed them as a learning experience for the children as the nest was low enough that we could lift them up and they could look at the eggs.
Soon the babies hatched, and from inside the trailer we could hear them begging every time the parent bird came with a bug or a worm for them to eat. As they grew larger, the cheeps became louder, but it did not bother us. It was so exciting to be able to sneak outside when both parents were gone hunting for food and look at the baby birds.
One day, however, as I sat down on the sofa to rest, I noticed some tiny insects swarming on the back of the sofa. It was against the wall that was directly behind the bird’s nest. To my horror, I realized that these were bird mites! I checked the wall and it also was swarming with mites. Suddenly the thought of having those birds so close was not at all pleasant. I wanted those mites out of my house.
Immediately, I went to the store and bought some spray that could be used to rid pet birds of mites. I sprayed the sofa, the wall, and the baby birds. That helped for a time, but since I could not spray the parent birds, the problem soon returned. Finally, the only thing that could be done was to get rid of the nest. Thankfully, by this time, the babies were nearly ready to leave the nest anyway and stayed in the bushes nearby where their parents continued raising them. Once those birds were gone, we were able to get rid of the swarms of mites.
How often we become infested with the “mites” of this world. Sometimes we enjoy listening to music that leads us away from Christ. Sometimes we watch TV programs or read books that fill our minds with wrong thoughts. Soon we become like what we have allowed into our minds. We become alarmed and try to change, but we cannot. The allurement of the music or of the story pulls us in once again.
How much we need the help of the One Who “was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” to get rid of the mite-ridden nest of sinfulness that we have allowed to stay within us. Heb 4:15 How much we need His cleansing power to “kill” every wrong thought and action! Our prayer must be, “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight. . . . Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. . . . Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. Ps 51:1-13
Praise God, He answers our prayer for help! “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” “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.” Isa 1:18; Exe 36:26,27
May we each day allow our loving Saviour to cleanse us from all sin and put within us that new heart He longs for us to have. May we heed the admonition of Paul, ” Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Phil 4:8 May we continually “press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” is my prayer. 3:14
Rose

That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace. Ephesians 2:7.
Disobedience has closed the door to a vast amount of knowledge that might have been gained from the Word of God. In eternity we shall learn that which, if we had received the enlightenment that it was possible for us to obtain here, would have opened our understanding. And understanding means obedience to all God’s commandments. The plan of God’s government would have been understood. The heavenly world would have opened its chambers of grace and glory for exploration. Human beings would have been altogether different from what they now are in form, in speech, in song, for, by exploring the mines of truth, they would have been ennobled. The mystery of redemption, the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ in His mediatorial character, the incarnation of Christ our Redeemer, His atoning sacrifice, would not be, as they now are, vague in our mind. They would have been, not only better understood, but altogether more highly appreciated.
These themes will employ the hearts and minds and tongue of the redeemed through the everlasting ages, and new developments of them will be opened up, which Christ longed to open to His disciples, but which they did not have faith to seek and grasp. Forever and ever, new views of the perfection and glory of Christ will appear.
Men of decided piety and talent catch views of eternal realities, but they are not understood, because the things that are seen eclipse the glory of the unseen. By many, man’s wisdom is thought to be higher than the wisdom of the divine Teacher. So God’s Lesson Book, containing treasure, is looked upon as old-fashioned, so much so as to be thought tame and stale. But it is not so regarded by those who have been quickened and vivified by the Holy Spirit. They see the priceless treasure, and would sell all to buy the field that contains it….
Many drink at the low, turbid waters of the valley, having forsaken the fountain of living water, the pure, snow-water of Lebanon. But those who make the Word of God their study, those who dig for the treasures of truth, will appreciate the weighty principles taught, and will digest them. As a result, they will themselves become imbued with the Spirit of Christ, and by beholding, they will become changed into His likeness. Those who appreciate the Word will teach like disciples who have been sitting at the feet of Jesus, and have accustomed themselves to learn of Him, that they might know Him whom to know aright is life eternal.—Manuscript 45, March 30, 1898, 45, “Hidden Treasure.”
The Upward Look p. 103
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Prayer Requests
—-I just got a call that Milt situation was getting worse. We know God will heal. Please continue to pray for Him. Arlene
—-Please pray for my post open heart, she’s bleeding a lot. Emerson
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Dear Friends,

I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13, 14.
It is the duty of everyone who professes to be a Christian to keep his thoughts under the control of reason and oblige himself to be cheerful and happy. However bitter may be the cause of his grief, he should cultivate a spirit of rest and quietude in God. The restfulness which is in Christ Jesus, the peace of Christ, how precious, how healing its influence, how soothing to the oppressed soul! However dark his prospects, let him cherish a spirit to hope for good. While nothing is gained by despondency, much is lost. While cheerfulness and a calm resignation and peace will make others happy and healthy, it will be of the greatest benefit to one’s self. Sadness and talking of disagreeable things is encouraging the disagreeable scenes, bringing back upon one’s self the disagreeable effect. God wants us to forget all these—not look down but up, up!
Sadness deadens the circulation in the blood vessels and nerves, and also retards the action of the liver. It hinders the process of digestion and of nutrition, and has a tendency to dry up the marrow of the whole system….
God’s purposes are often veiled in mystery; they are incomprehensible to finite minds; but He who sees the end from the beginning knows better than we. What we need is to cleanse us from earthliness, to perfect our Christian character, that the robe of Christ’s righteousness shall be put upon us…. Faith, patience, forbearance, heavenly-mindedness, trust in your wise heavenly Father, are the perfect blossoms which mature amidst clouds and disappointments and bereavements….
The order of providence in relation to His people is advancement, progression. Continual advancement is the way of holiness, rising higher and higher in the knowledge and love of God…. God is unchangeable—the same yesterday, today, and forever. Faith must be exercised in all our prayers, for it has not lost its power, nor humble obedience its reward. If our brethren, who profess to believe the truth, would show their faith by their works, they would honor God and be enabled to convince many souls that they have the truth, for according to their faith and their obedience will they realize the fulfillment of the promises of God and be endowed with power from on high.—Letter 1, March 29, 1883, to J. N. Andrews, our first missionary, who was dying of tuberculosis in Switzerland.
The Upward Look p. 102
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Prayer Requests
—-Please emergency prayers for my grandfathers wife, Angela. She is in the hospital likely with a stroke. Please pray for her healing for God’s glory and so my grandfather would see God’s hand. Nathan
—-Please pray for my two prayer requests. The first is for my uncle. He is alone now since my dear mother died and he keeps calling out my mother’s name for help. It is heartbreaking. He has a live in caregiver but he really is in a bad situation and nothing that I have done to try and fix this situation has worked. He is a veteran and I have contacted the Veterans but still the situation stays the same. Please pray for God to remedy this situation. Also I have a good friend who is going in for heart surgery today. Please pray for her healing. Connie
—-Milt is taking his 2nd dialysis now we still need your prayers at this time. He needs to get through this. God is his healer. Arlene
—-Please pray for my family being attacked by the evil one please pray for a hedge of protection especially right now. Debra
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Dear Friends,
Last week, Ron overheard only part of a conversation that Brian and Esther were having. That part of the conversation could have been very upsetting if taken without the rest. At first, I was upset but upon reflection, I realized that they were talking about someone who we all knew who was going through some difficult times. Brian had been making a suggestion on how to solve the problem. The next day, I asked Esther what it was about. She had to think a minute to even recall the incident, but she confirmed what I thought about that snippet of conversation. I laughed and said, “That’s how rumors begin.”
How careful we must be not to believe or spread rumors for they may be as false as the one that could have been started from what Ron had overheard. How many times we believe we know what is going on, but fail to discern truth from a false report. How easy it is to spread that tidbit of gossip and speak against someone. We put the worst possible motive upon it and slander that one who might be totally innocent. How many times we hear some bit of gossip and know it is false but keep quiet instead of speaking the truth. How this breaks our Great Redeemer’s heart of love. He, Who gave everything for us, is looking for the reflection of His character in us. He listens to our every word, waiting to hear His words coming from our lips. He Who is Just and Kind and Good is longing for us to exemplify those traits in our character.
Yet, how often He sees and hears quite the opposite. We do as Jeremiah writes, “Their tongue is as an arrow shot out; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but in heart he layeth his wait.” Jer 9:8 James tells us, “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” “If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” James 1:26,27;3:2-18
Jesus, with tears in His voice, proclaimed, “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” Matt 12:34-37
We will have to meet our words again. Solemn thought. Daily we should heed the advice of the children’s song that says, “O be careful little lips what you say.” Words we have spoken in anger, words we have spoken in jest, cruel words, slanderous words, all are recorded in the courts above. Our Dear Saviour hears them all. These words also have an effect upon ourselves. How careful then, should we be to put a guard upon our lips, lest by our words we wound those whom the Saviour loves, lest by our words we discourage the very one who is doing right, lest by our words we turn others away from their Only Helper.
“Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous; Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.” 1 Pet 3:8-12
May we never allow the words that have been spoken against us, to turn us away from the One Who gave His life for us. May we speak only those words which draw others closer to our Dear Saviour. May God be glorified in all that we do, all that we say, all that we think is my prayer.
Rose

The children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath … for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever. Exodus 31:16, 17.
We do not study the Scriptures as much as we should. Instead of spending our time in studying the various themes of the day we need to devote that time to the study of the Scriptures. We want to come on our knees before God with our Bibles and ask for wisdom from God to comprehend the treasures of truth. We cannot have root in ourselves unless we do this, for everything is to be shaken that can be shaken….
Satan is watching that he may find the mind in an unguarded moment and so get possession of it. We do not want to be ignorant of his devices, neither do we want to be overpowered by his devices. He is pleased with the pictures that represent him as having horns and hoofs, for he has intelligence; he was once an angel of light. Those who trust in their intelligence he will make believe that they can correct the Scriptures. You are going to meet this infidelity in high places. You need the Holy Spirit of God, the divine power to cooperate with you to discern the trap that the devil is preparing, and escape it. He is going to lead the religious world captive (see 2 Thessalonians 2:11). How dare they to lay their sacrilegious hands upon the Scriptures! We must bring the Sabbath of the Lord to the front. It is so plain, and so decided. It is a sign between the children of God and the children of the world….
We do not know how soon we shall be singled out as not being law-abiding citizens, because the prince of the power of the air is getting possession of the minds of men. We can choose between obeying the powers that be, and dishonoring God, or disobeying the powers that be, and honoring God. If we obey God, His Holy Spirit is resting upon us, and we are not fighting with our own assertions, but with “It is written.” All we have to do is to go back to the fourth commandment. Read the testimony of Jesus Christ that not even a little dot was to be altered, but it is just as written by the finger of God on the tables of stone. We should love the truth because it is truth. It makes every difference whether we are on God’s side of the question or not. You may be summoned to the courts, and in these emergencies think on the Saviour’s promise: “I am there.” We cannot stand on sliding sand, but we can on Christ Jesus. And we can stand there though the whole world may be arrayed against us….
God has covenanted, and He will be with His people.—Manuscript 11, March 28, 1893, “Search the Scriptures.”
The Upward Look p. 101
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for D who is battling depression and trying to overcome anger. H
—-Update: Milt Kidneys are bad he’s on dialysis now. Arlene
—-Please pray for a young man his name is Joshua his mother has left him for months and doesn’t care much about him. He is alone i have done up to what i can. Please pray that a miracle will be wrought on his life.
He is just 18 and seems to have a bit of special needs. Rosemary
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Dear Friends,
Some time ago, I went to a certain grocery store to get the bread I buy that has all natural ingredients. For me, it is worth the extra three miles to get bread without dough conditioners and preservatives. Of course, I got a few other needed items as well.
As I was taking my purchases out of the cart so carry the bags of groceries to the car, a lady, who was also about to exit the store, looked at me and said, “Go around the corner and up the stairs.” Seeing my blank look, she smiled and repeated herself adding, “It’s kind of hard to find.”
With question marks all over my face, I asked, “Uh, just what are we talking about?”
It was her turn to be surprised. “Why, you asked where the bathroom was, didn’t you?” After assuring her, that I had not said a word, I remembered that some girls, who were talking together, had passed right behind me. One of them must have asked that question to one of the other girls. I explained that to the woman. Then, she and I had a good laugh.
Paul tells us to “pray without ceasing.” Just as “the body without the spirit is dead, [as] faith without works is dead,” so prayer without study of the Scriptures leaves us with only part of a conversation. James 2:26 Without earnest prayer for guidance, we have only the vaguest idea of what is being said. Without study and prayer, we cannot truly have a “conversation” with our Great Creator.
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Tim 3:16, 17 How vital to our understanding, is prayer that we may receive the lesson its Author has for us. Without prayer for the same Holy Spirit, who guided holy men of old to write the Scriptures, to guide our minds, we are getting only part of the “conversation” and lack as much understanding as I did when that woman began answering a question I had never asked. (2 Peter 1:21)
Our Loving Saviour advises us as Paul advised Timothy so long ago, “Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.” 1Ti 4:13-16
May we “study to shew [ourself] approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Tim 2:15 May we pray to the Great Author of the Bible for the guidance we so much need. May we prayerfully meditate upon all His Holy Word and follow the lessons contained therein.
Rose

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Acts 1:8.
When in His expiring moments on the cross, Christ exclaimed, “It is finished,” the veil of the Temple was rent from top to bottom. The need for the Jewish system of sacrifices and offerings had ended. Type had met antitype in the death of the One to whom the sacrifices pointed. A new and living way had been opened—a way by which Jew and Gentile, free and bond, could come to God and find pardon and peace.
Christ is to be uplifted as the Redeemer of the world. He is to be proclaimed as the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. “Ye shall receive power,” the Saviour declared, “after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
Christ’s last act before leaving this earth was to commission His ambassadors to go to the world with His truth. His last words were spoken to impress the disciples with the thought that they held in trust the message of Heaven for the world. In obedience to the Saviour’s command, the disciples returned to Jerusalem, and there waited for the promised outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Heavenly intelligences cooperated with them, and gave power to the message that they bore. The Holy Spirit gave efficiency to their missionary efforts, and on one occasion three thousand were converted in a day. Paul, miraculously transformed from a bitter persecutor to a zealous believer, was added to the number of the disciples. To him was entrusted in a special manner the work of giving the message to the Gentiles.
To John, banished to the Isle of Patmos for his faithfulness in witnessing to Christ, there was given special light to the church. In his exile he beheld his glorified Redeemer, and saw more distinctly than ever before what was to be at the close of this earth’s history. He saw the mercy, tenderness, and love of God blending with His holiness, justice, and power. He saw sinners finding a Father in Him of whom their sins had made them afraid. Mercy and truth met together; righteousness and peace kissed each other. In the place of fleeing from God because of our sins, we flee to His arms for protection and pardon. The throne, terrible to us in our unbelief, becomes in our repentance a place of refuge.—Manuscript 38, March 27, 1905, “Be of Good Cheer.”
The Upward Look p. 100
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Prayer Requests
—-Today is the day for Dick’s medical tests. Please pray for good results. Ron
—-Please pray for Tommie she is in icu had a heart attack after her tumor surgery near her kidney, which was successful surgery ,but now this. Becky
—-Please pray for my brother Warren Something has happened in his life and he is exhibiting very unusual mental health behaviours He has Paranoia and is delusional He is cutting family off who he is normally very close too, he has thrown his phone in the sea. I live over a 1000 klms away and now have no way of contacting or supporting him He has no prior MH history and is normally a kind loving person He has become aggressive when family turn up unannounced yet we have no way of contacting him or making sure he’s ok unless family call by He has no income and his behaviour is about to make him homeless, we are afraid he is going to self harm He isn’t a drug taker and normally leads a healthy lifestyle His conversations are strange and obsessive and he talks non stop, he’s doing strange rituals
He refuses medical help and if sectioned would react very badly and cut family ties for good. This all began when he looked into Chakra,s and magnetism and I’m unsure if it’s demonic possession. My very elderly parents are going through a terrible time with this situation and it’s affecting them so badly to see their son like this , my mother especially is becoming so distressed. Please pray this situation is understood and resolved. Jen
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Dear Friends,
Wherever we turn, we see or hear of terrible happenings in this sinful, old world. Truly we live in the land of the enemy who wants to toy with us and then destroy us. Without God’s special protection, anything can happen.
Life is uncertain at best. As Peter said, “all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away.” 1 Peter 1:24 We never know when the enemy will strike. Paul explains, “we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Eph 6:12 In light of this fact, Peter advises, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith.” 1 Pet 5:8,9 Because our adversary is constantly devising ways to seek our ruin, to cause us distress, to cause us to stumble and make shipwreck of our faith, we often feel overwhelmed. Trials and troubles wash over us like waves of the sea.
Yet through it all, our Great Redeemer is there to help us. He is “able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” Eph 6:16 “God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” 1 Cor 10:13 He will not allow anything to happen to us unless it is within His will. He knows just what experiences we need to keep us in the narrow path to Heaven. (Matt 7:14)
Think of it! Although He allows trials and troubles to come our way, He hurts right along with us. The One Who gave His life for us walks with us in the trials the enemy causes just as surely as He walked in the fiery furnace with the three Hebrews. (Dan 3) He assures us, “Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour.” Isa 43:1-3
Moreover, He keeps careful record of our life. Nothing escapes His notice, for “even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” Luke 12:17 What tender care He has for us. “I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” Jer 29:11-13 He sees our tears, indeed, He cries with us, longing for the time when He can gather us in His great arms of love and wipe away all of our tears. (Rev 21:4)
These very trials and troubles that the evil one heaps upon us, Our Tender Father in Heaven uses to fit us to dwell with Him forevermore. Paul says, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Cor 4:17-18 Jesus tells us, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 We can trust in Him! “Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.” Heb 2:17,18
The Lord Jesus Christ has won the battle! “Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold. . . But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” 1 Pet 1:18-23 The Lord is faithful, Who shall keep us from evil. (2 Thes 3:3) He is able to keep us from falling! He has promised to present us faultless before the Presence of His glory with exceeding joy. He is the only wise God our Saviour. To Him belongs glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and for ever! (Jude 24,25) ”
May we, moment by moment, trust in Jesus no matter what darts the enemy hurls at us. May we declare as did Paul, “I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” May we “put on the whole armour of God, that (we) may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Eph 6:11
Rose